So overwhelmed..any advice?

Obviously that would be the very least that you could do. However, if you know it's fraud, I think you are liable also. Not sure about this, or the terms, but say you admit a patient that is not homebound etc, then you are guilty also. Whatever the reasons to work there, I don't know. But are they worth "questionable practices and the lack of support"? LuLu-YOU DESERVE BETTER!!! Good luck.

Someone else agree/disagree with that?

A therapist told me that nurses have a real problem with codependency. The definition of codependence is: Always putting ones needs above your own needs. Feeling/thinking that someones elses needs are more important than your own. She said nurses have a bad habit of accepting assignments/workloads even when though they can't handle or don't want the workload. Their reasoning is "my manager wouldn't have asked me to do it unless it was really important", or "if I quit the agency because they treat me bad, it will be the patients that suffer". I'm sure you have all heard the rationalizations before. Personally, I started at a new agency 3 weeks ago. I really like it so far but I have set my boundaries early. I found that if you set your boundaries early with your manager, the less trouble later on. For example, I am very pleasant, but I made it clear that if I work the weekend, I need 2 days off during the week and only on very rare occasions will I work more than 8 hours per day. Just something to think about.

I do home health and love it. 7 is the most I've seen a day. It's usually between 4-6. Three admissions at the most. I'm a flex nurse, so I get paid per visit equivalent, admissions have more VE's, DM visits (because I'm a CDE) have a certain number of VE's etc. I've been in HC for almost two years. This year I started pulling over somewherea and doing my charting after each visit (not always possible for admissions). I was becoming burned out going home to finish work. It's great now to get home and not have to think about anything work related.

tjccde

Does everyone in HH do the same paperwork? Oasis, etc....

How long does your paperwork for an admission as opposed to a visit take you to complete. I am starting HH this Mon and have heard all kinds of stories about the paperwork taking forever.

OASIS is Medicare requirements for HH reimbursement. My agency has just adopted the OASIS assessments for all admissions, recerts, resumptions and discharges...unless it's a pediatric or maternal/newborn assessment or a big exception to the rule ( a one visit only admit or something) A regular visit paperwork takes 15 minutes or so. Paperwork time for an admission is an 45 min to an hour give or take..initially more than an hour. As you get used to the questions, it becomes much faster. As does the actual visit itself. That is why my agency counts an admit as 2 visits. Anyway...give it time, it will get easier with time! Don't be afraid to ask questions...and you can refer to this HH forum on OASIS tips to help you out. A big help is also fazzi.com for OASIS questions. Good luck to you!

You must be a RN/LPN.

I wish I got that many hours. Unfortunately, in my state, I only get one or two patients for a couple hours a day.It's really hard to find good hours as a HHA out here. I still wouldn't trade it for the world, I prefer this to being in a nursing home.

How long do you spend with the patient? Just wondering.

I am a new RN trying to get into home health and I see that some people complain about all of the paperwork and time it takes, and not being fairly compensated. I want to know why some or shall I say most nurses wait until they get home to finish paperwork instead of doing it in the patient's home or doing it in between each patient (like in the car or something)? I am just trying to get an understanding before I get into it. Please help me understand!

Sometimes easier said than done...you may have people that need to be done at a certain time so you have to race from one to another. I do the basics of charting in the home (VS, measurements, pertinent notes) and I usually do pull down the street and chart...IF its a regular visit. It really does not make your day any longer and it's nice to come home with that charting done...it's hard to get in that habit if you are used to just flying from visit to visit. BUT if it is a SOC, ROC or a recert (OASIS) then it may take 45min-1 hr to chart on it. Way too long if you are trying to see 6+ people in a day...either in the car or especially in the home. The more organized you are, the better it goes. It is also nice to have the option of coming home to chart...that way the dog gets let out, the laundry gets done, supper gets started, you see the kids get off the bus....

Well, I am still hanging in there, keep looking and no home health agencies to work at unless going to Atlanta metro area and frankly, that's not a commute I can make and then continue driving. I have to say that the paperwork is becoming easier as I learn more about doing it etc. Sunday I was scheduled to see 13 drove 8 miles out to see 1 and she wasn't home so I saw 12, and drove 100 miles. On saturday I drove 130 miles and almost got swept off the road during the flash floods, and saw 10 patients. Needless to say, since the load was so heavy, no charting in the home, it was all i could do to do a good assessment, wound care, etc, I shudder to think if I had done charting, even IF I could in my truck, can't get my laptop in a good position. So, got up at 4:00 am and charted, then back at it at 0930 am. Wow, I was hauling tail. But, I can say I enjoyed seeing the wonderful patients and I think I am getting the knack of it.