Home Health...do you feel safe?

rosey2007cna · Jun 17, 2010

I used to work in home health and I liked it a lot. I did go to some houses that were not very clean and that made me uncomfortable. As you gain experience it will get better. I did have a situation where a clients neighbor was taking my client hydrocodone and I thought for sure that I might lose my job but the clients husband trusted me(thank God), but I told the husband right away about what I had seen.

LaterAlligator · Jun 17, 2010

I do homecare (as well as working in an AL facility) and haven't ever felt unsafe at a client's home; probably someone from your agency will go and do a home visit and assessment before they send anyone in there to work, so it won't be like they have no idea what they're sending you into. The worst part is likely to be that some people's homes are really gross, because they're elderly/have lost mobility and aren't cleaning the way it needs to be.

Intern67 · Jun 17, 2010

I just finished my CNA class and have a potential offer for a FT home health job (I'd have to take the course first). For those of you who have worked in home health, what are your thoughts? !

I started as a Home Health Aide for a hospital's home health and hospice department in January after two very challenging years at a nursing home. Love it. I work with many types of clients - private pay, private insurance, VA, and hospice.

To begin with, the job came with a more than 40% raise. Sure the nursing home was underpaying me, but that is a big jump in this economy. I also get paid travel time and mileage reimbursement. The schedule is very flexible, which really helps me out while I am in school. This summer, they have been giving me all the hours I want and I am working 40-50 hours per week. (I could never work 50 hours per week in a nursing home. I would lose my mind.) With mileage reimbursement and overtime, my current pay rate on an annual basis is over $40,000. Again, not bad while in school.

Another benefit is the opportunity to work one on one with clients. Unlike in the nursing home when I had to get 9-12 residents ready before breakfast, I can take my time and provide proper care to each client. A large part of the stress I was under in the nursing home was due to the staffing ratio and lazy, useless coworkers. Neither is an issue in my current job.

My company does a pretty good job of screening clients. They make an effort to ensure the home is prepared and safe for the client to receive treatment at home. Sure, some homes are cleaner than others and some are a bit nasty, but we can refuse assignments if we feel the situation is not safe. Because you are on your own, you really are responsible for your own safety and you must pay attention and be careful.

You will need very good customer service skills in home care. Remember, you are in their home and often have to deal with spouses and family members. I am very good at managing families and the vast majority of them love having me there. If you are the type to put your head down and say, "Leave me alone and let me do my job and get out of here" then I suggest not going into home care. People will want to get to know you, so sit down, look them in the eye and talk with them.

I am not sure I would want to start my CNA career in home health. As much as I hated the nursing home, I sure learned a lot there. Knowing the basics of providing care, using a hoyer/EZ stand, safe ambulation, charting, and working with patients helped me land the job.

I have only run into one of your instructor's "drug addicted children" living with the elderly, but I have run into a different phenomena: Socially or developmentally impaired adult children (always male) living off their parent's benefits. Very often, the adult male child is wary of strangers and may give an attitude to me, but not much else. Others are very friendly. It's weird though, I saw three clients last week with the slightly impaired middle aged male kid living in the same house.

The only part of my job I don't really like are the homemaking visits - where you are not providing any direct care, rather you are a cleaning service. I don't have to do them, but I need the cash! I have maybe one or two of this type of visit a week.

I really like being a home health aide and while being a HH RN isn't my first choice after I finish nursing school, I would certainly be comfortable doing it.

Good luck!

happy2learn · Jun 17, 2010

My sociology teacher visits home of mentally disabled people for her job as she works for the city family services. She says she goes to the not so nice areas of town, areas where there are murders and drugs, all by herself. She is tiny lady and has never had a problem. I think her passion for helping people also helped her overcome those types of fears.

annacnatorn · Jun 19, 2010

Intern67 Pretty much covered all the basis. You did a great Job. I've been in HH/Hospice for many years and have only had 2 scary experience's...One, the man groped me and tried to "give it"...the other there was gun fire nearby...but other than that Wonderful, I love it. I got more sexual harassment from the SNF.

Its wonderful. One to one.

The hours could suck, not everyone gets to work for that type of place as Intern67, but all in all, wonderful

good luck, Have fun, enjoy the journey!