Home health 12 hrs shifts??

rksgray13 · Nov 1, 2012

I did it and loved it. It was perfect for schooling I think. I would do shift work with my agencies. 12 hr in private duty homes and here's the pro's1. study time depending on your patients and acuity. Rarely did I go to a home that I didn't have free time2. my kids weren't with me ;)3. 99.9% of time there were CNA's4. no cleaning, no managers, no other family in home, 5. night shift6. no obligation as PRN but I knew when to say no and why7. pretty darn good money for little to NO stress8. 1 maybe 2 (at most) patients. Not an entire floor or group, etc9. Study Time10. STUDY TIME!!!!Cons1. morning after with kids, class, lack of sleep, or what-have-you's, etc2. that 0.1% of patients have have you feeling you just worked a floor shift with 9 high acuity patients. Good thing is you can request not to be placed there3. other employees chatting to you or their phone loudly4. NIGHT SITTERS for your children, if any, and having to pay them. Some might have a problem finding a night sitter. We survived during my nursing school because I could still work. I didn't have a set schedule so some weeks nothing, while some I worked 5/7 nights.

owlRN01 · Nov 1, 2012

I am currently doing this and I guess it just depends on the cases you get. I am a new grad and never wanted to start in home health but decided to go for it. For me it is not ideal. I still feel that I need someone to lean on. If you are pretty independent and confident in decision making skills then try it! Yes, being in a strangers house for 12 hours is not fun. But I guess you would get used to it. I am on edge the whole time so my back hurts from sitting on the edge of my seat and bending over a bed all day long