Considering home health and have a few questions.

caliotter3 · Jan 28, 2010

You can do a search on the home health forum to read other threads and posts about what to carry in your bag. Most hh companies will give your certain supplies to carry in your bag if you are doing intermittent visits. But in most cases, all supplies for the patients are in the home. You should have your own stethoscope as a minimum. Most nurses carry their own BP cuff, thermometer with disposable sheaths. You should carry your drug reference and any other reference you feel comfortable with and/or your laptop. Definitely a supply of blank forms. There will be other things that you may pack up in a bag, box, or milk crate in the trunk of your car. Carry as little as possible into the home. Also keep a change of uniform, including shoes, in a plastic bag in your trunk for those "accidents" that sometime happen. Make sure you have your cell phone, charger, and a small amount of money for emergencies. And of course, lunch, or snacks!

KateRN1 · Jan 28, 2010

A decent home health agency will provide you with standard-issue supplies such as a digital thermometer and covers, b/p cuff, gloves, barriers, etc. A good place will also give you "car stock" for wound care, IV care, and phlebotomy if you'll be doing those. You really shouldn't have to provide patient care supplies on your own, although you'll probably want your own really good stethoscope. I also keep an expanding file in my car that has extra forms; a "library box" with wound care guides, the local doctor's directory (has NPI and UPIN info for every doc in town), a drug book, Marelli's Handbook of Home Care Standards, blank labels, and a few little pocket references; then I have a 4" three-ring-binder that has all of my pt's 485s, pt census and emergency contact info, and anything that I might need while in the front of the car.

And then there's the GPS (can't live without it!), multiple snacks, two cell phones, and a change of clothes, including shoes and underwear--just in case.

Carry as little as possible in your bag for infection control reasons, not to mention to save your back.

Hopkins has my favorite bags and supplies.

ybstressed, LVN · Jan 30, 2010

thanks you so much. my first day is wednesday but i wanted to see what a few other people do. i have already invested in some plastic containers that have different size compartments ( the compartment sizes are adjustable) to put in my trunk. i have a good stethoscope and the agency gave me a bag. although, i am not sure if i will use it because i don't think it has enough compartments.

caliotter3 · Jan 30, 2010

For a bag, I have found that a good quality (large Jansport) backpack is fine. One large compartment is my clean area, the other large compartment is my dirty area, and I put different small stuff in the smaller pockets.

Sarahtonin · Feb 1, 2010

I just started home health about 3 months ago, and I love it! I came from a nursing home where I had 31 patients to myself-- meds, treatments, insulin, everything!

With home health, I can BREATHE. It's busy, don't get me wrong, but it's still on my own schedule. Somedays I start at 8am, somedays 10am, depending on when my first patient can be seen, and how many others I have. And there's always down time in your car in between patients to unwind, listen to music, eat something.

I see anywhere from 4 to 7 patients a day. I have time to sit down with them, look at family photos they like to show you, really get to know them through talking to them & their families and establishing that trust. You feel more comfortable, and so do they, and so doing your job is a bit easier!

I also only work Monday - Friday. I'm only on call one weekend a month, and we're supposed to do 2 winter holidays, 1 summer, or 2 summer holidays and 1 winter. But I haven't had to work any holidays yet! Not Thanksgiving, Christmas, even New Year's! A lot of patients don't want HH nurses coming over on holidays because they have other things going on, and that's fine with me!!

But to answer your questions, I had to supply my own BP cuff and stethoscope, which I had from nursing school. Other than that, they give me everything. A thermometer, a pulse ox, gloves, a supply bag, and a great car supply full of everything you might need from band-aids to foleys to enemas to saline!

The things I usually carry in my bag are: BP cuff, pulse ox, stethoscope, thermometer with covers, some 2x2's and 4x4's, gloves, scissors, saline, tape. And maybe other things if a specific patient requires something else.

We also draw blood at my agency, which they completely trained me to do. I was nervous at first, but it's getting easier, and I think it's a great skill to have. The venipuncture bag is stocked with the collection tubes, tourniquet, lab slips, tape, needles (obviously! haha).

Whenever I need a replacement of anything, it's available in the agency's office, and I'm usually there everyday or every other to hand in my timesheet.

Good luck! :yeah:

sunkissed75, CNA · Feb 1, 2010

That is exactly why I love working as a PSW (CNA) for the Canadian Red Cross!! So much freedom!! My own hours!! Time to spend with the clt!!! I don't care that I make a couple bucks less an hour than the PSW's in LTC...