Introduction to Home Care Nursing

Nurses who are considering making the transition to home care are often challenged by the complexities of providing nursing care to patients in their homes and the regulatory and reimbursement systems that affect that care.

This online, non-credit, certificate course was designed by the Connecticut League for Nursing, in consultation with the Connecticut Association for Home Care, and is offered in collaboration with Charter Oak State College to help nurses make the transition to this new area of specialty nursing practice.

This course is self-paced. Students can register at any time and have six months to complete the course from the day they enroll. Upon successful completion, participants will earn 45 contact hours of continuing education credit. The course is offered entirely online, eliminating the need to travel to a classroom. Participants can access the course at any time of the day or night according to their schedules and will be guided by a faculty mentor who is an expert home care nurse.

To Qualify

Course participants may be any of the following:

• A newly-graduated registered nurse interested in home care
• A registered nurse who is currently employed in a hospital, skilled nursing home, or clinic who is interested in transitioning to home care
• A registered nurse who has not been actively employed for three or more years, has completed an RN Refresher course, and is now interested in transitioning to home care

Course Content

• Evolving home health care environment
• Role of the home care nurse
• Medicare conditions of participation, state licensure regulations, and accreditation processes
• Home care payers
• Documentation requirements
• Home visit components
• Plan of care for a home care patient
• Outcomes assessment information sets (OASIS)
• Effective team communication
• Infection control
• Patient/family teaching concepts
• Patient's rights, privacy and confidentiality
• Legal and ethical issues in home care

Course Registration

Students do not need to apply to, or matriculate (enroll) with, the College in order to take this on-demand, non-credit course. To register, visit the student online portal, ACORN; click on "Course Search"; then click on the Search Button on the next page. Click on the link to Request a Log and Password to set up a student account.