BrightStar Home Health Care- thoughts??

[Epona]

Hello everyone. I had an interview recently with a new BrightStar franchise. I am a brand new graduate. I stumbled upon this job listing and applied for it without much thought. Anyway, they interviewed me and would like me to join the new company. Being I am not a RN with a years experience, they want to use me to do CNA work and PR work to get the company off the ground (I have a lot of PR experience from my previous background). They are thinking they may make me an RN in a year (weird, cause I am taking boards in a month and will hopefully be a RN before a year). I am going in this week to see the CEO and we are going to discuss 'options'. Anyway, I really do not know anything about Home Health. I had no rotations in this when I was on school.

Anyone know anything about BrightStar?? I know each office is independently owned and operated.

Thanks a lot! Epona

[Epona]

If I were you, I would steer clear. Good luck in your job hunt!!

[Colo9740]

I know this is an old thread but was hoping to find someone with some more current experience with Bright Star to see if things are getting any better/more organized. I was called for an interview this week and after reading this thread I am having second thoughts. I am a new grad in Northern CA and the market is extremly poor right now so I am thinking about this opportunity but don't wish to place my license or patients in jeporady. They said there is opportunity to shadow more experienced nurses and inservices to help increase my skill set and take on the more challenging patients ie trachs, wound care, TPN etc. So just want to throw it out there and see what others have experienced and which locations you were at.

[RebeccaJeeper]

Hi there! I am new here to this board and also to home health in general, but this thread caught my attention. I applied to Brightstar early this year, and was hired by them on a PRN basis, as they stated their office was newly opened in my area and they were in the process of gaining patients and cases. They really didn't give me any type of orientation, and told me that they would likely utilize me to work in immunization/blood pressure/wellness clinics in the area. However, it has now been about 6 months and I have heard nothing from them?

The office here is located in a very small house converted to office space, and was not very impressive, but I figured it was because they were new. The manager I spoke to initially was not very professional, either, and she actually made me very leary of moving forward, and then the second time I met with them, she was no longer working there and they had a different manager already?

They told me that they were only serving patients who were private-pay, and did not accept any insurance at the time, but were in the process of being able to do so.

So, it was pretty weird, to say the least-I know they are still open, as I drive by the office from time to time. I am not sure why I never heard back from them, but the whole situation seemed a bit strage to me, anyway.

I now have a position with the local home care agency affiliated with the hospital I worked for, and am so far happy with this organization!

Just my 2 cents regarding my experience...

[twinpumpkin]

I have worked PRN for a BrightStar office in my city for about 9 months now and have had only one bad experience. I started off doing patient assessments for long-term health care companies, then would help at the local military bases doing immunizations and lab draws for soldiers getting ready to deploy overseas. Most recently, I have been instructing patients on how to self-administer growth hormone injections or medication for rheumatoid arthritis. I had to get trained and certified to do the medication teaching. Perhaps I continue to get patients because this is Texas and I am bilingual in Spanish/English. It seems like all of my GH/RA patients are Spanish speaking.

[caliotter3]

They seem to have opened up at least a second office in my area in the last two to three years. The office that I approached, the original one, is on their second or third clinical manager and they have lowered the wage rate that they so openly advertise. Occasionally there will be a rather specific recruiting ad, but only occasionally.

[Sharalee]

1. "It was a turnoff to be standing on the city sidewalk talking on a speakerphone for anyone walking by to hear my business. I don't think this is a safe situation."

That is not a common BrightStar situation. Every office is in it's own different type of location. It just depends on where that independent owner decided to set up his business.

2. "I did everything they asked for to get started, but they have not given me any patients yet. They are fairly new and I think they just don't have the patients yet."

Maybe they were new. That was very nice of you to be there for them and hopefully you have grown with them by now.

3. "BEWARE! As far as I know, Brightstar does only non-medical home care which means companion care."

BrightStar does Non-Medical and Medical care. They do it all. Do not worry.

4. "I think this company is very fishy! I applied to the agency near me, and went in for an interview...first of all, the owner wasn't even a nurse, he had no medical backround at all! That made me nervous, and they hired me right on the spot...didn't want to check my references, employment history or even that my license was valid."

The fact that he may not have had a medical background should not be a big deal. There is an RN that works for each branch that oversees any Medical and/or Non Medical work being performed. Him not checking your references, employment history or even that your license was valid is not okay. I hope you reported that branch. Each is independently owned and operated and that is not per policy and procedure.

5. "Does anyone know how much they pay RN's at bright star?"

It is different in every location. Must contact that specific location.

[NurseCoco]

Quick late note that I hope will help CNA's/RN's looking into BrightStar in the future... I got a job at BrightStar during my first semester as a nursing student. I saw an ad on craigslist and went ahead and applied and they called me back almost immediately. After an interview, background check and all that, I begun getting assignments. I did not get much of an orientation but each time I got a new patient, the manager made sure to send me their complete profile and careplan so I could be familiar with the patient's needs. I gave them my weekly availability and was scheduled on a regular basis. Bottom line, I never had any issues with BrightStar. With the little I made, I was able to keep up with my (not so many) bills in nursing school. The manager and the personnel in the office were all very professional. The manager was aware that I was in nursing school so when I graduated, she paired me up with nurses so I could "shadow" them which I really enjoyed since I planned to work on the side as a home visit nurse. And that my friends is my input about the bright side of BrightStar!

[Ali1Nurse]

As far as working for brightstar without much experience, or for any homehealth agency..I think anyone should have experience in the field..You do not have the back up if u call out for help if a patient codes or someone to grab you the necessary supplies that you forgot cause you havnt experienced a procedure enough times to be comfortable.

Brightstar is a franchise..Every locations is individually owned and operated differently. The company itself gets into staffing and homecare, including shifts and visits. I also believe it depends on the programs that the company works with to look at what to expect as far as work. Yes, some work is companionship and other is skilled/medical. That is the greatness of being in home health, you are given the opportunity to have the time and atmosphere to connect with the pt and pt's family that you almost never get in a hospital/ltc setting. If a nurse only strives for the physical/medical care then I dont suggest any homecare settings. Home care in general to me is TRULY treating the pt as mind, body and soul. These pts will become your family and some cases friends. They trust you and respect you more than in any other setting.:redbeathe

[ashaffer]

Has anyone worked for BrightStar in the Denver, Colorado area? I have an interview coming up to work with them as a CNA and was wondering if there was any feedback.

[HDHRN]

I worked for them a little over a year. It was ok, but getting only CNA work and no LPN cases was not what I wanted. I can't make a living off what they were paying me. I made more when I was a medical assistant I quit last week. Im in school to get my RN anyway. I have part time job in a nursing home (and do LPN duties ) I just took a job with a company that works will people who were affected by uranium and nuclear works. It pays awesome and everyone who I have talked to has been wonderful. I havent picked up any shifts yet, but hope to soon. So all in all Brightstar is ok, but def not for LPNs except for the locations who have tons of LPN cases. My branch did not.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Has anyone worked for BrightStar in Pittsburgh?

[unreal RN, ASN, RN]

I know this is an old thread, but I have been working for BrightStar for about 4 months as a RN. The work has been somewhat sporadic, but I do have a couple of long term infusion cases that I am working on. I also have a couple of other cases that I manage. The biggest problem I see is that since they don't bill medicare or medicaid as a payor source it limits the number of cases they bring in. People either have to have the means to pay for it themselves or private insurance that will pay. We have alot of staff "on the bench", but they are rarely available due to working other jobs. This limits the cases that our office can accept since we don't have the staff available to work the cases. Not a very efficient way to run a business.

They are very nice to work for, but I honestly don't know how they keep their doors open. I imagine some of it depends the geographical location.