Have any of you gone straight into home health or ONLY had home health experience?

[efda3]

I am somewhat of a newbie graduate and I obviously don't have much experience. It seems I will not be landing my dream job anytime soon. But I cannot help but to notice that the FEW available nursing positions are in home health.I know of a few agencies that do not require experience, either. They actually do not pay too shabby.

However, as a newbie nurse, I am concerned about taking one of these jobs. I'll be frank. The economy is awful, right now, and I just really need to start working in the next few months. I do have a "reserve" (savings account), but I don't want to rely on that for too long. Right now is nice. I am taking care of things, spending time with family..etc. But I am going to become aggressive about applying for nursing positions in the next couple of weeks.

Most nurses in my area are having an EXTREMELY hard time landing jobs. It's actually really depressing, at times. I wonder if they have considered home health. I just want to ask....did any of you just go straight into home health right out of school? I feel like I will not receive solid experience/skills if I go right into home health. I'm afraid I will be doing myself a disservice. Does anyone care to shed some light on this?

Thanks

[4evernrs]

I graduated in 94 and worked for 1 year in a small, rural hospital. That 1 year was invaluable to me. Being such a small facility, I gained experience in everything from ICU to emptying the trash. It was agonizing, exhausting and awesome all at the same time. That experience gave me the confidence and competence to make the jump to home health, and that's pretty much where I've been ever since. I am now a supervisor and advise all of our interviewees that you must have a solid knowledge base, be confident in your assessment skills, organized, self-motivated and energetic. It's hard to have ALL of those qualities without some solid experience behind you. I suppose it's possible to succeed in home health right out of the gate, but I think the odds would be seriously stacked against you.

[rmbt418]

Home care isn't where ANY nurse should be straight out of school. You need to be 100% sure of yourself and confident to be a home care nurse. There is no one to go to when you have an emergency, no RT to call, no doctor to page, it's all you. Home care is the last place you should be trying to find experience. Unfortunately alot of the home care agencies are shady to say the least, sending nurses to homes they aren't even close to being qualified for.

I can't even begin to tell you some of the horror stories from other home care nurses and parents I've heard. I feel terrible for so many of the parents, going without sleep for nights and weeks at a time, due to poor staffing from the agencies and underqualified nurses trying to "gain their experience" through these families. Parents end up doing the work of the agencies by almost fully traing us, putting even more work on themselves. It's really a sad situation.

Home care is what you make of it. You sit on your rear end doing nothing for an entire shift and, yes you'll be board out of your mind by the end of the first week. If you actually follow the care plan and parents instruction and you should have a fully satisfying shift.

Unfortunately, the bulk of home care nurses are people that are either too lazy to work hospitals or have poor work ethics, and know that they can get away with it in people's homes. The few exceptions to that statement are a god send to the families who need them.

Your attitude is unbelievable!!!!!!!

You should spend a day following me around! It would change your mind completely!

I started in home care as an aide (10 yrs), then as an LPN (2 yrs) and now I am an RN (2 yrs). I have never worked in a hospital (except during clinical- I hated the hospital).

I love home care! I am happy! And my patients are very well cared for with me as their nurse and case manager!