New to HH need help!

Specialties Home Health

Published

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Congrats in jumping to home health. ARe you doing hourly or per visit so I can know how to respond?

renerian

I don't know about certificate programs, distance programs, etc. with hh. The best way to learn is to do it. If you are unsure, make sure that you have an adequate orientation with an experienced hh nurse in the field. If you don't feel comfortable, make sure you make your employer aware and extend your orientation. It sounds like you are going to be doing private duty and regular hh at times. Which will you be doing the most of? They're two very different things. Good luck!

Ann

Specializes in Transplant.
I just joined a new adventure Home Health. I had to take a pay cut of $6.00hr they only pay $18.00 at this place although this worries me financally I am willing to risk it to work in this field.

I am tired of being put in difficult situation managing 68 residents in a nursing home on 11-7a or when I worked in the hospital (government) RN's did all the IV therapy, admissions, discharges, Blood transfusion etc., plus cared for 10 patients in primary care that means do everything for them and then the 10 telemetry patients with 4 other LPN's (I use to be one) you have to pick up the stuff they could not do. I not get home until 2:30am many of times but I never got paid for it.

So, I just said this is it and quit LTC. I just finally got all my paperwork done and my PPD to get going on Monday in HH hopefully. I am really excite it is going to be a new experience for me.

Is there any tools I can get to help me learn more about HH nursing? I have been looking for CEU's to help me understand this stuff. I have no vent traning nor did I do many trachs in my time. I will do some 8 hour shifts plus visit homes on single visit basis.

Is their a certificate program out there, a distance program that focus on HH and only it?

Thanks :balloons: Darcy

Dear Darcy,

I have now been in home care for almost 2 years. When I started, it was getting on my nerves. I had them sending me all over the place, when my day should have been over, just to make my patient ratio. I was getting tired and burnt out.

I knew that there had to be something special in this thing so I tried to think of a way to make it work for me. Finally, I decided to go per diem. THat was the best thing I ever did. I am now absolutely in love with home care. I have more control of my schedule now ( I still work 4 days a week but have control over where I go and when I go). I have joined another agency to make sure I get the cases that I need weekly.

I manage my day in such a way that it allows me to spend time with my patients but still make a decent living. I feel you will get the hang of it but if this agency does not work try another. Just know that home care benefits a great deal of people and they need us out there.

Hang in there and welcome to home care.

:Melody:

Darcy,

I wish you the best experience in HH as possible here in WV. I personally hated the company I worked for and have found out by talking to other nurses in HH here, there are no good companies and no good way to work in HH here. Keep us posted on how its going for you.

Bring a clipboard with you and have the patient sign your slip first,then proceed with the visit.I worked for an agency that paid an hourly wage ,now I work per diem for a co. that pays per visit. I like this much better. Good Luck!

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Is the staffing coordinator a nurse? I have seen that before........Odd otherwise. The big thing is your area of service. If your doing private duty that pay range is pretty median. Some lower some higher. In Ohio the Medicaid waivers pay low on the first hours after that the reimbursement stinks that is stinkey pay for the agency and the nurse. If your doing visits some agencies will drive you to death.

renerian

:Melody:

Darcy,

Most home bound trachs are pretty stable and know what needs to be done and just how to do it, but you still need to be trained on trach care and be able to do it a time or two alone with preceptor watching before you go out alone. Vents are usually taken care of by respiratory therapy even in HH. You do need to know more about the machine, but you should call RT asap if there is a problem. It takes planning and experience to move a vented patient, so be sure to ask how to do it safely. Get a good manual of nursing skills to look over. When I first started in nursing we got vents on the floor and we were taught how to care of these patients, I still remember how to "C" cup my fingers and support the back of the head for moves on these patients. Read up on how to suction, when to suction, how to do cannula change, and how to change trach ties, you should be shown all of these skills and be allowed to practice before actually doing this. I admire your desire to see HH through. Keep posting on how things are going for you.

Hi All:

Well, I was told $18hr, and I was told how much a single visit would be I would assume at better than $18. I found out it also depends on why you age going to the visit i.e. new assessment.

The staff coordinator was awful good at giving the PPD to make me think she wasn't a nurse. However, why wouldn't she have LPN or RN on her business card? Here is another thing I am suppose to call them with my results of my PPD. Trust me I would not fudge anything that deals with my health, but this seem a bit odd.

I am excited to see what I am in for, but worried also. Do all HH agency have no health insurance option?

I've never worked with vents and as saids trachs I did not do very much either. The LPN's did in the hospital, but I never worked in the hospital as LPN only and RN. I did LTC as LPN in a skilled nursing facility. Anyway, they said a nurse will go with me on each first case, but for some reason I have a feeling right in my solar plexus it is not going to be a long orientation, which worries me.

Please continue to post I really enjoy reading everyones comments.

Thanks

Darcy

If you don't think your orientation is long enough-tell your supervisor that you need more time and don't feel comfortable yet.It sounds like they want you to hit the ground running but that's not realistic. I think most home health agencies do offer insurance,you usually have to work a certain amount of hours to be eligible. My previous agency would give you full benefits if you worked at least 32 hours per pay period(every two weeks),maybe your agency is too small to offer much. It might be okay to just get some experience there,like you said-then look for a bigger more organized agency.It sounds like you have been ready for a change and this is the best you can find right now,so try to make it work for you. :)

:rolleyes:
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