Anyone here from critical care?

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Im really thinking about leaving the ICU to try home health. Ive been doing this 3 1/2 years and still dont really like it. I could go on and on about crazy narcissitic families and how nerve wracking it is to leave the floor for a minute. I basically know I don't want to be doing direct 12hour bedside nursing five years from now and I would like to change as soon as I can make up my mind.

I loved the home health rotation I did in nursing school years ago. Maybe it was just my nurse I was following, but everyone seemed to like to see her arrive. They were appreciative of her changing their dressings and bringing them supplies, etc. Maybe one or two were rude or crazy, but you didnt have to stay long!

Can you guys tell me how you get paid? Is it by the visit? Anyone have some pay comparisons? I live in suburban southeast city... Do you feel you feel you get compensated enough for the wear and tear to your car?

Have any of you come from the ICU? How was the transition?

thanks guys:heartbeat

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Specializes in ICU.

I'd like to know too. I, too, am considering going from ICU to home health.

I've got an interview with a local agency for PRN visits because I plan to test the water.

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well crap. I couldnt find the thread i started yesterday after asking the same basic questions and then started this one. oops.

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I left ICU and went straight to homecare. I missed the adreneline rush but love home care. Have now been in homecare for 20 years. Very family friendly job. Generally ICU nurses make very good home health nurses. Good luck with your decision. :loveya:

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i'm an icu nurse going into homecare. i took several months considering the job and finally decided to make the jump. will be starting next week. we'll see how it goes, but i hope it will be more flexible and family friendly.

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Specializes in Community Health, Care Coordination and Geriatrics.

I worked ICU for 15 years and left nursing when I had my last child. I was not going to go back because I was so burnt out. I stayed home for three years and then went to home care. It was an eye opening experience. This type of nursing was the reason I decided to become a nurse. I have been doing it for 8 years and just recently moved to managment as a clinical nurse educator. Visiting people in their homes is a paradigm shift. You see them on their turf, you are a guest in their home. Most times they are very happy to have you there.

I love it!

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Specializes in ICU, now in Palliative Care Home Health.

I left the ICU after two years, got totally burnt out(coding my coworker will do that to you). I've been in HH for about 5 months now, and while I don't love it and don't plan to be here forever, it's nice. No adreniline like the ICU, but also no codes, my patients actually get better, and everyone is happy to see me.

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Specializes in med-surg, MICU/SICU, Csurg ICU, HH.

I left CSurg ICU for home care, but it was kind of inevitable. I had a pretty bad orthopedic injury last year that prevented me from staying in critical care.

But I love home care! The families and patients are so appreciative and happy! And I don't have to deal with the residents with the god-complex!:yeah:

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Thanks for the replies! Im gonna start part time at a home health agency until Im brave enough to leave critical care for good. Ill keep you updated on my experiences.:yeah:

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Im really thinking about leaving the ICU to try home health. Ive been doing this 3 1/2 years and still dont really like it. I could go on and on about crazy narcissitic families and how nerve wracking it is to leave the floor for a minute. I basically know I don't want to be doing direct 12hour bedside nursing five years from now and I would like to change as soon as I can make up my mind.

I loved the home health rotation I did in nursing school years ago. Maybe it was just my nurse I was following, but everyone seemed to like to see her arrive. They were appreciative of her changing their dressings and bringing them supplies, etc. Maybe one or two were rude or crazy, but you didnt have to stay long!

Can you guys tell me how you get paid? Is it by the visit? Anyone have some pay comparisons? I live in suburban southeast city... Do you feel you feel you get compensated enough for the wear and tear to your car?

Have any of you come from the ICU? How was the transition?

thanks guys:heartbeat

What a coincidence. I too am looking to leave ICU. I'm tired of direct-care period, for probably the same reasons as you. It's just getting crazy. I too am thinking of home health. I've been a nurse for roughly 3 years. First in a step-down unit, then in ICU. I hate bedside care. I've only been in ICU for close to a year. I left step-down because I just got sick of it. I wanted ICU to learn more and to have an opportunity to give more patient care. In my opinion, it's just more of the same. I think it's just time to leave the bedside. I thought about ER, but I'm not sure. I was hesitant to apply for other jobs, as a big concern of mine is losing my "skills" but I am just so tired of bedside care and all that comes with it. I applied for non-direct care jobs today, one of them was hospice nursing and the other was home health nursing. I don't know if I could handle hospice nursing, but I guess it's worth checking out. Please let me know what you decide.

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i am in orientation right now for home health after leaving icu. so far so good. the company i'm seems very modernized. they have pentablets for charting. i am very excited to see the patients. we'll see how it really goes once orientation is over. i'll keep you all updated

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Today was my first day at this HH agency. Its a very small company, paper charting. I think Im one of four RNs. They said they want me to be the "wound vac specialist" since I told them I love wounds. I went out on the road with the clinical specialist/Medicare specialist/person the RNs call today and found out she had only been there two weeks and admitted that the company was going through some changes and was not well organized. I had already figured this out from trying to work with HR and this CEO lady that kept telling me to call her and then it being like Fort Knox to leave a voicemail. We saw one new admit patient and brought her no supplies. All we had was a printout from the internet.

AND they dont pay me mileage, but that fact was convienently left out of the compensation conversation on the phone after the interview before today. Right now its hourly, so Ill keep going for the "training." I just dont know about this company. Im glad its part time and I still have my semi comfortable ICU.

:coollook:

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