changing positions - need words of wisdom

Specialties Home Health

Published

I currently work on a busy telemetry unit as a full time RN. The hospital that I work for is about 75 miles from where I live. Recently, in an effort to make some more money, I took on a contingent position with a home healthcare company. Long story short, they offered me a full time position that pays way more and it's closer to home. I decided that it was the best thing for my family if I took the position. I called my manager today to give notice of my resignation. She told me how disappointed that she is in my quitting after putting the time in to train me (understandable.) She also told me that I am wasting my talent. I don't think I agree with her on this. She may have said it out of disappointment and frustration. Nevertheless, now I am second guessing myself.

I took the job not only for the schedule and the money, but also because I think that there will be more opportunities for advancement with a smaller company than there are with a large health system.

I guess I am asking if anyone has had a similar experience and how it shook out for them.

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Hello McNester,

We moved your thread to the Home Health Nursing forum.

GOOD LUCK with your decision.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Home Health.

Home Health is most definitely not a waste of talent! On the contrary, it takes quite a bit of special talent to excel as a home health nurse! I'm pretty biased, but I consider home health to be one of the best areas of healthcare. í ½í¸Š

As far as opportunity for advancement, I can share my story with you. I started out as a field clinician/case manager in a small agency and later worked my way up into an office-based nursing position. Over time, I cross trained to do several different types of roles: intake/transitional care, utilization management, triage, even a little bit of billing. I really got to learn home health inside and out! I found it was always just a matter of putting myself out there and volunteering to learn and do more. Now I'm a manager for a large hospital-based home health agency. I can attest that there is definitely opportunity if you stay hungry! If management is not your ultimate goal, there are plenty of ways to advance clinically as well. I know several nurses who have gone on to become certified in wound care, nurses who have moved into education-focused roles, and I even have a nurse right now who is working on an ARNP degree.

I wish you all the best in your new role. I hope you come to love home health as much as I do!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've had a great career in home health. I started in a small agency and currently work for a large organization. My experience is similar to above poster, Nurse on the Go.

It takes an investment to become proficient in time mgmt, organization, documentation, compliance and reimbursement as well as clinically strong in disease management in the community setting and in case management. Once you are proficient you can either better enjoy smoother work days or move into other positions.

The organization that you work for makes a difference, there is a large continuum of quality and work experience amongst home health agencies, go for solid reputable companies.

Your current supervisor is not thinking about the patients that you are discharging home after short LOS, it's Med Surg out here, without your hospital resources. Home health takes talent, independence and resourcefulness.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Bam! as was mentioned above and..."wasting your talent?" haha, that's a good one!! Source of true ignorance of the home health field. You will be moving from a nursing environment where you have every piece of equipment, resource, nurse, doctor, tech, pharmacist, custodian, dietitician, you name it, virtually at your disposal to an environment where you are all those roles in one; you are IT, alone in the patient's house with their future in the hands of your nursing assessment, interventions, and judgement; with many patient's who should still be in the hospital!!!

I tried home health and I hated it. My Sweet Petunia has been a HH Physical Therapist for 20 years now and she loves it. Best of luck to you as you transition to expanding your nursing "talent" to an all new and expanded role! Move on and don't look back!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ambulant care.

Hi McNester !

Welcome "on the road" !

At home health you have to deal with the whole spectrum.

It´s not only surg, gyn, orth or what else.

Because it´s so diversified and challinging I love this job.

Y´s Frieda

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am biased because I am in home health. Home Health is the fastest growing area of nursing and has been for several years. I work in the home health department of a large hospital system and it's very exciting right now. Our hospital started last year doing all joint replacements outpatient and home health plays a vital link in this. Also this year we started implanting LVAD's (left ventricular assist device) and home health follows these patients very closely.You would not believe some of the things that we are able to do at home. There is also evidence that show that many patients do better clinically at home when compared to the inpatient setting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I took a similar step 5 years ago. I went from ICU in a large hospital to Case Managing for a small Home Health agency. I have moved up quickly. My skills were and are appreciated and I have grown as a nurse and a patient care advocate because of the skills I have. Many hospital based nurses look down upon home health nurses because they fail to understand what we do. We are in patients homes doing the same care without all the "bells and whistles" that the staff has at their disposal in a hospital setting. A patient that comes home with a Life Vest, a new trach tube, a new surgical incision. We get all of those and more and don't have a call light to summon immediate assistance if we need a second pair of hands or another piece of equipment. We have to rely on our skills and planning and experience to make our patients safe, comfortable and healthy. The next time you hear that you are wasting your skills think about how many peoples lives you make better by helping them heal faster at home.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment