home health nursing

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

I've posted on the HH area, but have had limited responses...i'd really appreciate it if anyone with an opinion on home health nursing, not per diem work, but home health associated with a large metropolitan organization wouldn't mind chiming in...

Could you narrow it down? What specifically do you want to know?

rward12 · Sep 7, 2011

please pop on to the home health area...u will c my questions there and thanks in advance for ur advice

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

please pop on to the home health area...u will c my questions there and thanks in advance for ur advice

Won't be chasing your post. I hope you find what you're looking for :)

rward12 · Sep 7, 2011

thought it would b easier to have u go there instead of reposting but thanks anyway

caliotter3 · Sep 7, 2011

Home health nursing does not attract a lot of participation on this site.

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

thought it would b easier to have u go there instead of reposting but thanks anyway

I'm sorry- I have only basic and general info about home health... but do hope you get the answers you need. Maybe someone will see it here who is in home health, and also visits the other section :)

rward12 · Sep 7, 2011

thank you to both of you for your replies...i really do appreciate it. who knows, mayb if i take this job, i will post more about it and hopefullly bring more attention to it.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Sep 7, 2011

please pop on to the home health area...u will c my questions there and thanks in advance for ur advice

I worked home health for >10 years, but it's not good netiquette to expect others to spend their time to search out your posts in order to answer your questions. Would've been easy enough for you to either cut and paste your question to this thread, or at least provide a link to the original.

glutton4punishment · Sep 7, 2011

I love HH. You don't use your skills very much, however, I found that the patients are sooo much easier to deal with when they are in their own environment. Not sure what questions you want answered, but here's some of my experience....

When I was working full time, I saw 7-10 patients per day. I got paid per visit, and .50 per mile that I drove. It was up to me which zip codes I would drive to. I was making more per hour as an LVN than I am now as an RN. You get to know your ppl, and they are sooo relaxed in their own homes. I had such a positive experience compared to working in the hospital. The ONLY thing I did not like about HH is the paperwork. The OASIS took a long time to fill out at first, and I found myself getting really lazy about turning in my work and getting reprimanded for it. It's a whole different animal, and I would def recommend working in a hospital setting first(if you are new to nursing) because HH really is not the place to learn new skills.

Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck to you

happy place · Sep 7, 2011

The only thing I have heard about HH is be careful who you work for. Meaning, some agencies, or employers, may not have enough assignments to work you full time, and they may try and tell you otherwise to get you in the door. Also, I have heard alot of complaints about nurses having to pay for gas.

Other than that most nurses I have talked to seem to really enjoy this specialty!! Good luck !!

NPvampire, MSN, RN, APRN · Sep 9, 2011

I've done HH too, not full-time, but steady part-time. I think it depends on the company you work for. I switched away from doing it part-time to going per diem because I was spending all day driving around to patients that wouldn't answer their phones, and then weren't discharged from hospital yet, or even home when they're supposed to be "homebound." In other words, I would give up one of my days at my other jobs, and I'd maybe end up seeing 3/6 or, like yesterday, 1/3 patients on my list--and that's all I got paid for too. Also, some visits take foreeeever to do, especially those admissions, and it puts you behind for the entire day, or leaves you going home after 12 hours out--same as a regular hospital but you only got paid for the 7 visits...and the paperwork is still waiting often too. I cut hours down ultimately because I felt I was putting in the time and netting $12 an hour (RN). I understand our LPN have it easier as they have simpler visits (sometimes just checking insulin at an ALF) and can burrow right on.

Also, if you are allergic to cigarette smoke or furry creatures, this is NOT the job for you. Patients' homes can be nasty and I mean NASTY. No air condition in 100 heat, 10 degree no heat houses cold, cat poop x 5 cats laying in the floor, cigarette smoking worse than the club, hair, dust, bleack! I get tired of that sometimes too. I would REALLY suggest a "ride-along" with someone that does patient houses--not the ALF--to see if you can tolerate working in those environments. I trained in the office first and got a real shock about my 2nd day out.

Good things: AUTONOMY! No micromanaging vulture bosses, sickeningly sweet backstabbing coworkers, gossipy cafeteria talk, doctors treating you like a roach, or getting reprimanded/demerits for being 3 seconds late on the clock punch. You can go between jobs to eat, pick up kids, make phone calls, shop, or chill out--you just have to get the visits done.

LOCATION--home health is almost everywhere, so even if you live in the boonies, you may be able to cut the commute.

If you do take a HH job get a GOOD fax machine you will need it.