Starting a Home Health ..Help?

JayinLA · Feb 28, 2009

Hey, I am also interested in starting a home health. Been a registered nurse for 2 years now-currently 24 yrs. It would be cool to chat with other like minded entrepreneurs to share ideas and things of that sort.

natkoz82 · Mar 11, 2009

Speaking from personal experience, the business is hard and there is alot of competition. Not only are the franchises competing with one another but so are the smaller owned homecare agencies. The problem with owning your own business is the start up cost and overhead expenses, on the other hand buying into a franchise is also costly but you have your name, logo, flyers etc.. all made up for you already (you have to have the right qualifications to buy into one as well). I worked for two major homecare agencies and I can tell you they were struggling and this was five years ago. Most charge the client 17-22 per hour and alot of the times if the person is insightful enough to do their own background check on the caregiver they can have one for as little as 10 per hour...trust me these agency owners know nothing but the background check about these caregivers and whatever it says on their resumes.

Most of the time your major job will be marketing and that is a headache all in itself. Some of the clients are really odd as well and will only need help for 3 hours per week! I mean that doesnt cover anything, even if you own and operate out of your house. Find out what your local department on aging says, is there a need for this type of service in your particular area, what is your competition? Research as much as possible, I don't mean to sound completely negative but it is really tuff and I live in a huge city.

forgranny · Mar 27, 2009

Hi, what city do you live in?

natkoz82 · Mar 27, 2009

I live on the north-side of Chicago, sorry if I sounded rude but it was just my personal experience and listening to other owners complaining about their struggling businesses, maybe there is a bigger need for these types of services in your area...Good Luck.

muffin7 · Apr 1, 2009

Hi Nurse 0077

Please contact me re: stating a HH business. I am new to all of this and do not know how to contact privately. :yeah:

JayinLA · Apr 5, 2009

MUFFIN7/ NURSE 0077: Hey, I am also in Los Angeles. Would love to continue this conversation

I 've made some progress in my pursuit to start an agency. Interested in hearing what ya'll have to say.

Jay

muffin7 · Apr 5, 2009

Hi Jay,

I have not even started researching as I have been applying for jobs. The job market is fierce. I was 1 of 150 nurses interviewing for a Surg/Tele position, I'll hear Tues or Wed.

What is your background and how did you know that you were ready for your own HH business. How many years experience and in what depts. do you think someone should work to start a business.

Muffin7

JayinLA · Apr 5, 2009

Muffin,

I can't believe you're having such a hard time finding a job. Where are you applying? Allow me to toss a little constructive criticism, but maybe you're just not being tenacious enough pursuing these positions. In my experience, I've had absolutely no problem finding work; however, I've never just submitted an application and sat back waiting for a phone call. You have to follow up and keep following up until you make some progress-or do what I do and go straight to the chief nursing officer.

I've only been an RN for two years, but my experience is equal to someone with 4-5 years experience because I work 6 days/week on avg. I've worked ER,ICU,MedSurg, and even LTACH (which prepares you well for HH in my opinion). I have one fulltime and two Per Diem positions.

Are you a new grad? Which Nsg school?

muffin7 · Apr 5, 2009

HI Jay,

I don't have the experience that you have. Your background is awesome. You are definetly ready for your own HH business.

My background is in OR (2.5years), mainly trauma (multi GSW, etc). So nothing can really phase me. lol

The positions I have applied for are:

*Sheriff's Dept (RN in the jails - several hundred applying for 50 positions), *Surg/Tele (I intervied last week and will hear this week - one where I was one of 150).

*OR (even though I want to do more patient care). At this point it is a job.

I am waiting to hear back from all three of the above.

I also applied for three positions at the L.A. Dept of Health and the replies I got back were that there is a "hiring hold."

I have spoken to Nurse Recruitment where I used to work and they are a part of this "hiring hold." It is a Level I trauma center and they are not hiring for 3-6 months.

Apparently, there is such a big surge of New Grads as well as Nurses returning to work that the job market is saturated. A lot of hospitals are not hiring and they are firing for any reason, regardless of seniority ( this is info from a nurse at Huntington Hosp told me about the firing).

With the downturn in the economy there are more people applying for jobs and fewer jobs out there.

Unfortunately, I am basically a New Grad at this point. (I was a stay at home mom for 10 years besoming an RN). I know at the interview for Surg/Tele their training (basically new grad) would be for 10 weeks. They are the only hosp that does New Grad training every 10 weeks. From what I have been told Hunt Hosp may not have their New Grad Prog this August.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, in your hosp hiring?

JayinLA · Apr 5, 2009

Muffin,

Okay, things are making a little more sense now. You're right, getting into a state position like the health department or Jails is a little different and more lengthy a process than applying to community hospitals. I did ER at queen of the valley in west covina as a new grad and just accepted a position at Arcadia Methodist, ER. I'm also working two others facilities in the area. As far as I am aware, most hospitals in my area are hiring-assuming you have a little more to offer beside an RN license-and that can be your personality,tenacity, team player attitude, whatever.

Good luck,

JayinLA

muffin7 · Apr 5, 2009

Jay,

Congratulation on your job at Methodist!!!

I hear what you are saying, I am easy to get along with and think I have a pretty good personality which I think may help me at Glen Adventist. Its funny all of my instructors in Nursing School told me not to go to the OR because my patients would not benefit from the bedside care I had to offer them as well as my personality. I did not listen, however, I do feel I made a difference in my patients level of anxiety in my pre-op assessment as well as during their intubation/extubation

I have considered applying at Arcadia. Anyone who has been a patient there has been pretty happy. One of the nurses I worked with at County works in the OR at Arcadia. I'm also thinking about Home Health. There is one local agency I know of that offers training. I plan on contacting them and two others this week.

How many hours do you work a week? That is unbelievable.

As far as Home Health, have you checked out "Becoming Independent Nurse Contractor" on allnurses specialties? It looks pretty interesting and might be something you could do before starting your own agency while working at Arcadia Methodist.

Muffin