If your child comes home with a stable staff of nurses that remains stable for years without interruption, you might be a family of unicorns

Finding a good nurse is not just about checking off a list of skills the nurse can perform; it’s also about finding someone who is a good fit for your home.

Being thoughtful about the comfort and needs of the people who work in your home is a characteristic of a great Home Care CEO.

An informed parent or caregiver becomes empowered, and empowerment can lead to the best care for our children.

Once you open your home to nursing, you essentially become the employer of a small staff, even if you aren’t signing the paychecks. As in any workplace, the staff needs to know the rules and expectations, and it is your job to set them and communicate them well. This is your new job; you’ve been promoted to Home Care CEO.

The scariest, ugliest stories about in-home nursing usually are the result of nurses demonstrating a lack of professionalism, bad morals or a disregard for the child for whom they are providing care.

When it is managed effectively, in-home nursing can become a support for caregivers and families stressed with the care of a medically fragile child.

In the great tornado of life, things sometimes seem out of control, and we can’t see where we are going. But sometimes, when the storm passes and the dust settles, things have landed into place beautifully.

Managing in-home nursing is not always easy. It can be terribly frustrating sometimes, and it can take a while to feel like everything is under control, but success is possible.

The partnership between nurses and families is based on mutual trust, and defining the boundaries and rules clearly will help everyone involved, especially your child.