Home health nursing as a new grad??

[NurseAN94]

Hello everyone! I am graduating with my BSNnext month and I just landed a job as a home health nurse. It’s actually a residency program where you are paired with a preceptor for 9 months and you take on assignments together. There are also 2 in class days per month where you learn about insurance, case management, and brush up on nursing skills. This program is through Rutgers university and after completing the residency they give you 2 free classes towards getting your masters degree. It seems like a cool deal but I’m just really afraid I’ll be missing out or limiting myself by taking a home care job straight out of college. Most of my classmates are looking to start in hospitals and I always thought that is where I would start too so I’m just a little skeptical to take the job. I guess I’m just wondering if you’d still learn as much as you’d learn if you were working in a fast paced setting such as a med surg floor? And I’m really wondering if it’s even a good idea to take this job as a new grad.

Im also wondering if it’s going to be hard to get a job working in a hospital after only having home care experience. I don’t want to limit myself and get stuck in home care if I happen to hate it. I do have experience as a home health aide and I did like that so I am open to the idea.

Im also worried about the pay. I live in northern nj where nurses in the hospital are paid around $34 an hour, but I highly doubt a home care nurse would get paid that much since I have a bachelors degree and I would not want to work for less than $31 an hour.

If anyone has any insight that would be great. Thank you!