Home Health Driving?

[freesia29, ASN, RN]

I am a home infusion nurse in WA state.  The previous company I worked for and what I am hearing from other RNs is that the company has to pay for your driving time as well as mileage if using your own car.

I cannot find this info anywhere in print, as my current employer refuses to pay me for drive time. Of course all our regular patients are at least a 1 hr drive away.  The last week I worked 24 hr and drove for 12!  So a 36 hr week with only 24 hrs of pay.  I am not happy!

Does anyone know where I can find this online? 

Thank you!

[dianah, ASN]

Moved to Home Health Nursing area.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Mileage rates based on federal standards:  IRS issues standard mileage rates for 2023.  You don't get paid for driving to office or home again, nor hours spent in car between patients --no federal requirement; however, required productivity should take into consideration distance of clients from office AND pay higher when driving long distances.

One gets paid driving from office location to first patient to next one until last patients location back to office has been industry standard in agency's I've worked.   If you don't need to check in/out of the office,  one can start travel time from office location to first client,; last client to office using map software to clock mileage.  

Mileage Reimbursement: Definition, Examples and Tracking Tips

Track Your Mileage for Taxes in 8 Easy Steps

I did home infusion for 10 years covering 3 dates 100 mile radius.   I lived 5 miles  from office ( closer to major highways too) so would count mileage from

a. Media PA office (get IV equipment) to Hamilton Square, NJ (1st  + 2nd case)  Assess, labs, hang Vanco, stay in car 1HR to do vacomycin peak while doing paperwork: 65miles

Travel-1 hr 15min,  Patient care - 2hrs;   Total time: 3hr 15min

b. Drive to Brookhaven, PA laboratory,drop off blood: 60miles then onto 3rd case Kennett Square for IV site care and wound care: 20miles

Travel- 1 1/2hr total 80 miles from last patient; Patient care -1 hr;  Total time 2 1/2hr

c.  Chadsford, PA for chemo disconnect 4th case: 10miles

Travel-10min, Patient care - 30min.

d. Last patient to Media office (zipped past to home finish paperwork): 15 miles

Total: 170 miles.  Three homes with 4 patient visits in 7 hrs.

This was my most distant case scenerio in 90's.

Do you have full-time/part-time  or per diem employee status with signed employee statement or contract?    If company has significant need for infusion staff to travel distance, can request formal agreement to travel certain distance (often >50miles/day) at increased payrate to make up for time spent on the road OR pay  time on road at reduced rate as unbillable time to insurance company BUT need for agency to get service provided,

Hope this helps.

[iheartrays]

I'm a RN doing pediatric home health and do not get paid for mileage. I'm in Colorado. Most home health companies don't pay mileage in my area.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Are you doing pediatric shift care or intermittent skilled  visits?    Shift care most often does not pay mileage (considered  = driving to job location under IRS) while intermittent visit care does unless agency provides company car.    Those home care agencies not paying mileage, follow IRS regs posted above to declare as business expense on taxes.

[Peachpit]

HH is Georgia pay mileage though most deduct the first 15 miles and the last or similar. No way I would drive the amount you are without being compensated in some form. 

[iheartrays]

Thank you NRSKaren for your answer, I do pediatric "shift" type of visits. I'm there for 10 hours a day.