How to choose a home nurse you can trust: 7 questions to ask first
A home nurse will enter your home and care for your loved one every day. These seven questions separate a safe service from one that relies on luck.
Choosing a home nurse is unlike choosing any other service: this person will be in your home every day, handling your patient's medication, wounds and equipment. Most problems families tell us about were not caused by bad intentions, but because nobody asked the right questions before signing.
1. Is the nurse licensed, and who reviews their work?
Ask for the nursing licence number and verify it, then ask who the doctor is that writes and reviews the care plan. A good nurse follows a plan rather than improvising.
2. How were they selected?
A personal interview, a practical assessment (vital signs, wound dressing, catheter care) and a background check. If the answer is "we posted an ad on Facebook", look elsewhere.
3. What happens when the nurse is absent?
Illness and emergencies happen. The real question is whether a trained replacement who knows the patient's file can arrive the same day. A provider with one nurse and no backup leaves you stranded on the first day off.
4. How do I follow up while I am at work?
Ask for a written daily report: vital signs, medication times, meals and notes. A daily WhatsApp report with a photo of the monitor readings beats a phone call saying "everything is fine".
5. Who does the nurse call in an emergency?
A doctor should be reachable by phone around the clock, with a clear protocol: when to call the doctor, when to call an ambulance, and when to inform you.
6. Is the price written down and all-inclusive?
A written quote should state the hours or shifts, what is included (supplies? transport?) and what is not, plus the cancellation policy. Anything verbal becomes a dispute later.
7. Can I change the nurse if the patient is not comfortable?
Competence alone is not enough; rapport with the patient matters. A professional provider lets you swap nurses in the first days without fuss.
The golden rule: if two of these questions do not get a clear written answer, the problem is not the nurse but the company behind them.
At Scrub Men we answer these questions before you ask: licensed nurses selected after an interview and a practical assessment, a doctor who reviews the care plan daily, a WhatsApp report every day and a trained replacement when needed. Book a free assessment and a care coordinator will call you within minutes.
