What does a home health nurse do?
A home health nurse is a registered nurse who visits patients at home to give skilled care such as wound care, injections and monitoring, and to teach patients and caregivers how to manage their condition.
How the work differs
You work alone, travel between homes and make decisions without a team nearby. Agencies that bill Medicare also have you complete a standard patient assessment (OASIS) at admission and follow-up. Documentation is a large part of the day.
Requirements
An RN license and driving. Most agencies prefer at least a year of hospital or clinical experience because of the independence involved.
Pay and demand
The BLS does not report home health nurses separately: the median RN earned $97,550 in May 2025. With RN employment projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, care outside the hospital is part of that demand.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.