Home Health...good option for RN with bad back

Specialties Home Health

Published

Hi all!

Question for home health nurses. I hurt my back about one year ago and required surgery. I am going to be cleared by surgeon to return to work but want to preserve my back as much as I can. Is home health low back strain??? I heard from my HH RN after my surgery that it was a great option, but I am wondering how often you are required to transfer patients? Do you do a lot of lifting, transferring, ambulating, and personal care of your patients?

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Tele/PCU/ICU/Stepdown/HH Case Management.

Home Health Case Management is a pretty good option if you have a bad back. There are a few times when I need to roll or assist a pt. ambulating, but this is very infrequent.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I agree with Patchouli. Case Management is a good option. If you work the Private Duty side of home health, meaning providing care for an entire shift I personally have found it pretty risky due to not having people around to help. I know we all tell ourselves we'll be careful but when you're alone and your patient is scrunched down and uncomfortable the temptation to pull them up and turn them yourself is strong, at least for me it is! These people often have little dynamos of home health aides than can lift 10 times their own weight as well!

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As for extended care, you can ask for a night shift case taking care of an infant that is relatively stable. You might be able to spend the majority of the night sitting in a rocker watching the little one sleep. Although the child is complex enough to require care at night (for the most part of the respite variety, so the parents can sleep), the parents usually will tell you that you are basically there to watch for emergencies, so you can respond before getting them involved, and they will ask you to only change the diaper if needed at the start of the shift, then again just before you get relieved in the morning. This type of case is few and far between, but they do exist. And you should ask. Agencies will be happy to accommodate you because it is to their advantage to please the parents by placing an RN on these cases.

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i will suggest you not to go home health because it is hard labor work. you have to bent your back all the time when you give pt care beside their beds. in hospital you can adjust bed height so you do not have to bent, but at home, lots of time you have no choice. i definitely feel back sore sometimes after a whole day work. i actually hurt my back one time because pt was right on the floor when i entered her house and i had to help her back to bed and she was a big lady and i pulled my back. also if you have a total care patients, you may have to do wound care, that is lots of pulling and turning, ALL BY YOURSELF because may nobody else in that house can help you.

if you really want to save your back, i will suggest clinic work, or pediatric or infant job. Good luck to all us backs.

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