HHA - How-to advice, please!

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Hi All,

I begin my new job as a home health aide tomorrow! My experience is within a LTC facility so I'm unsure of the protocol. The agency, bless their hearts, is tossing me in and have expressed their faith in me; I'm not uncomfortable with that and actually learn best with hands-on situations. What they DIDN'T cover however, and what I don't know quite how to handle, is the arrival. I'm working first shift so most likely my clients will be asleep.. do I just waltz in? 24 hour care is provided by the agency so another caregiver will be there waiting for me to relieve them, all good, but the first couple of days is leaving me weirded out. I won't know my way around the homes and can't rely on past experience to guide me as I have zero, zilch, nil. HELP!!

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Specializes in PCT, RN.

As weird as it sounds an as rude as it seems, yes, you can just waltz right in if you like.

I would usually do just a quick couple knocks before coming in, just to announce my arrival. But as a caregiver with permission to enter the home, you may just walk in.

When I was a HHA and I worked mornings, it was the same as you; there was an HHA overnight I would relieve and pretty much right when I got there she would give me a quick report and head out. If your client is asleep, that's a good opportunity to look around and familiarize yourself with where everything is located.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Check with your nurse manager or office first. The agency should have reviewed this when they went over the HHA care plan. I have clients that will fire you on the spot if you waltz into their home unannounced and others that will be livid if you knock or ring the bell. One keeps the deadbolt locked as they only want family granting entrance. (Adult family member is waiting near the door at shift change). If it's a client that's bed bound with no one at home knock softly before entering until you are told otherwise.

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Many times but not always my agency has you go for an orientation hour or so and meet with the client and get shown around and get answers like what to do when coming in extra.

This orientation also is there for you and the client to see if the job is going to be a good fit for you and if the client sees you as a good candidate that they will feel comfortable working with.

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Thanks everyone! I had my first orientation/shift yesterday and it went just fine. The caregiver I was relieving was nice enough to jot down notes for me to follow and left her number if I had questions. I do have orientations lined up for my other clients as well that should be easier as they are actually orientations.. yesterday she spent about 15 mins showing me around/explaining and then I was on my own. Thanks again for the input!!

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Opps double post

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I'm glad that things went well. Sometimes its hard to start up new cases and it can feel a little awkward at first. But you learn that many times meeting new clients can be a wonderful thing and for me I have had clients that they have brightned my life and I am happy that I got a chance of meeting them and they can have a price of my heart.

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