Home health as first job?

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My LPN class will be complete in the fall. I'd like to try home health after I pass boards. It would be ideal since it is done during the day (I want to go back right away for my RN). Anyway, I've heard some nurses discourage new grads from taking a home health position w/o at least one year of experience. Opinions?

Thanks everyone that's why I was asking. I've done really well in school. I'm also smart enough to know that I've got a l LONG way to go. Just trying to figure out a way to manage going back to school (RN), working full time, and still being around for my kids at least some. I'm guessing a doctors office will be my next choice but the pay will be less. I would do long term care but am very anxious about the number of patients that I'd be responsible for, the three day orientation, and the fact that the residents don't wear armbands. Actually, my feelings could be more accurately described as terrified. Hospital jobs are hard to come by for LPN's although I will look.

The ads in the paper don't mention experience so I assumed it wasn't required. Maybe I'm mistaken. I'd be grateful if there are other suggestions you are aware of that I haven't thought about :)

My opinion if you gone do home health care dont sign on as a LPN, Sign on as a Caregiver. The pay will be between 12-16 dollars an hour. You can go to school still. Or my next suggestion is to apply at a Methadone Clinic. You will be the head person in charge next to the doctors as a Dispensing Nurse. The hours are usually 5am-1 or 12pm. sometimes even 10am. You can go to school with them hours and the pay is between 22-25 a hours. Some places pay 30-35 a hour. There are alot u can do.

Dont jump into something u cant handle. I am only a nursing student, but the nurses are telling u to get at least one year experience or more please listen. It will benefit you alot

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It's also important to recognize that not all home care RN work is "skilled" work like trachs, vents, and feeding tubes. Some agencies use their nurses for "supervision" of home health aides, CNAs, and LPNs. The RN makes visits to make sure the patient is getting all the services being paid for, the nursing support person is coming when scheduled, that the HHA/LPN/CNA has all the supplies they need...stuff like that. Of course an RN has to do the initial assessment and focused assessments per supervision visit but there's no blood draws and other skills that a new nurse may need support with (i.e. 15-30 min per visit because the LPN/HHA/CNA is with the client 3-7 days a week taking care of everything else)

For example, you may have blind patient who recieves their meds via home delivery and the RN goes every week to sort their meds into a dose organization pack because they can't see or open the meds themselves. Any new grad can do that. Your best bet is to find out what the expectations of the agencies are whether it be for a LPN/RN position. If the agency does not take new RNs it's because they have a high volume of "skilled" cases.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Utilization Review, Geriatrics,.

I have worked alot of homecare and i agree with the consensus... you need to gain experience and confidence in an institutional setting first. The strides you can make caring for patients in either a hospital or ecf will lead you to be a better, more organized nurse, that can think on your feet. In homecare, you do not have anybody to immediately ask for help. If a patient is having a strange symptom, or a problem, you need to have the ability to differentiate between urgent, and emergent. Good Luck whichever path you choose to follow.:)

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