Do you need to have Acute Care experience?

[tashby40]

I am a returning RN after 25 years. I am in the middle of our local college RN refresher course. I pray it isn't too challenging finding someone willing to give me a chance. I worked a year in Med Surg and floated in different areas when I first graduated out of Nursing School, then worked Home Health for 2 years. Following that, I worked 2 years as a Utilization Nurse for Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I am exploring all options as to the direction I am going. I am concerned that Home Health agencies are more interested in RN's with acute care experience now? Should I try to get into a hospital first for about a year, then pursue Home Health? How hard is it to get work only 1 day per week (prn)? I will be homeschooling this year, my 2 children--so I need to be careful not to overdo it. My husband is 100% commission with the housing market--which isn't doing very well right now.

Thanks for your input! I really need help!

tashby40

[mina123]

NO you have enough past experience to work in home health nursing plus you are taking a refresher course so that should be enough. If you did not have had past acute experience then it would be hard to get in home health because you are there in a home all by yourself if any thing serious happens and you need to manage it all by yourself no critical care nurses or doctors running to you!!! So i think you should be fine and don't forget you need to orient the case anyway so if u think its too involved trach/vent don't accept it start with non-coded cases like simple G-tubes and such and then when u are comfortable u can always advance yourself. Hope this helps!

[bshaw96]

I came from a strictly long term care background. 11 years of it to be exact. I hadn't seen an acute care floor (though I personally consier LTC facilities to be quite "acute") since nursing school. I was worried like you but have adjusted fine. In fact, am told I'm doing much better than some of my coworkers who had tons of hospital experience. It's I'm finding, all about your organizational skills. That makes or breaks you it seems. And I'm organized to the point of being almost OCD, lol. We do all sorts of wound care, wound vacs, drains of all sorts, IV's, chemo, you name it. I've not once been sent out on my own to feel lost. All I have to do is say I'm not comfortable with an assignment and they will give me the orientation I need. Once they do I find I was worrying for nothing. Nurses are amazingly resiliant and can adapt quick. I am confident you will as well. Good luck and congrats on coming back to nursing! I loooooove my job, and I've never been able to say that before!

[caliotter3]

I never did acute care nursing and am not even an RN (although educated as one) and have never had any problem in hh. My background was in long term care. You have enough experience to be successful in hh. Some agencies are willing to hire those straight out of school. The key to your success will be in insuring that they provide you with enough orientation to your duties and your individual clients. Much of what happens in hh is routine in nature and you will be able to easily adapt. If you need experience in vents, then have your agency orient you to a vent patient with a good nurse who can teach you what you need to know. The same goes for any other clinical skills that you feel unsure of. Be certain to ask for and read over the 485 (plan of treatment) before you go to a new case. If you see anything there that you are unfamiliar with, you can ask before you go. You can look up the meds ahead of time and do any other previsit prep that you need. Your transition will work best if your agency gives you good nurses and good cases to orient on. Good luck and hope you like working in hh.