Advice on Home Health

cookie102 · Aug 5, 2006

i can give you my take on home health, i have done it now for almost 20 years, been a nurse for over 30---i love it! would never go back to the hospital...don't get me wrong, home health is alot of work and paper work, our agency is open M- F 8 to 4:30, and of course w/e's, are rotated amongst the staff, with one w/e month being the average, some agencies will have you take a day off on the weeks that you work w/e others will pay you per visit rate on w/e. depending on your patient load, which for an RN is 6 pt/day, great day if you encounter no problems with your patients, but the days that you go over on time, you seem to make it up on others....once you finish you patient assignment for the day, you can go home to do paperwor, make your phone calls etc...i try to make phone calls to the MD right from the patients home , that way when i leave that home i have done all i need to do except the paperwork...stay organized and DO NOT get behind , even one day, on paperwork.....hope all this helps, good luck with your interview....

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Aug 6, 2006

Hello. I graduated from a ADN program in May 2005. Took boards in June and have been working as a staff nurse on a med/surg floor at a local hospital ever since. I currently work night shift and have two children and a needy husband at home. I am interested in changing jobs to home health. I put in for a local position yesterday and got called today to set up an interview for next Tuesday. My question is do you all think that 14-15 months med/surg is enough experience to go into home health? What does a typical day consist of (including hours)? Do you ever have to work nights or weekends or do you just have to be on call? I work 12hr night shifts and am getting really burnt out quick. What kind of questions do i need to ask at the interview? I have been trying to read up on home health on the internet but I think a personal opinion would be better. Also, what kind of questions can I expect to be asked at the interview? Last, do you enjoy working home health?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

Hi there,

It can be done. I did the same thing, but actually only had 9 months experience as an RN. A couple of things that got me in the door to homehealth is...Is the BSN I have, I am ECG certified,(they were looking for open heart nurses) and the acuity level at the hospital I worked for was extremely high.

It's different working for home health in that you have a lot of independence, work from home and it's pretty flexible. I've been with home health for just short of 5 months and I'm still trying to get used to working 5 days a week. I thought being able to work from home would be great, but sometimes it's even more stressful than working at the office. I tend to think about work all the time. Because I case manage also, I feel responsible and worry about my patients all the time. It is hard to fall asleep sometimes. Some things I miss about working in the hospital, but I'm going to stay with home care for a while.

At my agency, we are paid salary, not by visit. We get paid the federal rate for mileage. I don't ever have to work nights. I work 1 weekend every 6 weeks. 1-3 holidays a year. We have an on-call nurse and a back-up on-call nurse. The rest of the nurses (about 50 of us) take turns being back-up for the back-up nurse (if that makes sense...lol).

Well, good luck! Let us know how your interview went.

nurseforever30 · Aug 9, 2006

Update...I went to my interview yesterday. It went good. The home health agency pays per visit and 38 cents/mile. I would be on call 1-2 days weekdays--nights and evenings and would take call one weekend every 2 months. The lady told me she couldn't give me an exact salary since certain visits pay more than others. I am just trying to figure out if I will have to take a pay cut from the hospital. I have a second interview tomorrow with another nurse would actually be my direct supervisor. She called today to set up the time and asked me if I would like to ride with another nurse to see how home health works and to let me get an idea whether I will like it or not. I am very excited and nervous! I hope everything works out good. Thanks for all the advice.

nurseforever30 · Aug 21, 2006

Update on my interview process...I had my second interview. It went well. They have set me up to ride with a nurse tomorrow on her visits to make sure that this is what I really want to do since I have never worked home health. I can't decide if they are serious about hiring me or not. I wouldn't think they would want to send me out with a nurse if they weren't serious. Both of my interviews went very well. I really want this job. What do you all think? Think that I they are serious about hiring me? thanks...

RN1263 · Oct 11, 2006

nurseforever30,

so what ever happened???? if you got the job, do you like it?

nurseforever30 · Oct 12, 2006

Yes, I got the job. I have been riding with a nurse for the last 2 weeks and I LOVE IT!! I actually feel like I am helping someone and not just a drug pusher like I felt in the hospital. I am getting to do things that I never got to do in the hospital. I think that the worst thing is the paperwork but it isn't that bad. I have got a great preceptor. My boss told me that I could take 2-3 months for orientation if I felt like I needed it. I am just taking things day by day and do not want to rush into being out on my own. I stayed PRN at the hospital and am supposed to work this Saturday night and I am sooo dreading it!! I can't believe how much more I am enjoying home health.

RN1263 · Oct 12, 2006

i'm happy for you.....

good luck!

nl2005 · May 7, 2008

I am happy to read your response. I too have worked in the hospital and I have a interview for home health today. Do you think we loose our nursing skills? I am totally excited! Oh, I got pulled over for accidently running a stop sign 2 years ago, do you think that will be a problem? Also is the pay a lot less? Just wondering I have kids at home to care for. OK well, congrats on your new job!!-lisa

caliotter3 · May 10, 2008

nl2005

The best way to keep all of your skills current is to stay on at the hospital part time or prn. The one ticket should not be a problem. Employers are usually concerned that you have a valid license and valid insurance. Hope your interview went well.

annaedRN, RN · May 10, 2008

Do you think we loose our nursing skills?

While every agency is different, I get to practice most of the skills that I learned in school...it's just that I may not be doing them every day. I start and manage IVs (though it's mostly central lines we get),pull PICC lines,access ports, hang TPN, insert catheters, draw blood, lots of wound care, wound VACs, suction, trach care, change colostomies. So, I feel that I definitely have my skills intact. More importantly I have to KNOW about each and everything I do as well as all disease processes and medications b/c I have to teach the patient/families about them and how to perform them. Assessment skills need to be very sharp as well - because you are the only eyes/hands for the patient..no call bells or other staff. Anyway, hope your interview went well. BTW, I have had a few:rolleyes: tickets - no problems.