Amedisys

caliotter3 · Aug 15, 2009

I couldn't resist: If they don't get you the first day, they are rusty, and someone will be looking for you on the second. I should talk, I'm now doing a case that is in a bad area but you know, I need the income. The lottery has not blessed me. Good luck with this. You can always keep your ear to the ground for a better opportunity.

Meems · Sep 26, 2009

I've been offered a full-time position with this company. I've read all the ugly threads here and at indeed.com. I understand that they are probably not the best HHA to work for. However, I've been suffering the last 4 months at a small HHA that doesn't pay mileage, now has such a small census that I am getting 1-2 visits per week, and I have to buy my own supplies (thermometer, probe covers, etc.). At Amedisys at least I'll be getting mileage, won't have to stop at Target to pick up probe covers or sneak blood tubes out of the "supply" closet (we're allowed one per lab draw, no car stock), and will get health benefits. Their coverage area is very small, so no more covering five counties and driving 300 miles a week when on call or weekend duty. However, my husband is convinced that since the area they cover is a "bad neighborhood" that I am going to get shot the very first day. If I survive the first day, then the higher-ups are going to abuse me to the point that I will collapse into a steaming puddle of goo within weeks. Has anyone ever had a good experience with them? Or at least a not-bad experience?

I have worked for Amedisys for almost 3 years now. I have never been shot.:stone:chuckle Started as an LPN( they are the only hh agency here that uses LPN) They helped me with tuition reimbursement and I start with them as a RN on Monday. They have liason people to help keep referrals up, PR to facilitate communication with the area doctors, so you stay busy, they pay mileage, have decent benefits and are forward thinking in what is coming for Medicare etc. Is it a finely tuned machine... no! But I have been in nursing since 95(LPN) and have never worked at a completely smooth running place! I feel appeciated and respected, I get steady work, and am paid nicely for the work I do. Some of it will depend on your DOO and CM( mine are the bomb:yeah:) Good Luck to you. If I can be of any further assistance let me know!

KateRN1 · Sep 27, 2009

I've been there for six weeks now and wish like hell I was an LPN. I would love to do straight visits and not have to mess with OASIS admits, recerts, ROCs and discharges. I would love to not have to case manage every.single.detail for my patients. I would love to have the backup and support that I need from the office. I would love to be able to print off the flippin' 485s myself instead of having to beg someone who has real computer access to do it. I find this company, and this office in particular, to be completely heartless, horrible with time management, training is laughable ("everything you need to know to be a home health nurse you can find in the CBTs"), and reimbursement sucks. I'm cheated out of mileage on every paycheck, so far up to 250 miles--that's a chunk of change! I'm sick and tired of coming home sick and tired with no time for my family and with still hours of work to do. I'm sick and tired of being told that it'll get better, but without any clear window of when that will happen. No one in that office has yet to see the "get better" happen. The benefits are super expensive for the coverage you get and G*d help you if you get sick or even worse, injured on the job. I originally said that I would try to stick it out six months, which is the average length of stay for an RN in the company, but I don't think I'll make it that long. Not if I can help it, anyway.

caliotter3 · Sep 27, 2009

Sorry to hear that your experience mirrors that of others who have worked for this company. Hope that you are able to find a viable employment alternative soon, before your long term effects become unmanageable. Your post sums up the benefits of using this venue to reach others concerning employment-related problems as well as to spread the word about good employers. Thanks for your input.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Sep 28, 2009

Just remember there is a huge learning curve in home health that does get better about 3 months in as more comfotable with OASIS and case managing. Those that get past first 6 months usually stay long term.

RNRutRO · Sep 28, 2009

KateRN1-

MOVE ON! There are other's out there that will value your talent and skills AND get this---PAY MUCH BETTER.

I worked at Amedisys, and for the experience and friendships I made, I am grateful. But basically, my coworkers and I were abused! I am sure there are other offices out there that run well. Mine was not. The amount of time that I was "on-call" was ridiculous. How many patients that were to be seen in a day--crazy. The fact that they accepted patients that they did not have staff for, wrong.

Life is too short. At first I was so upset that I would miss all my patients. But guess what---the patients may have different names, but they are the same "type" somewhere else. You deserve to be treated with respect and to be compensated for your hard work. I was shocked when I left, that other companies treat their nurses with respect. The fact that every pay period I had to fight to find out what I was paid for, and then that I was always missing a visit, or mileage, was just too much! Our BOM, was literally crazy. She'd just shrug her shoulders when our checks were wrong. Meanwhile, I'm sure her check was correct.

Again, I'm sure that there are other offices that did NOT have the craziness. So, I hate to say that the whole company is a bunch of bad bannannas. But our office was.

HH is a fun and rewarding job. At this point in my life, I absolutely love it. I can not say the same about Amedisys.

Good luck. I hope you find someone willing to train you properly and respect you!

KateRN1 · Sep 29, 2009

I've been doing home health on and off for about 17 years, so I really don't think the problem is lack of experience or issues with case managing. I really do enjoy the visits, love (most) of my patients, but the amount of unpaid work that is heaped on me is ridiculous. I spend at least 4 hours a day trying to get administrative stuff done, fighting the folks in the office to figure out which visits are to be done and by whom, juggling patients, trying to fit in starts, recerts, ROCs, and discharges. I have to nearly beg someone to print out 485s for me since I'm not allowed computer access for *anything* including MapQuest--never a problem at previous agencies. My husband took pity on me and invested in a GPS after I got lost so many times and called him to help me get out of whatever subdivision I was circling.

We spend hours and hours in case conferences that doesn't amount to anything. We admit the highest acuity patients that no one else will take, with multiple medical problems, tube feeds, wounds, you-name-it, and are then told that we take too long to make the visits. I've had starts where the care was so complicated I was in the home for over 4 hours, and that doesn't include the time to complete the OASIS and orders.

Believe me, I am looking. Someday I hope I find an agency that will respect me as a nurse, pay me reasonably for my time (and I think that per-visit is not it), and has some kind of heart. This place has lost it and they are going to lose one of the best nurses they ever had. So there.

RN4thelord · Mar 14, 2010

I quite disturb about your experiences at Amedisys. I am a CM at Amedisys and at our location that mess will not be tolerated. Schedules are printed the week prior and any corrections are due by the Friday prior to the next week. Caseloads are dependent on the individual capabilities. We also have GPS for all admitting clinicians. The DOO and the BOM is the best at our location, both take the time to answer each clinicians problems or concerns as well as I. My advice is to speak with the CM first and if the CM will not follow policies and procedures and there are one to each of your concerns then talk to the DOO. If the DOO do not address your concerns then try the AVP. The reason I say this because, if you decided to move on and allow these acts to continue we as a company will not be able to fix the matter. I personally know that if the CEO gets word of these agencies and their bad business policies, I guarantee that it would be dealt if cleaning house get it accomplished. I pray this will be a beneficial to you all.

KateRN1 · Mar 15, 2010

Ha! I left Amedisys behind 2 months ago and thank Heaven every day that I did. The management for our area has *NO* home health experience whatsoever, right on up to the AVP. The CM was a marketer for over 20 years with no recent nursing knowledge whatsoever, no ability to manage anything other than a bowl of Cheerios. The DOO came to us from inpatient hospice with no home health experience at all. The AVP was new to home health care also. I called the corporate compliance hotline so many times I was on a first-name basis with the corporate attorneys. This company will not get better. If you personally know that the CEO will take action on this, I suggest you tell him to read his email. I answered my exit survery honestly with many *many* comments, included my name, address, phone numbers, and email. My advice to anyone who wants to move into home health is to avoid this company. The best benefit I had from this place was learning what *NOT* to do. I am very happy with the office that I've moved to and they realize what they have in me.

Oh, ETA that they fired the 40-year veteran of home health care with an MBA who was our previous DOO for refusing to engage in what she considered to be some pretty shady requests. This company will go the way of First American--I watched them go down, too.

Marshall1 · Oct 28, 2010

I worked for First American in the 90's in Florida and it went belly up. Have been contacted recently by Amedisys for a weekend position. Was going to call the person today but now, I think not. I'm wasn't "keen" on getting back into home health anyway and for a few weeks have been playing "phone tag" with this person. I thought it odd from the beginning the phone numbers to the office are basically cell phones and the one person who originally called me regarding the position isn't the friendliest. I'm not saying the recruiters etc. have to be everyone's buddy but from the git-go the attitude of all I have dealt with to this point have been..borderline rude. I was hoping to find something on weekends to supplement my soon to be week day position at another place but I guess this won't be it. Thanks for all the honesty about this place -

KateRN1 · Oct 28, 2010

I also worked for First American in the early 90's and can tell you that the experiences were eerily similar.