Almost Family/Apex Home Health

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

Anyone familar with Almost Family/Apex Home Health Services? Particularly in relation to a Clinical Manager position I have been offered. I was impressed with the interview and the atmosphere in the office area but would like to know more about how they are to work with as a company? Also payscale - starting pay of $57,500/yr for central florida area? I'm completely new to home health but they assure me they will give me proper training and orientation. I've been an RN in various settings over the last 28 years so I'm sure I can learn anything by now. Just burnt out on hospitals and burnt out on dialysis. Pretty much just burnt out lol. Took 6 months off and now it's time to get back to the grind and hoping this is the right decision. Thanks for any advice in advance.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

I haven't heard much about Apex good, bad, or otherwise, but as a field nurse, I sure would be p*ssed off to have CM who had never been a field nurse. You have no idea what we do on a daily basis and the kind support we need if you haven't been there yourself. What does it say about the place if one of their field nurses doesn't want the CM position?

Salary sounds about right, though you might want to find out what your expectation is for visits during a high-census/low-staff situation and if you get paid extra for those, and if you will be trained for the field end of things.

Best of luck to you.

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

Yes they are training me for the field end, as that was a big issue for me if they didnt. I was surprised as some of the nurses from the team I would be responsible for were outside when I was leaving and stopped me. They all introduced thierselves and were very receptive. It's a fairly large office so there are is a strong support system available or I wouldnt have taken the position. I had to consider also I've been off 6 months and needed a job lol. Not many in this area. They do have per-diem staff also and from what they told me they do get used for call outs etc. My status for pt care would be the 1 week call every 11-12 weeks for emergencies. We get paid for the call and the visits. Would have to orient for a week with the Marketer also know his involvement. She gave me a list immediately during the interview of the orientation process and each item that will be needed to learn. She was pretty thorough. I wasnt hired on the spot either. There was a good feel when I was in there compared to other places I have been. I've been dealing with CMS as a DON of which I realize is very different but at least all my years in management gives me alittle heads up. She provided me with all kinds of websites, etc for info also. I dont start for 2 more weeks. It doesnt sound as if I'm going to be just thrown in as the nurse I'm replacing will be helping until she retires.

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Sounds to me like they have a good plan of orientation in mind for you. That is a good sign.

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Specializes in jack of all trades.
Sounds to me like they have a good plan of orientation in mind for you. That is a good sign.

Thank you Caliotter as nice to hear a positive :) as it's always scarey when your doing a complete specialty change. Just at 53 and a nurse for 30 years, I'm sick of running my buns off on floors and have no interest in returning to bedside in the hospitals. The list she gave me has everything from Initial Referral Intake, Paperwork Flow, Marketer reports, Oasis, POC, error correction, LOC, performance Appraisals etc. Time lines are given and she has it listed broken down for me. She also gave me a skills checklist so I could review. This was all before I even had a clue I would be offered the job, so I dont think she held back on what I needed to know or learn. It was comical when we were touring the office as another employee stuck a sign on her back with a joke and she didnt flinch when she found it and seems to have a great sense of humor. Staff were smiling, joking rather than the complaining you tend to hear while waiting. So good sign in that aspect. I heard alot of "good job" feedback to staff also in my observations. She also expressed she doesnt want anyone out past 9pm at night and if required that then they usually recommend the pt go to the ER. So I felt good about not being expected to be out later than those hours if needed. It cant be any worse then the DON position I was thrown into in chronic dialysis with the work over 4-5 months behind and no support systems to help me. I got through that with no defiencies when state came through within 2 weeks after I left. That was a job I didnt even apply for I got drafted so to speak lol. It was horrible but I got through it and alot smarter for the wear also.

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Sounds like a good place. I need to make a trip and check them out!

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

Sounds great, I say go for it and tell them that I applied for the CM spot in their Jacksonville office! :lol

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Specializes in jack of all trades.
Sounds great, I say go for it and tell them that I applied for the CM spot in their Jacksonville office! :lol

I noticed they have several offices in Jacksonville. Let me know how it goes!

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