New to home health nursing-need advice

Specialties Home Health

Published

Hi, I have been a med-surg nurse for 2 years. I have decided to make a change and become a home helath care nurse. Is there any advise or "words of wisdom"? I'm really looking forward to this new adventure and can use some good advise about do's/don'ts and maybe 'tricks' of the trade. Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

Be organized, be patient, be willing to change on a minutes notice, ask tons of questions, dont stress over OASIS.

Seriously, all of the things I mentioned above....... home care changes at a moments notice. OASIS will take a while to get used, you learn it by doing them over and over. Working in home care is so completely different that working in the hospital. You are independent, but you should always have someone you can call if you have questions. You are the eyes of the physician. You will get used to your patients and can tell as soon as you walk in the door that something isnt right.

Brush up on DM, HTN, CHF, COPD, CVA, and Alzheimers. Those are the main diagnosis that you see in home care. Tons of wound care, review education to promote wound healing.

Make sure you always have good tires, and at least 1/2 tank of gas. You cant ever tell when you might have to see a patient who lives 30 miles from the nearest gas station.

You become part of these patients family. You may meet their siblings, children, grandchildren or next door neighbors. There will be somedays when you work late and have to come home and do paperwork. Then again there will be days when you are done by 1pm.

I wish you the best in home care. I have been doing it off and on for the last 15 yrs and absolutely love it.

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What is OASIS and how is it unique to home nursing?

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Be organized, be patient, be willing to change on a minutes notice, ask tons of questions, dont stress over OASIS.

Seriously, all of the things I mentioned above....... home care changes at a moments notice. OASIS will take a while to get used, you learn it by doing them over and over. Working in home care is so completely different that working in the hospital. You are independent, but you should always have someone you can call if you have questions. You are the eyes of the physician. You will get used to your patients and can tell as soon as you walk in the door that something isnt right.

Brush up on DM, HTN, CHF, COPD, CVA, and Alzheimers. Those are the main diagnosis that you see in home care. Tons of wound care, review education to promote wound healing.

Make sure you always have good tires, and at least 1/2 tank of gas. You cant ever tell when you might have to see a patient who lives 30 miles from the nearest gas station.

You become part of these patients family. You may meet their siblings, children, grandchildren or next door neighbors. There will be somedays when you work late and have to come home and do paperwork. Then again there will be days when you are done by 1pm.

I wish you the best in home care. I have been doing it off and on for the last 15 yrs and absolutely love it.

Thanks so much for the advice, I hope all works out.

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