The number of healthcare-associated infections and their growing resistance to antibiotics are a global concern. The complex patient environment and the autonomous nature of home care practice pose particular challenges for controlling these infections in patients’ homes. The objective of this study was to identify the main risks associated with home care practices in order to make recommendations for improving their quality and safety. A mail-in questionnaire, designed to assess current practice, was sent to the 883 independent nurses in Seine-et-Marne (Paris region) in 2012. Two hundred and six nurses (24%) responded. The results suggest that independent nurses in Seine-et-Marne encounter difficulties in implementing practice recommendations for the prevention of infections related to home care. Only 8.7% of them comply with all legal requirements regarding the management of infectious medical waste (Dasri). The availability of personal protective equipment is limited. The lack of communication between hospital departments and home care services is a major source of risk for patients and for the safety of healthcare professionals. This study could contribute to the development, by health authorities, of a strategy to address the challenges faced by home care nurses, thereby improving the safety of patients and practitioners. (R.A.)