Calling all HH Nurses, roll call

[hoolahan]

Hi, as a newly appointed moderator, I want to live this forum up a bit. I just resigned my position as a HH supervisor, to go back to the field.

I have been a nurse 20 years, 17 in critical care, mostly cardiac critical care, and the last 2.5 years in HH, or asthma disease management , which I also had to leave because I hated to be in a cube farm all day.

I still love HH, even though PPS is the pits, even though the OASIS would make good kindling for a massive bonfire, and even with all the rest of the paperwork, it is the most rewarding nursing I have ever done!!

PS, I went back to my former VNA who is now paying $30/hr, yes, you read that right, to work 3 out of 4 weekends. Since weekends work well for me, it's a good deal.

Let's hear from all the HH nurses out there. Out of all those registered members, there's got to be plenty of us on this BB!!

[kyfla]

Hi, I'm a LPN, who is new to HH. I retired early in 2000, and since then have done prn work with agency(yuck) visited a lot of nursing homes, etc. I have just started working HH @ a hospital close by; I'm only 2 months into, but so far I love it. I live in Florida in the winters & Kentucky in the summer. I don't know if I will try to pick up HH in Ky or not, I'm not sure if they hire LPNs for HH in KY! I feel like I'm learning lots of new things which is exciting....& I don't have to do OASIS I've also just started a Spanish class for Health Care ..But I don't do any pediatrics, there are few in my area and I just never did care for pediatrics.

Kyfla

[Nikkinu]

Be glad you're not in Kentucky right now - the snow is still falling! Thankfully, not much is sticking, but I'll have the gas guzzling jeep out this week, for sure! At our HHA in Eastern Kentucky we use LPN's, and love working with them. There doesn't seem to be as much peds here as we had in Texas - all I did there was peds. I don't know if it's because of the difference in Medicaid funding or some other reason. We had to beg and plead to get weekly visits for a 6 month old with CF and GERD with weight loss.

[lpnprn]

hello every one, i have been an lpn for 7 yrs now and did mainly lthc and subacute hospitals(step down from hospitals is what most call them). last june i started hh as an independant nurse which i love, the setting is more relaxed than a nursing home or hospital, i guess fast paced is not for me. i am currently in the adn program because i plan on relocating to ga at the end of 2007 when im done with the program. wisconsin pays pretty well for independant nurses. 21.47 for lpns and 32.48 for rn/case manager and rts. but that is per hour, we dont have per visist unless you are with an agency and the pay would be lower. from what i found out so far ga pays 55 per visit for lpns and 65 for rns but they dont have a per hour scale unless your with an agency. well if any one has any feed back on ga home care plz reply via pm/email.

[drwatson]

I'm an RN and a Home Health Nurse. After being a hospital based nurse for 15 grueling years, I switched over. I have truly just started learning what nursing is now. I now know my patients! We discuss their multiple diagnoses and explore different options. I hook them up with local resourses! The hours are totally flexible, and the patient's are so appreciative. Pet peeves: the OASIS novel, driving, smoke filled homes. No job is perfect, but HH is close. i work for 2 different HHA's and it's so interesting to see their different management styles.

[kyfla]

drwatson, do you get paid milage? I work for 2 different HH. one is Hospital based the other is agency. the hosp pays milage but the agency doesn't; the agency pays more per visit but not enough.

[kyfla]

Tonight it is cold in Florida and going down to 30 tonight! Nikkinu, do you work HH in Ky?

[drwatson]

With one HHA I get paid a whopping $1 in travel per visit. The other agency, no money for travel unless it's far away. However, I am PRN; i know if you are FT, some places will give you a car.

[kyfla]

:chuckle I wouldn't work full time anywhere for a car!

[kyfla]

:chuckle I wouldn't work full time anywhere for a car!

not even a real pretty car

[drwatson]

Agreed!!

[NrsJena]

Hello all. I've been an LPN for three years. Previously worked in LTC/SNF- been in HH for a little over a year now. I do skilled visits exclusively. Have tried the Agency thing- loved the hospital, hated the BS and politics. I love the freedom and self scheduling of HH.

[flasandy42]

pps took a toll on my agency. thank god the staff saw what was coming and graciously found other jobs before i had to lay them off. my patients and staff are the most important things to me. i really can't describe my feelings for home health. oasis has been a real pain but we hang on just so we can keep clients out of nursing homes and hospitals.

ok....i'm new here and have only been doing hh for five months, what is pps and oasis?

sandy