Because nursing costs more than caregiving, families sometimes hire a nurse 'to be safe' when a caregiver would do, or hire a caregiver to save money when the patient needs clinical care. Both are expensive mistakes, one in money, the other in safety. Here is how to think about scope, cost and timing.
Scope
A caregiver (also called a caretaker or attendant) supports daily living: bathing, dressing, feeding, mobility, repositioning, medication reminders, companionship and family updates. A home nurse is a qualified nurse who performs clinical tasks the treating doctor has prescribed: administering medicines including injections and IV, monitoring vitals, wound dressing, catheter and tube care, post-operative nursing. Nurses do not diagnose or change treatment; caregivers do not perform procedures. Both live in the home, round the clock.
Cost: what drives it
- Staff type: nursing is priced higher than caregiving because of qualification and the nature of the tasks.
- Patient needs: heavier physical care or complex tasks affect the monthly quote.
- Duration: nursing needs are often short-term after surgery; caregiving is often long-term.
- Two people: a heavy-care patient who needs both a nurse and an attendant costs more than one person.
We do not publish a fixed rate card because the sensible arrangement varies so much between patients. After a short assessment we give a written monthly quote; you can compare it with other providers before deciding.
When to upgrade from caregiver to nurse
- The doctor adds injections, IV medicines or insulin the patient cannot self-administer
- A wound, pressure sore or surgical site needs dressing
- A catheter, feeding tube or drain is placed
- The doctor asks for readings to be monitored and reported at set intervals
- The caregiver reports changes such as fever, breathlessness or confusion, and the doctor wants closer observation
When a nurse is more than you need
If the plan has only oral medicines, diet and mobility instructions, a nurse is an expensive way to get daily care. A caregiver or attendant does this work well and lives in just the same. When the clinical tasks end, most families move from a nurse back to a caregiver.
The arrangement most families end up with
| Patient | Arrangement |
|---|---|
| Frail elder, no procedures | Live-in caregiver |
| Post-surgery with two weeks of injections and dressings | Live-in nurse for two weeks, then a caregiver if needed |
| Bedridden with feeding tube | Live-in nurse, with an attendant if daily care is heavy |
| Unstable, needs continuous clinical observation | Live-in nurse (discuss with the doctor whether home is appropriate) |