Guides › Nurse at home: the complete guide
Nurse at home: the complete guide
What a home nurse can do, 12-hour or 24-hour shifts, what it costs in Delhi NCR, how we check every nurse, and what the family needs to arrange.
1Nurse agency or MedStay: what to ask
Many families find a home nurse through an agency, a hospital desk or word of mouth. Whoever you choose, ask the same questions before the nurse arrives.
- Qualification GNM, BSc Nursing or ANM? Registered with the state nursing council?
- Experience with this patient Tracheostomy, ventilator, feeding tube, dementia, post-surgery?
- Verification ID, address and police verification documents, and who checked them.
- Replacement What happens if the nurse is absent or not suitable, and how fast?
- Written terms Shift hours, duties, rate, leave and notice period, in writing.
MedStay shares the nurse's profile and checks before the first shift and arranges a replacement if needed.
2Nursing care for elderly and bedridden patients
Turning every 2 hours, bed sore prevention, sponge bath, catheter and diaper care.
Wound care, pain medicines on time, safe walking with a walker.
Feeding, supervision at night, preventing falls and choking.
Baby care nurses and Japa care are a separate service; tell us what you need.
3What is nursing care at home
Home nursing means a trained nurse does at home the clinical work a ward nurse does in hospital: medicines, injections, drips, dressings, vitals, catheter and tube care, and alerting the doctor early. It suits patients who are stable enough to leave hospital but still need skilled care.
4Choose shift and nurse
- Medicines, injections, dressing
- Vitals and care chart
- Doctor updates
- Night medicines and turning
- Watches oxygen and alarms
- Wakes family if needed
- Round-the-clock care
- Family gives food and a place to rest
- Relief nurse on off days
- Ventilator and BiPAP
- Tracheostomy suction and care
- Critical-care monitoring
Ranges are typical Delhi NCR rates from public listings (Nov 2026). Your exact rate depends on the patient’s needs and comes in writing before the nurse starts.
5What a home nurse does
Oral medicines on time, injections, insulin, IV drips as prescribed.
Dressing, surgical wound care, bed sore prevention and care.
Ryles tube feeding, urinary catheter care, IV cannula, tracheostomy care.
BP, pulse, oxygen, sugar and temperature, written in a daily chart.
Oxygen, BiPAP, suction, nebulizer, patient monitor.
Recovery care, mobility help, and early warning signs.
A nurse follows the treating doctor’s written orders. She does not change medicines or doses on her own.
6Nurse at home price in Delhi
| Care | Typical Delhi NCR range |
|---|---|
| Nurse, 12-hour shift | ₹1,200 – ₹2,000 a day |
| Nurse, 24 hours | ₹2,000 – ₹3,000 a day |
| Nurse, 24 h live-in, monthly | ₹45,000 – ₹80,000 |
| ICU-trained nurse, 24 h, monthly | ₹1,00,000 – ₹1,20,000 |
What changes the price: the nurse’s qualification and ICU experience, the patient’s needs (ventilator, tracheostomy, frequent injections), shift length, and how long you need care. Monthly bookings cost less per day than short ones.
7Who needs a nurse at home
An attendant is usually enough.
A nurse, 12-hour day shift.
A nurse for the night, or 24 hours.
ICU-trained nurse, 24 hours.
A nurse for the first 1–2 weeks, then review.
8How we check every nurse
- Identity and address Government ID and address checked, police verification where available.
- Qualification GNM, ANM or B.Sc Nursing certificate and nursing council registration checked.
- Skills Injections, dressing, vitals and equipment handling checked before the first duty.
- References Previous hospital or family references called.
- Supervision A care coordinator calls you in the first days and visits when needed.
9How booking works
- Call or WhatsApp Tell us about the patient, the doctor’s advice and your address.
- Care plan and quote We suggest the shift and nurse type and send a written quote.
- Nurse matched Usually within 24 hours. You can speak to the nurse before she starts.
- Care starts The nurse keeps a daily chart and follows the doctor’s orders.
- Not happy? Tell us in the app or on WhatsApp and we replace the nurse.
For 24-hour live-in care: food, a place to rest, and a short break during the day. Doctor visits and medicines are arranged by the family.
A checked nurse, a replacement on off days or if you are not happy, and a coordinator you can call.
10When to call the doctor at once
- Breathless, lips blue, or oxygen below the doctor’s target
- Chest pain, fits, sudden weakness or confusion
- High fever that does not settle
- Heavy bleeding or a spreading bed sore
The nurse will call the doctor and the family. Keep the doctor’s number, the nearest hospital and an ambulance number written beside the bed.
Questions families ask
Can I choose a female or male nurse?
Yes. Tell us your preference when you book.
Does the nurse stay overnight?
For 24-hour live-in care, yes. The family provides food and a place to rest.
What if the nurse takes leave?
We send a relief nurse so care does not stop.
Written for families by the MedStay team. Follow your own doctor’s prescription.