Home care vs. Med/Surg

Flare, ASN, BSN · Jan 13, 2009

home care stresses:

You are by yourself. No one to help you.

You have to go into people's houses which isn't in and of itself all that bad - but some people live in true hovels where you can't find one clean spot to put your stuff or hang your jacket. Which in some cases I found that i could not deem the home a safe environment for the patient to stay at. I also found a few times that I was really uncomfortable - didn't feel threatened, but definitely wanted to get the heck out of that client's house asap.

You often get crummy directions and spend too much time looking for the address. If i did do home visits again, it would be with my trusty GPS by my side.

On the plus side - it paid great. Nice little chunk of change for just going in and doing a dressing or changing a catheter.

Super flexible.

By and large patients are very greatful that you are there and family is too.

RNhbaggenstoss · Jan 13, 2009

I may be biased but I love homecare. All of your questions depend on the type of homecare that you are looking into. There is they type where you work in the homes doing shifts, where you may have 1 to 2, 3, 4 different clients in different locations. Then there are the homecare jobs where you do visits; where you do dressing changes, wound cares, med set up, teaching, etc...

The stressors with working shifts in the home are being in a persons personal space, dealing with family dynamics, lack of back-up leaving family with no nursing, and being pretty much on your own for crisis situations. The main stressor with visits is the amount of time used for traveling versus actually seeing the client.

I think that one of the best parts of doing homecare working shifts in their home is that with the agency I work for we can decide which case want to work and which ones are just not a fit for us. However, now that I have taken a position a Case Manager we don't get to pick and choose which cases we get. There are times when you may be able to switch cases with other nurses.

So to sum it all up, I have been doing homecare for about 3 years and I LOVE it. I love the fact that you get to know your clients and get to spend one on one time without having other people interrupting you like in the hospital.

Melinurse · Jan 13, 2009

home care stresses:
You are by yourself. No one to help you.
You have to go into people's houses which isn't in and of itself all that bad - but some people live in true hovels where you can't find one clean spot to put your stuff or hang your jacket. Which in some cases I found that i could not deem the home a safe environment for the patient to stay at. I also found a few times that I was really uncomfortable - didn't feel threatened, but definitely wanted to get the heck out of that client's house asap.
You often get crummy directions and spend too much time looking for the address. If i did do home visits again, it would be with my trusty GPS by my side.
On the plus side - it paid great. Nice little chunk of change for just going in and doing a dressing or changing a catheter.
Super flexible.
By and large patients are very greatful that you are there and family is too.

Well said. I'd add that it is a slower pace most of the time because you are there for one patient at a time and you can focus on them. I really feel a connection with my patients and their families and feel I make a difference. Yes, I do hospice too and it is just as wonderful as home care. You could try it out PRN and see if it's something you'd like. Can always go full time or part time later.

nurseeB · Jan 14, 2009

Any more input about hospice?