Nursing Students in Home Health...who would of thought?

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

We've been having BSN nursing students ride with us for the past 3 weeks and will be with us for another 6 weeks. I have thoroughly enjoyed having the students ride with me. Yesterday I had a recert visit to do on a patient with advanced ALS, vent dependent, J-tube, foley, PICC line and port-a-cath. One student jumped up "I'm going with you"!!!! I let her do the assessment which she really nailed and let her change the PICC drsg and she nailed that too. She was soooo excited. She wants to work in ICU after graduation this May. Said this is the closest I've gotten to an ICU type patient. She desperately wanted to suction the patient but the pt didn't need it. These students have been such a joy to have around. I never realized nursing students rotated through HH. I'm glad they do!!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

We did 4 days of HH in LPN school.

[blueheaven]

We did 8 weeks HH in the diploma program I was in and I really enjoyed it!

[lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN]

I just do one day of HH.

[Chaya, ASN, RN]

HH was my favorite clinical!

[TazziRN, RN]

When I was a student in my OB rotation, I spent one day with a nurse making house calls on new moms who had just been discharged. I loved it! It was one on one time with a nurse, without other pts needing things at the moment, and I got to pick her brain.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

When I was in we had to do our Psych clinicals out of hospital with the local social services networks. We didnt have anyone with us either and on our own. We had to visit pt's with psychiatric problems but my pt was one with more family issues than anything. It was actually an incest case in which we eventually had to assist in removal of the minor child from the mother (step-father was the biological father). My second case when I showed up to do the family assessment the 2 kids were making tomato soup out of ketchup while mom was asleep. Too be honest I couldnt believe they put us as students in these situations on our own but did learn alot about it. My first case was dismissed when it became too hairy for a student to continue involvement when step-daddy showed up to the hospital with a shot gun when the child was being examined after removal from the home. Talk about YIKES!! Other than this we had no HH experience. This was in central KY so I seriously hope they have changed that aspect of the program since then (1980).

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

We do two days of HH in my ADN program this semester, plus we did one day during our OB rotation for well baby checks.

Swtooth

[jo272wv]

The class that covered HH when I was in the BSN program was called community nursing. We did 8 weeks of home health and 8 weeks of community. I did an assisted living for community and hospice for home health. I enjoyed this experience because it let me see more than just hospital nursing. I am now getting my two years experience and then considering going into home health care.

You hear so many complaints about nursing students on this form, it is refreshing to hear a positive post. Thanks to the original poster.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

We do a lot of home health in my BSN program as well. It's called Community Health, we do hospice care, community, etc. 16 weeks of it! Fun fun!

What a nice post!

[Cattitude]

we did community health also for my bsn program. i do know that students do go out with hh nurses but not at my agency. i guess we don't have a contract with the college. i wish we did, i'd love to have a student come along!

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[lauralassie]

I love to hear of nursing students who want to learn. Seems so many just want to do their time and leave. We did a semester of home health in our diploma program. It involved going out with a nurse, case management and public health in general . It was wounderful.