Home Health Care or LTC facility?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Specializes in CNA.

Hello,

I'm looking for my first CNA job. I've read on here that hospital jobs are hard to come by with no prior experience. So I was wondering is home health care or LTC better? It's been over a year since I did clinical and I'm worried I won't know what to do with a patient in their own home but I am also concerned about LTC because I had a bad clinical experience where they just allowed patients to lay around with just a t-shirt and maybe one incontinence pad. Is that the norm? Are there any other jobs out there? Any advice would be great! Thanks :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

As far as hospital jobs being hard to get as a new CNA: it *really* depends on your location. I got my first CNA job at a hospital, no prior experience. I didn't even have my CNA class done yet! And my hospital continues to hire CNAs regardless of experience. Our managers are more interested in hiring someone who is hard-working, gets along well with others, and is planning to stay in healthcare long-term.

I would definitely check into hospital jobs if that's the environment you want to work in. Good luck finding a job!! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg.

I was also hired at a hospital before I was even done with my CNA class. :)

In LTC you do a lot more and get more experience than home health, but there are many things to be war.y of: toxic work environment, poor working conditions, low pay, etc. You won't have to worry about these things in home health, but you won't learn as many tricks and won't develop your own little "system" as you would in an LTC.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Lots of residents to care for and not enough time to do a good job for all in LTC, versus your entire shift for only one client in home health. Both for about the same amount of pay. Either way, a job. But a hospital job will give you the best overall experience if you intend to progress in nursing. Best of luck in applying for jobs and getting the one that is best for you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Nursing home work forces you to be quick and good with people. You learn a lot of little tricks too. You also have to deal with a lot of petty *drama* and gossip on top of being forced to rush through care.

I had a private duty caregiver job before I became a CNA (I got the job serendipitously and knew absolutely nothing about caregiving when I started- I had never even heard of CNAs) and she had home health aides come for an hour every day to help me bathe her. They were the ones who taught me a lot of the basics when it comes to personal care and told me how to get certified. They all used to work in LTC and hated it because of the hard work, the drama, the pace, etc. Having a fast-paced job sounded good to me because I felt that i was getting fat sitting around in the house with only one old lady under my care so I signed up for the CNA class and after she passed away I only applied to nursing homes. I didn't even bother applying at the home health agency because I didn't want to spend half the day driving around from client to client. I hate driving. I also didn't want to have to go into people's homes if they smoke or burn a lot of candles or something because I'm asthmatic. The HHAs at my private job would sometimes show up absolutely reeking of smoke because they all had a few clients that did it. Also they said that some of the houses smelled like cat pee or whatever. Now I don't bat an eyelash at human waste but put me within 50 feet of a litterbox and I gag. So that said I think I'll stick with the nursing home even if it does stress me out a lot.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg.
Also they said that some of the houses smelled like cat pee or whatever. Now I don't bat an eyelash at human waste but put me within 50 feet of a litterbox and I gag. So that said I think I'll stick with the nursing home even if it does stress me out a lot.

Cat pee can't be much worse than old person pee...

Here's what I recommend. Work at an LTC for a little bit, find some good CNAs to work under and pick up some tricks, and when you feel that you can work on the floor without being behind all the time, look for some home health agencies.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CNA.

In home health you may get paid per visit. That sucks. You have to hit it and get it in order to make any money. Very stressful if you ask me.

I prefer to work a job where I know that I will be getting x amount of hours per day every day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment