Well, I am going into my ninth month in Home Health and am not proficient in the paperwork. Ironically, I had been helped all along by one of the other nurses, who is now the Director, and she just found out she can not complete my paperwork (a Federal offense).
I am repeatedly reminded how important the paperwork is and how very much we have been in violation. I am exhausted both physically and mentally. I feel all this affects my self-esteem and that makes me very angry.
We are now down to two nurses, one is part time, and I. The director gave me most of her clients in December but is gradually building up her own caseload again. We have fewer nurses and are adding more clients. I am at 14-15 for my caseload with several chronic care patients.
Now for the paperwork, I really stink at it. I feel so beaten up with this that I feel like resigning from the dream job I have tried to pursue and my reason for becoming a nurse (to do Home Health). This is my second attempt to do Home Health. The other position I held in Home Health was complicated by my personal life being upside down; now, I just wonder and feel like I am just not suited for this (and that makes me very sad).
You have heard it before but, I love the pt. care but the paperwork is strangling me.
How do you all cope and get the paperwork done? Do you have a clerical staff that supports your paperwork and reviews it before it gets to be months old? When does proficiency happen? Does it ever?
Night
PS
Sorry to sound so negative
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