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The differences between home health nurses and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a home health nurse and a nurse. Additionally, a home health nurse has an average salary of $69,393, which is higher than the $57,564 average annual salary of a nurse.
The top three skills for a home health nurse include home health, patients and quality care. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.
| Home Health Nurse | Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $69,393 | $57,564 |
| Hourly rate | $33.36 | $27.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 687,941 | 696,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A home health nurse is responsible for assisting patients usually in their households, strictly monitoring their health conditions and treatment plans for fast recovery. Home health nurses work with the patients' attending physicians and other health professionals to develop healthcare plans and administer timely medications. They update the patient's chart regularly, record temperature and vital signs, manage food intake, and respond to the patients' inquiries and requests. A home health nurse must have strong organizational and time-management skills to perform various nursing duties under certain conditions.
Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.
Home health nurses and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Home Health Nurse | Nurse | |
| Average salary | $69,393 | $57,564 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $99,000 | Between $38,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Petaluma, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Senior Living Properties | Conviva |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a home health nurse and a nurse in terms of educational background:
| Home Health Nurse | Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between home health nurses' and nurses' demographics:
| Home Health Nurse | Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |