New Home health job no experience

[caryrey02]

I just got a new job as a home health RN after applying to hundreds of jobs for three month ( I am a new RN grad) finally this agency hires me and goes over some basics of oasis documentation and other papers. The next day they sent me to a patient's house to do an admission and a PT eval. I have no problems dealing with the patients as long as it is the medical part, but when it comes to papers I am so lost. I know they shouldn't have done that and in an ideal situation I shouldnt have accepted it either but I want to finally have my first job and get that initial experience every nurse recruiter is asking for.

I will meet with my supervisor tomorrow and ask for help with the paper work but in the mean time, any advice?? does anyone know of likns and websites I could learn from ? thank you very much, I love nursing and wouldn't imagine myself doing something else but hate being a new grad with so many difficulties in the market right now. Thanks for any help.

[KateRN1]

First place to start is the CMS website for Medicare Home Health. Second place is the OASIS Answers and read all of the Q&As to learn the nuances of scoring the OASIS assessment. There's an old post in here somewhere with the study guide materials for the COS-C exam that is helpful in learning about OASIS. Find a resource person you can go to with questions and concerns and whatever you do, be honest about your skills and what you need help with. I would be very concerned with any agency that sends a new grad out to do a SOC alone on her second day. Probably not a good agency to work for. Ask for the training you need.

[caryrey02]

thank you for your reply... I have been getting familiar with the documentation little by little and so far they are giving me very easy-non complex- cases requiring a general assesment and a lot of documentation and PT evals

[CFitzRN, ADN]

How do you know how to do a PT eval as a new grad RN? One would think a PT would have to do those. ?

[caryrey02]

How do you know how to do a PT eval as a new grad RN? One would think a PT would have to do those. ?

Before the patient is seen by a therapist he/she needs to be seen by a registered nurse to evaluate his needs for that service. At least we do it like that in my agency, and being a "new grad RN" is not a disease, all the ones that today have 15 and 20 years of experience were once new grads without experience. My supervisors at the agency say I am doing a great job and that I learn super fast, patients call the agency and ask to be seen by me...after all it seems I am not doing that bad.

[WhatNursingShortage?]

The confusion between cfitz and u was that he mistook the abbreviation "PT" for physical therapist, and not patient, i dont think his post was intended to knock new grad nurses...at least i hope not.

[CFitzRN, ADN]

D'oh - yeah, I thought she was referring to a physical therapy eval. Sorry. (btw, I'm a "she").

[annaedRN, RN]

OP may have meant opening a case/doing SOC for PT only. Unfortunately our therapists only do discharge OASIS...we get stuck with all the rest

[RNMom2010]

I too was hired as a new grad into HH 8 months ago. Seems awfully soon to have you do a SOC on your own! I oriented with another nurse for a bit over a month and had a lot of training on Allscripts, OASIS and medicare guidelines. I was observed by another nurse for the first couple SOC's I did. I would request more info the OASIS questions. It REALLY helps to understand how everything works together in the grand scheme of home health rather than just completing the patient care.

[caryrey02]

D'oh - yeah, I thought she was referring to a physical therapy eval. Sorry. (btw, I'm a "she").

Lol in that case it is all clear now... BTW I am a "H"e not a "she"!!

[CFitzRN, ADN]

D'oh!!

[Isabelle49]

You had no orientation? You did not get a chance to shadow a field nurse? Lovely.