Considering homecare employment? What does homecare entail? Questions for employers!

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

articles for those new to home care:

*** nurse week: nw0701: getting started in home care ***

must read

nursing spectrum: ce109d: for nurses new to home care

see this outline from nursing course 755 health care professionalism: issues and roles at the university of kansas school of nursing: http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nrsg755/csmith/transit3.html

match skills for home care

traditionally, home care nurses in the united states provided illness-focused care in the home, mostly to elderly patients. however, in other countries home care took many foci--including population-based care, community or neighborhood care and specialties such as rehabilitation, mother/baby care, wound care management, or midwifery....

...when managing a caseload of patients, you spend 40% of your time teaching and assessing patients, 10% of your time supporting the caregiver, 10% of your time performing technical skills, and 20% of your time advocating to get resources for families and individuals in your case load...

questions to ask about employers: home care

how would your patient assignments be determined--by geographic area, type of condition, or payor source?

would you be a full- or part-time employee who receives benefits, or would you be under contract and receive a set dollar amount for each visit you complete?

or would the nurse manager delegate a caseload that might change daily?

if under contract, would you accrue vacation benefits and sick-time? would you be enrolled in any retirement plan?

what about profit sharing?

would you be included in meetings and on committees with the permanent staff?

how many visits would you typically be expected to make in a day or week?

what is the average distance you would have to travel between patients?

would you be traveling within a congested urban area (which often takes as much time as rural travel), or would your assignments be confined to one or two large senior citizen housing complexes?

if you drive your own car, would mileage be reimbursed, and at what amount?

and if you had expected to visit patients in areas where safety is a concern, would escorts be provided or other arrangements made to provide for your safety?

how long is the orientation process, and what does it focus on?

lastly, does the scope and depth of the orientation seem sufficient in light of the requirements identified by your questions to your employer and by your own assessment of your home care skills?

take notes as you listen carefully during the interview

http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nrsg755/csmith/transit3.html