Calling all HH Nurses, roll call

[hoolahan]

Hi, as a newly appointed moderator, I want to live this forum up a bit. I just resigned my position as a HH supervisor, to go back to the field.

I have been a nurse 20 years, 17 in critical care, mostly cardiac critical care, and the last 2.5 years in HH, or asthma disease management , which I also had to leave because I hated to be in a cube farm all day.

I still love HH, even though PPS is the pits, even though the OASIS would make good kindling for a massive bonfire, and even with all the rest of the paperwork, it is the most rewarding nursing I have ever done!!

PS, I went back to my former VNA who is now paying $30/hr, yes, you read that right, to work 3 out of 4 weekends. Since weekends work well for me, it's a good deal.

Let's hear from all the HH nurses out there. Out of all those registered members, there's got to be plenty of us on this BB!!

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

Welcome Patti!! :)

[PattiRN]

Hi I am a nurse x 20 years. I have worked in HH the last 9 yrs. and as Supervisor x 2 yrs. My past experiences were in Nursing Homes and Mental Health. I truly love home care and miss dragging my bag! The paperwork is just crazy and I'm interested in writing Congress..whoever that could reduce some of the stacks of paper that cross my desk in a day.

What I always have loved about HH is the one on one teaching in the home. I miss that dearly but know my nurses are out there with there hearts on their sleeves. I live in rural Northern NY where surviving a winter on the roads is a fete in it self!

PattiRN

[Brita01]

Add me to the group. I'm just getting starting started. I had my orientation yesterday and I can't wait to jump right in. I've been trying to get out of the hospital into home health for so long. Five years ago I was a home health aide and loved it. So when I went to LPN school, my agency told me that as soon as I got my license I could work for them as an LPN. Wouldn't you know, that as soon as I got my license, the government changed the rules saying that I couldn't do home health without a year in the hospital? I could have cried. Four years of experience later with skilled nursing, med/surg, and telemetry somebody has finally given me a chance to get into the home health field as a nurse. I am so happy and excited and plan to make the most of this opportunity.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

Welcome Brita. We have lots of LPN's at my agency, and we all work together. You will be fine. Congratulations on your new position!

[gillc]

Hi HH for 17 yrs now and still love it. Changes are constant, especially the paperwork (definitely the downside) but the patients are worth it. You never know what you are walking into. Love reading your discussion board - hope thats okay.

[peggymarie]

Hi,I've been in home care for aprox. 7 yrs. now. Started out as a public health nurse in small rural area and loved it. Driving around out in the country and the people were all so genuine and sweet. Did that for 3 yrs and then went to the big city. Now I've been with the same co. for 5 yrs. Started out on the medicare side now have been the only nurse on the private pay side. I love it. Some days I'm in the office all day and its like man I gotta get out. I found this site looking around for nurse chat rooms. Still have not found any. Any ideas? Not very experienced on the computer but hopefully this site will be useful/fun for me.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

gillc, it is "your" discussion group too!!" :) It is yours to read, post, and make of it what you will. I am happy that there are so many HH nurses, and we have a pretty good forum going here. It has its ups and downs, posts seem to go in spurts, then a lull, then another spurt, so keep reading, and posting!

Welcome to you also peggymarie. I work mostly in the city, which I love most of the time, but occassionally get to go a little rural, not much ruralness in NJ though!

[Brita01]

Thanks for the welcome Hoolahan. I just finished doing my 10 ridealongs. What a big difference from med/surg nursing. Now I'm just waiting for my own patient load. One difference from the hospital is patient teaching. Do any of you know of any websites regarding patient teaching tools on any and everything? I need a little help with that area.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

I hear you Brita! I have done a lot of research into this myself, and NRS Karen helped me enormously by sending me copies of stuff, she is the best resource! But, if she is busy (and she is a busy woman,) you can also check out http://www.nih.gov , the nat'l institutes of health web site, they have clinical guidelens for many treatments, so you can educate pt's with the evidenced-based facts. Also, I surf lots of pt ed sites, which tell me what pt's need to know. Other excellent resources are the DME companies, and product manufacturers, like Ross, who makes an excellent enteral feeding pt ed booklet, and Shiley, who sent me a pt ed vidoe on ttrach care and a great pt ed booklet. Also, got info and samples of leg bags by e-mailing foley companies. There is TONS of info on the web for pt teaching. I also go to the disease org's web sites, for example, I have a pt with Paget's disease, not very common disorder, so I went to the pagets foundation, and downloaded and printed out a 6 page pt ed booklet, also one for health care providers, and I gave him copies for his doctors and his files, and put one on the chart for the per diem nurses to refer too as well. So try amaerican heart association, lung association, drug companie sites on the web. I frequently request glaxo to send a wellcome packet on asthma management to my asthmatic pt's and teach them according to the NIH asthma diagnosis and Rx guidelines recommendations.

Of course, you have to use respectable web sites designed and prepared by experts, who have done legitimate research, and not just a pt giving his/her opinion.

I have some of these links on my web site http://www.geocities.com/vnarn_nj

[LoisJean]

Just to let you know that we passed our first State Audit. We are pleased--also glad it's over with!

Lois

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

:cool: That's great Lois. I lost you e-mail, can you e-mail me at [email protected] ? I wanted to "chat" with you.

[PattiRN]

Hello everyone. I have worked in Home Care for the last 9 years. I love it ! My prior jobs were in nursing homes, Psych Center, and on a Mental Health unit in a hospital. When I first started homecare one nurse said I should not be working in home care without having worked med-surg. Well I agree...but I never felt the call to work med-surg....appeared way too stressful when I was a student nurse. I have been a nurse for 22 years!

I worked in the field in HH for 7 yrs. before becoming a supervisor. I miss the visits but have been known to work a weekend or two. Hate Oasis!