HH RNs-I need advice!

[yardgnome]

Hi! Need advice! Please be brutal if need be! I have an interview with a HH agency Tues. morning. Very nervous as you see I am not sure if I have the skills necessary for RN HH. I have been an LPN since 2002 (5 years longterm care and less than one year med surg). Been an RN for only a couple of months. Very secure with all my skills except IVs and blood draws. Am I ready for HH? Do most companies give you ample orientation? Any advice from you guys would be a plus. Thank you so much.

[caliotter3]

You have to make sure that they give you a good orientation. Some agencies are better about this than others. Being assertive in this area helps a lot. I was hired into home health with long term care experience and home health clinical from nursing school. Wasn't really ready for hh. They usually will tell you that they want one to two years experience in med surg first. But since you have a good experience base and feel confident in your skills you should not have a problem. Be prepared to take a written skills test if you didn't already do so when you filled out your application. Ask them if you can shadow a nurse when you start. That is important. Also, you might try going to the bookstore and looking for a home health reference. If you are going to do shift work, you should be thoroughly oriented to each case before you start. If you are going to do visits, you need to be aware of time management skills regarding your charting of the visits, as you will be doing anywhere from five to seven visits a day, depending on your job. I do only shift work. It is pretty routine and there is less wear and tear on my car and less paperwork to worry about. Good luck on your interview and hope you are successful at landing the position and find home health to be rewarding.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

You've seen a lot in your time as an LPN in long term care. How are your assessment skills? Do you think, for example, you could recognize a probable DVT when out in the field by yourself? Dehydration? Signs of possible bleed? Learning to draw blood and starting IVs are skills that will require practice and a good orientation. Truthfully, the best place to learn those skills is in a hospital setting where conditions are ideal. In HH, conditions are rarely ideal. I've had to do blood draws on patients without benefit of table or lighting and no where to get a good footing. You will need a strong orientation in this area.

Is it doable? Yes, I think so if your assessment skills are strong, orientation is strong. Some RN acute care experience would be best though.

Best wishes!

[NurseFeelGood2005]

lets put it this way, my orientation was 2wks then I was on my own, so it was a good thing I knew how to draw blood, start ivs, do wound vacs already. maybe your co is different though, we have quick turn over and they were desperate!

good luck