Doing admits as a PRN staff

[KelliecatRN74]

Hey everyone! I was wondering about something and needed some insight. I am new to home health, been doing it since December. I was hired as a prn psych nurse, but I find I am doing very little psych visits. I don't mind the medical visits and I adore my patients. The issue is I work another prn job at a hospital, so I prefer NOT to do admissions as they are time consuming and the paperwork....yikes, also time consuming as we all know.

On the weeks that I don't have many hours at the hospital, I will let the staffers know that I am available to do some extra work that comes in on certain days. Here's where no good deed goes unpunished. What usually ends up happening is they ask me to do 2 or more admissions, and if I want to and can do it THAT DAY, fine. But then, attempts to schedule the visit are unsuccessful, and in spite of my stated availability, I am still hounded to do the admit from several days ago until I say, "get someone else to do it as my time is limited and I'm per diem." Very frustrating. Another issue is when I do go out and do an admit, in spite of the fact that I make it quite clear that I DO NOT want to continue to follow the patient, that falls on deaf ears to the office staff. I am still getting calls weeks later as if I am the case manager, even though that patient is NOT on my schedule which I hand in AND I verbally state this fact.

I don't mind helping out, but every time I do I regret it. It's a shame because I really do like the work....I just prefer visits to my set of patients at a personal census I know I can manage. Any thoughts would be appreciated...thanks!

[caliotter3]

You will need to continue to be firm and clear in your setting of boundaries. If the pressure continues to the point that you can not tolerate it, then a change of employer might be warranted. Otherwise, continue to say "no" as appropriate. Liberal use of the reminder, "I am only PRN" might not sink in, but it is the truth and your reason for declining inappropriate assignments.