Home Health Aides (HHAs) are healthcare professionals who care for patients living at home or in assisted living facilities. In providing personal care support to patients, home health nurses often travel to their patients’ residences. They can also accompany patients to doctor’s visits and physical therapy appointments, walks, family events, and even run light errands on their patients’ behalf. However, the heat waves hitting the country this summer can make it challenging — and even dangerous — for HHAs to travel for work and do outdoor tasks.

In the eastern part of the US, about 150 million people are under heat alerts, with some states beating record highs and reaching triple-digit temperatures. The extreme weather has even been suspected to have caused the deaths of 25 individuals as of July 5, 2026.

In this article, we discuss the dangers of prolonged sun exposure and provide sun safety tips for home health nurses.

Why Sun Exposure Is a Real Occupational Risk for Field Nurses

HHAs and other field nurses are exposed to the sun for prolonged periods, often while traveling between homes, assisting patients with outdoor activities, or completing tasks that require extended time away from shade and shelter. Because their workday may take them across multiple locations, they may spend a large portion of the day under the sun, which can lead to health risks.

Sun exposure risks for outdoor healthcare workers include:

• Heat exhaustion: A heat-related illness that can cause dizziness, intense sweating, headache, and rapid heart rate.
• Sunburn: Occurs when ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun burn the skin, causing redness, pain, and at times, even blisters.
• Heat rash: Itchy blisters that develop when sweat becomes trapped in the skin due to exposure to hot, humid weather.
• Heat stroke: A dangerous health condition wherein the body can’t regulate its internal temperature, causing dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, slurred speech, and confusion.
• Skin cancer: The most common kind of cancer in the US, this illness is caused by extreme exposure to UV rays.

Timing Visits Around the UV Index and Peak Sun Hours

HHAs typically work full-time with eight-, 12-, or even 24-hour shifts, depending on their patient’s care needs. Many home health nurses work day shifts, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or  7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Traveling to patients’ homes early in the day is ideal, as the sun’s UV rays aren’t as strong during this period.

Knowing the UV index can help HHAs plan their outdoor activities around it to keep them protected against UV radiation exposure. The UV index provides information on how strong the UV rays are at any given time based on a scale of 1 to 11+, where 1 represents minimal or low risk, and 11+ represents a very high or extreme risk. Free apps such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s SunWise UV Index App (designed for iPad) and the SunSmart Global UV App provide updated hourly and daily information about UV rays and the times of the day when they’re at their most damaging.

Typically, the sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so as much as possible, stay indoors or in shaded areas during these times. Outdoor errands and activities with patients (such as walks and exercises) can be delayed until after high-UV hours.

What to Wear: UPF Clothing, Hats, and Sunglasses for Home Visits

Aside from religiously wearing (and reapplying) sunscreen and bringing a trusty neck fan when you’re outdoors, it’s important to wear UV-protective clothing and accessories to keep sun damage at bay. The following are practical ways to stay comfortable and protected against the sun’s damaging rays when home health nurses are making outdoor visits this summer:

• Opt for UPF scrubs: Most HHAs are required to wear scrubs at work, which is why it’s important to find scrubs that are comfortable and sun-protective. Ultraviolet Protective Factor (UPF) clothing can help block UV rays, which can help reduce one’s exposure. Some of the best UPF clothing for home health workers come with a UPF protection rating of 50+, the highest rating, and can effectively block 98% UV radiation.
• Wear hats whenever you’re outdoors: Wearing UPF-rated wide-brimmed hats can help protect your face, scalp, ears, eyes, and neck from the sun’s harmful rays.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from sun damage: UV-protective sunglasses can help reduce the risk of eye conditions such as cataracts, photokeratitis (sunburned eyes), and surfer’s eye.