A Diploma Is Not Enough, a License Is Required: Beware the “Intermediary” Trap

When a loved one needs care, the “home nurse” ads you come across online can look attractive. But the difference between a private employment agency and a home care center licensed by the Ministry of Health is not just a matter of brokerage; it is a vital question of safety and law.

Is a Nursing Diploma Enough on Its Own?

Holding a nursing diploma does not mean a person can perform medical procedures independently in any setting. Under Law No. 1219, nursing services may only be provided under the roof or supervision of a licensed health institution.

Where Is the Fallacy?

Private employment agencies advertise that they place “nurses”, yet their authority is limited to finding domestic workers or companions. If someone comes to your home and performs procedures such as:

• changing a urinary catheter or tracheostomy,
• changing a nasogastric (feeding) tube,
• starting an IV drip or giving injections,

this is no longer a domestic service but unlicensed health care. If a person placed by an employment agency does these things, they are exceeding their authority; if they do not, they are working as a care support worker, not as a nurse.

Why Do Employment Agencies Carry Risk?

1. Gap in responsibility: In the event of a medical error, the agency can step aside legally by saying “we only found the staff; medical responsibility is not ours”.
2. Lack of supervision: Agencies can check a diploma but cannot supervise clinical skills, sterilisation practice or current health protocols.
3. Legal complexity: If you insure the person as domestic staff, you as the employer may also be held responsible for their medical errors.

Five Key Questions for Safe Home Care

When you call a provider, be sure to ask:

• 1. Does your organisation hold a “Home Care Center” license from the Ministry of Health? (An İŞKUR certificate is not sufficient for health care.)
• 2. Is your organisation legally responsible for the medical procedures of the nurse you send?
• 3. Do you have an on-call physician to intervene in an emergency?
• 4. Do your staff keep medical records, and are these reviewed by a physician?
• 5. If a staff member cannot come, do you guarantee a replacement with the same qualifications?

OBSAD’s Warning

Health care is managed by responsible institutions, not by intermediaries. Do not entrust the safety of your loved ones to people found through a website ad. Real home health care is provided by home care centers backed by institutional discipline and Ministry oversight.