being a home health nurse if you have allergies and asthma?

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Apr 21, 2016

I can only imagine the houses of patients who get discharged with home health. It's a scary thought.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 21, 2016

I would love home care, but I have the very same problems and know that the risk is just too high. I even did not do home care rotation while in school because I had a good ol' asthma attack on my very first visit

Sorry to say that. Private duty (with accomodating family/client), office/clinic, wound care and education all could be accomodated to make it safe for nurses like you and me; home care doesn't sound like it.

Mom2boysRN · Apr 22, 2016

It could be difficult. Many patient's homes are kept clean and are animal free. Some don't look like they have been cleaned in years, if ever. Some people are very heavy smokers, have many animals, or have heavy fragrances. I would discourage someone with severe allergies from going into other's homes.

JustMeRN · Apr 22, 2016

It probably would not be a great fit. There are plenty of homes that are well kept, but even a large majority of those have pets. You have the right to ask that pets be put away, but there's still dader / fur in the home. I would say at least 1-2 visits a week are at places crawling with filth, the rest half are well kept, half fall somewhere in the middle.

If if you really have your heart set on it give it a try, but have a back up plan.

nutella, MSN, RN · Apr 22, 2016

I am thinking about transitioning into the world of being a home health RN, however I have severe allergies and asthma. I'm worried that going into patients homes with so many potential triggers with exacerbate my illnesses. My symptoms are well controlled now but that's only because I'm on oral and injectable medications for both allergies and asthma, and I work in a controlled environment at an allergy & asthma practice. Any thought?

Forget about it. I do not think you will be successful in home care if you need "a controlled environment". Home care usually means also dust, cats, dogs, dirt, pollen all over the place,mold...

I do have allergies but was taking loratadine and occasionally inhalers. I did have allergy shots for years. But I was ok in home care in terms of allergies. Another nurse who has cat and dog allergies had to stop home care.

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2016

I just always made sure I had my rescue inhaler in my pocket.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2016

Home health is full of triggers and allergens: patients blowing cigarette smoke in your face, dust from uncleaned living areas, pet dander, and so forth. If you have severe allergies, it might be wise to avoid home care altogether.

caliotter3 · Apr 22, 2016

Based upon my own experience in extended care hh with allergies/asthma, I agree with Commuter. There is no way you can try to mitigate from your end when you are doing visits. I have had a hard enough time asserting myself when it comes to avoiding cases in homes with cigarette smoke.

Libby1987 · Apr 22, 2016

No one even smokes when I visit let alone blow smoke in my face. I've been in home health since 1989.

But pets, lingering smoke, dust, all kinds of odors, hot and cold temps and fragrance can be daily occurrences.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2016

No one even smokes when I visit let alone blow smoke in my face. I've been in home health since 1989.

To be fair, you do home health in California, the state with the second-lowest smoking rates in the entire country. It would make sense that you'd encounter less patients who are puffing away during your visits.

Those of us who live in 'Flyover Land' (a.k.a. the South and Midwest) will encounter households in which the residents smoke like choo choo trains.

annabanana2 · Apr 23, 2016

Nearly all of my clients smoke. Lots of them are shut-ins and get anxious when people come to visit, and smoke to calm down, so I get smoked on pretty frequently. Some folks I have a strong enough rapport with to request that they not smoke when I'm there, but others barely let me in the door (and this, if I'm lucky!) so I just let it happen. Lots of cats, dogs, various other animals. Rats. People are really into pet rats these days. Plenty of bugs. Often people hoarding food (lots of my clients are food-insecure and have never lived any other way), lots of it moldy/rotten. I truthfully don't think I could do this job with asthma. There's just no way of predicting what a home will be like on any given day.