Published Oct 1, 2009
msslim
43 Posts
For all of you home health veterans out there, I would like to know if it is best to work for an agency Full Time- Hourly or Part Time- Per visit? I am not currently working and I'm trying to get into home health. I would really like the flexibility. Which is the best way get paid and have flexibility?
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
You need to distinguish between salaried and hourly/visit. Salaried people pretty much are held to getting the job done no matter how long it takes. This usually refers to the nursing supervisors, case managers, director of patient care services, etc., internal employees of the company. Nurses who do patient care visits to the home, external employees, usually are paid hourly or per visit. Generally it is better to be an hourly employee. You do X number of shifts at X amount per hour. Cut and dry. Per visit is just that, per visit. You are paid a certain amount for different types of visits for however many you accomplish each day. Few nurses who get paid per visit are adequately compensated for the extra time that they put in doing their paperwork. So that is one of the reasons why the extended care, also known as continuous care, or shift workers, have a better deal. HTH
lamazeteacher
2,170 Posts
Most HH agencies want their staff to be part time so they don't have to give them benefits. It depends on whether you need them or not. After you get some HH experience, you can let them know you'd rather be full time with benefits, if that's what you want.....
When you get paid per visit, the hourly rate is much lower, as the paper work takes so much time, as well as the time it takes to get to the patient. You get paid for your time driving to patients' homes only after you go to the office or make your first visit. Full time employees have decent pay, but don't allow time for charting.