home health agencies

[osdbmom]

I am considering taking the classes for CNA, while I finish my degree, so that I can get working now.

I've done direct care before, and I liked it, but I wonder if my experience was typical, bc I wouldn't like to repeat that.

Although I enjoyed the work, the company I worked for wasn't great.

I walked in one day, asked for an application, and they told me if I could buy myself some scrubs by 5pm, I had a job. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful, as I had a 3 week old baby and 3 older kids at the time, so I jumped on it. I needed work.

I had no experience, no training, nothing.

I got along well with my clients and did my work well, but it concerned me that I was consistently sent out on assignments that I had no business taking care of.

I was sent to do tube feeds, with no training or experience, sent to pack large open wounds with no training, sent to the home of an unstable elderly woman who was known to go after aides with knives (WHY she still had knives in the home, I dont know, but she did and came after me...when I reported it, I was told "oh, she does that all the time:). Just lots of things like that.

After stepping away from that job, I interviewed for a couple others, and was basically told it would be the same.

It always scared me, being sent to do things I had no idea how to do. It seems like that is pretty common in home health care around here.

This was awhile ago. Im just wondering if this is still pretty typical, or maybe just the companies I worked for.

thanks.

[caliotter3]

Tube feedings and packing wounds was out of your scope of practice and you were wise to leave that job. The agency had no business doing that to you and they were aware of the risks they were taking. Do not assume this is par for the course. Most agencies will not ask a CNA/HHA to do tasks that they are not allowed to do. Should you find another employer like that, refuse to be put into the situation and leave them if they insist. Good luck with finding suitable work.

[racegirl]

I to worked for a hha place for a month,the lady that hired was me was an ex cna that started her own company.She was late everytime we had a meeting,sent me to a class that i was required to have with out the proper paper work being sent,which resultled in me going back home ,wasting time and gas!She told me my client had something totally (Way off )then she actually had.Thur the whole process it was say one thing and do another,i still yet have to receive my back ground check that she took out money for.She told me 10.00 an hr then changed it,that one thing was 10 and another was 8.50.Good luck in finding better then I did.

[WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN]

You can have a reputable Home Health job. There are plenty of big companies like Grannies Nannies around the U.S. and are plenty reputable. Being in home health can be very beneficial.

For both of the instances listed above, you could have and should have reported the companies to the licensing board. How dare they send you to do things outside of the scope of your practice! What kind of employer says that they will pay you 10.00 per hour and changes it to 8.50 an hour? That's just illegal.