"Question about LPN's Working in Home Healthcare"

While I have never worked home healthcare, I was recently offered a job in that area. Full-time nurses received a yearly salary of $33,000 per year with benefits, or $35,000 per year without benefits. The salary was too low for all of the wear-and-tear that my vehicles would endure, so I declined the offer. This same home health agency offers their part-time nurses a pay rate of $25 per hour visit.

I work at a home care agency that pays by the hour, but I do not go home to home...I go to one home and stay for about 10 hours. They pay me about $25 per hour, but it depends on two things, the severity of the case and the insurance of the client. My client is a 5 year old trach patient that I only see on Saturdays (I have a regular job). She has to be suctioned and get nebulizer treatments. Other cases, I am hearing can be about $30 an hour. I can get paid more in three days in one week than I do with two weeks in my main job. I don't have a car, but even if I did, I would not want to go from home to home all in one day.

It depends on the policies of the individual agencies how and how much you get paid for home care. Some pay per visit versus hourly. Some pay differently for intermittent visit nursing versus continuous care (shift) nursing. Some pay different scales for individual cases depending upon the source of reimbursement, e.g. X amt for private insurance, X amt for private pay, X amt for govt program. Some pay mileage, some don't. Some will make exceptions for certain cases. The pitfall: When you are hired, find out how they intend to pay you. Ask if all LPNs get the same rate of pay, the same way, for the same situations/cases. There are many examples on this board where people state problems regarding pay policies. I get upset when told one thing, then I find out another thing is happening. Just plain dishonesty. Also, with some agencies, you may be able to negotiate your rate of pay when you get hired, depending on their range of pay and your ability to sell your skill level. In the end, each agency has its own policies and you need to find out what is what in the beginning.

I work shift work (8 hours) in home health, not visits. I make anywhere from $19-25 an hour depending upon the severity of the case and the client's insurance. I don't get reimbursed for gas, but I work in my county and only drive about 8 miles each way.

I worked in home health for 2 months...BIG MISTAKE!!! I didn't get paid for gas $$$ and mileage reimbursement was a joke(32 cents a mile ) A third of my check was eaten up on job related expenses. On top of that my case manager would rarely return my phone calls and people were constantly quitting. I also had to do alot of pt. scheduling and the case manager liked to put some of her visits on me. I usually saw 7-8 pt.'s a day. I drove an avg. of 60-80 miles a day . I got tired of this job and was happy when I left. I wish I had asked more QUESTIONS before accepting this position . My friend works PT for a home hospice company and she only has 1 pt to take care of and doesnt have to drive all over texas!!!

Around here hospice visits pay $22 ro $30 per visit (for LPN working PRN). I worked PRN for about 6 months and averaged 6 to 8 visits per day. I was offered and accepted a full-time position and still make 6 to 8 visits per day. We are also reimbursed for mileage. It's really important to ASK before accepting a position.....much better than a shock when you get your first check!

I am considering this area as well. I visited an office last week...they told me that I needed malpractice insurance. And their rate was $18-$20...I felt the rate was way too low so I am going to keep looking for a higher rate. I would say do your homework and as others suggested ask plenty of questions. Many don't reimburse for gas. And if you are new to nursing this area should be explored after you have established good assessment skills.