Help-Freaking out- seeing patients on my own!!

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So this week I'm going to start seeing patients on my own- and I'm freaking out!! There are skills I've yet to do- for example- I've never seen a patient get set up with at home IV meds- or how to do them- the company that supplies most of our patients- uses this ball thing that then hooks to the patients picc line, port, etc- but why I'm freaking out- is what does the schedule look like for a new home health nurse? I'm coming back into nursing after 3 years off with my small children. I am super nervous about being kicked out of the nest- so any helpful info or tips that will make this less scary would be great!! Do you think I'll be expected to see routine visits, or will I be thrown in sink or swim style? Thanks in advance!!

Oncall allready??? Unbelievable. I would not want one of my loved ones admitted to this agency?

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Thank you callieotter3- that's a great way to think of it!! The manager hasn't mentioned that I refused on-call but I'm sure it'll come up eventually!! I had a really great day today- sweet kind patients that truly needed me to be there- in 12 degree weather- lol!! That's the part I love! That feeling of wow- I really helped someone today:). I did the IV antibiotics w/ the picc- it's a bag with a dial a flow- so was something I was familiar with!! Had a pt whose wife wanted to make me bacon and eggs- lol:) and then a new start with simply one of the sweetest little patients you'd ever meet! Felt better today- but still not feeling proficient enough to manage on-call!!

libby1987-thank you!! I thought maybe I was just being a chicken- but on call already- what??? So I'm not crazy- and that's not the norm!!

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Our nurses usually work a year or more before taking call, unless they're experienced home health nurses and they still wait a bit.

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On call already? No wonder they lost so many nurses! I have been a nurse for 17 years and recently transferred to our hospitals home care dept. I am have been with my preceptor for six weeks and am just now seeing 1-2 patients, routine visits or discharges, under her guidance, and starting next week will see 2 pts on my own, then 3 the next week, then 4, then 6 which is a full load. We work on units, 6 units a day is considered FT. SOC is 3, ROC is 2 and RV is 1. We get 56 cents per mile and anything over 300 miles a week is 1 point for every 50 miles. Anything over 30 units a week is paid at per visit rate which varies if SOC/ROC/RV and more if weekend. So far, so good. Good luck!

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Watch a lot of YouTubes on the topics you mentioned. It is AMAZING what you can learn on Youtube

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Specializes in FNP- BC, Med-Tele, PCU, Home Health Case Manager.

How's it going?? I start my first HH job in 3 weeks! I'm doing 6 weeks of orientation with a preceptor. Can't believe they have you doing so much with such little training. You got this though and hopefully they have LPNs and other RNs you can call with questions. Network with the other staff in your agency. After just my ride along and meeting with staff, they all said I could call them anytime I'm out n about with questions. Hopefully you have some nice support there :) GL!

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