Hello, everyone, and in advance, let me say any advice offered will be greatly appreciated.
Brief history...22 years in nursing, with about 12 in ICU/ER, followed by about 10 as a Work Comp Case Manager including supervision. Total burnout. Decided to try HHN. Well!
The good parts...I absolutely love it and feel like I am really "A Nurse" for the first time ever. I have a wonderful territory, great patients. My manager is fantastic. In 22 years, the one of the two best and kindest people I've ever worked for. And she thinks I'm wonderful, too, for a newbie to the field.
The problem? I'm going broke doing this and working harder than I recall working in YEARS! I am per diem, and the rate isn't bad, however...no reimbursement for cell phone usage and that adds up - as I'm sure you all know. I get paid "per visit" yet there is tons of paperwork to be done at home - all part of "the visit." Then...the pre-visit phone calls, having to call some docs 3-4 times before getting a response, etc.
Part of it is my organizational skills, I'm sure. However, I'm just not the type to zip in and zip out. For a routine visit, it takes me at least an hour. And you know...some of these little old people...it takes them 30 minutes to walk from the chair to the bed! For example, today I did one admit OASIS and 2 reg visits. And granted - they were spread out with considerable driving time between #2 and #3, but still, I spent a good 6 hours in the day for just those 3 visits and I STILL have paperwork to do!
And running back and forth between home and office! Non-reimbursable in terms of time or mileage, but gosh! It really adds up in a flash. So the bottom line...I absolutely love it, love my manager, love the challenges, but I can't keep on doing this if it's going to COST me money.
Now you know why I need help. Please?