Home Health Experience

[nursegreenwood, LVN]

I am a LVN and I have been working for home health agencies for almost 1 year now. I have been currently on a case with a 42 quad pt. At first I thought I found the case I will be at until I completed my BSN at Western Governor's University, but now I feel used and belittled everyday. I honestly feel that my patient and his family has learned of my kindness and now are taking advantage of it. I am the primary nurse, day shift, and I do twice as much as any other nurse that comes out to him. This pt actually waits days to shower until I get back from weekend off days or days I have taken off just for me to shower him. One of the floats come in and he and she has told me she doesn't do anything the first hr she arrives, just eats and watches t.v. When I arrive, I place my things down and he immediately begins to order me to do this and that. I do caregiver, cna and nursing (minimal) work and the agency refuses to increase my pay, of course they pay me the minimal pay rate for a LVN. I am currently looking for new employment, and I should've known because past home health experiences solidified that home health is really not my place in this beautiful field of healthcare. Regardless of this not so good experience I feel bad for having to find a new employer. Am I wrong for this? OR is it my over caring personality that's allowing me to endure this?

[systoly]

my thoughts:

- don't worry about the other nurses

just because someone else doesn't put in an honest effort

doesn't mean you should do the same

furthermore, changing jobs doesn't eliminate this, it just changes

the wallpaper

- waiting for you to do the shower may not be aimed at targeting you

with more work, but rather it maybe a testimony that you give great

personal care and the pt. feels comfortable with your care

once in LTC, i had a pt. refuse a shower for a whole week while i

was on vacation

- why not communicate with your pt.

just tell the pt. that doing all the showers and having a big

agenda as soon as you walk in is overwhelming

the pt already knows you're a good worker and aren't trying

to get a free ride

- if you feel you're not getting fair compensation, by all means

look around - no need to feel bad about trying to better yourself

or your circumstance