Home Health and Having Babies

[rhapsodyRN]

Hello all,

I'll start off with a question. How many of you had babies/very small children while working home care and do you feel you were better off doing it that way as opposed to working bedside?

I'm considering a change from bedside to home health. I am constantly stressed out, don't sleep well, have gained 15 pounds, and although I do actually love my job, I don't feel it's my perfect fit. I've only been an RN for a year, and my husband and I are trying to get pregnant this winter. I work med/surg and some days its great but I never feel I have enough time for my patients. I know that home health has its own stressors but I feel that I would really thrive in an environment where I could actually have time to teach my patients what they need to know and do treatments without having to worry that my phone will ring with a patient needing their pain meds or needing to "see my nurse" and then going in and finding out all they wanted was a Sprite.

My biggest worry is this. If we get pregnant soon, I know that working bedside would afford me 4 days off a week to be with my child. However, as I said I don't sleep well the night before I work. So add that on top of a baby waking us up during the night, trying to coordinate childcare when we both have to be at work early and get home late, and then working 12 hour shifts...

I've seen so many posts from people saying they'd never go back to bedside and I feel I'd be a really good fit in home health because my patients are always my primary focus and I really enjoy that one-to-one time. My reviews have always been good with the best marks in rapport with my patients. It's something I'm proud of and I feel like it would be better used in a home health environment. I know there's tons of paperwork but I'm no stranger to that, and it's still easier to do all that paperwork on one patient at a time, than it is to try and chart on 5 patients continually throughout the day (where I work we chart EVERYTHING down to giving a patient a glass of water).

Anyway, any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if this post is rambling or nonsensical..I'm still tired from working yesterday :)

[Morganskylar]

Hi,

I worked in the ER for over 7 years when I made the decision to go into home health. I won't lie for the first 6 months or so I was kicking myself in the butt. I truly did not like it. But I stuck with it and now I love it. The best decision I could have made. My husband and I are in the same boat both working long hours early and late. Working every other weekend and holidays I decided that I would never be able to get the time back with my girls. So far it has been great with the kids. I do miss the long stretches of days off though. But with my agency I start my day when I want and get done pretty much when I want.

Working in a level one trauma center for so long I lost most if not all my compassion for people. I loved the ER because of the people I worked with but could care less for the patients that we would get. So in home health it is different because the only real interaction I have is with the patients and not co-workers. And you do get to spend quality time with your patients.

The only problem I can see with you switching is that you have to have a lot of confidence in your nursing skill and knowlegde because there is no safety net when you are in the home. You have to have most of the answers there is not a coworker by your side or at the nursing desk that you can go to and ask a question, or if you are not able to stick the person there is not another nurse there that can come and help you. There is a lot of auntomy and responsiblity.

I really love home health I do not think I could go back to bedside nursing. So read over what others have to say about home health. If you are looking into a particular home health agency call the manger and ask to go on a ride along with a couple of the nurses for a day or two to observe and question them about home health and the agency and see how you like it. I was able to go on a ride along before I was interviewed to see if I liked it.

[cwood88]

Hi I also work in hh. I worked like you in the hospital for a year with oncology/hd patients 12 hours 3 days a week 3rd shift. I to agree with courtaneyRae, there is only you in the home and there is quite a bit of paperwork in hh more so than the hospital actually. But I too can start whenever I need to and get done whenever I want to also. And if you or your child are sick it is easier to find coverage for your patients by another nurse there or you can hopefully move them to the next day, which is what I usually do. The flexibility is great if I have a dr. appt. I can schedule around that and still see 6 pts a day. so just take everything everyone says and evaluate your own needs and go from there.

[caliotter3]

Make sure you find out what the rules are for FMLA and keeping your job. A coworker in home health is pregnant and planning a month off when she delivers. She is worried that her cases will be handed to other nurses permanently.