Calling all HH Nurses, roll call

Specialties Home Health

Published

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!! :D

Hello,

I am in need of some advice about home health nursing. I am about to graduate in a few days, should be taking the Nclex sometime in May or June, and I have been thinking a lot about what I like and where I would serve my community better. I am about to be offered an opportunity at a PCU floor in a 230-bed hospital, and I believe I should take it, so I can gain the experience I need to transition from a student nurse to a competent nurse... I know I have a lot of "mileage" to cover, and the learning trully starts now... but I'm already trying to figure out where I belong in the field of nursing. I know I love the interaction with my patients, I have a good way with people, I am very patient and very dedicated person, can function as a good patient advocate, and I am good at speaking to people's heart, not only to their minds... I am not crazy for hospital nursing because it does not give me enough time to really make a difference, I feel that I could touch people more deeply on their environment. I love teaching also. So, in talking to a friend of mine, she suggested that I would be a good fit in the home health care. I would very much appreciate if you could share your thoughts and provide some guidance to me. How experienced a nurse need to be to work in HH? I intend to stay in the PCU for about 1 year and take it from there. I thank you for any suggestions you all can give me...

Lia

"Searching for my place in the world..."

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!! :D

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Hi to all you HH nurses.

It's so great to hear positive things about HH nursing. I'm starting on Thursday as a HH RN in So Cal. Have been a nurse for over a year & a half & have been miserable. Started out on nights at one hospital a town away. Then, switched to days at a local hospital. It was so crazy during days especially on a post surgical floor. I'm so tired of the fast turnover of patients. So I switched to nights & have been ok with it but not happy about scheduling. It's just not ok with me to give students preferential days off for school when I can't even get time off to go to church once a week! Then there's the fact that they don't tell us to get our time off requests in by a certain date before the new schedule is made. Instead we get to work to find a sign that states time off requests aren't being accepted until after a certain date which is 4 weeks away.

So here I am getting ready to start HH nursing. The agency has a good reputation. I hear the paperwork is the worst part of it but it's better than going crazy out of my head trying to get 3 post op patients settled in at the same time. Then I can make my own schedule. I have to work every 4th weekend but I already stated in my interview that I wanted time off on Sunday to at least attend church with my family.

Three days a week is considered part time. No medical/dental but I accrue vacation & sick days. (I'm already on my husbands med/dental plan). They provide a cell phone & computer. Mileage is $5.80 per visit.

Looking forward to my new job. Thanks again for all the great posts. :nurse:

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I've been in HH for over 30 years now and wouldn't trade it for anything. I started my career as an ER nurse also (which I loved) but ER nursing is for the young and skinny and eventually I decided it was taking too much of a toll on me as I got older.

I work in MA in a multioffice private homecare company. Salaries range from $35-$60 per visit and the average visit is 40 mins long! The work is highly rewarding and you cannot beat the flexibility of this job. Our nurses all self schedule and therefore they never miss a kid's game, grocery shopping during the day or dropping a load of laundry in while they run out to a visit. Nurses who aren't mom's also benefit as they schedule their visits into 3-4 days and have full paying jobs but only work 3-4 days a week.

So anyone out there wanting the best of the nursing world should be directed only to the home health field.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

I'm a home health nurse as of yesterday. Just got hired. I'm an LPN with 11 years experience in med/surg and geriatrics. Looking forward to the personalized experience of home health.

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Hi all,

After the required 1 year of medsurg in the hospital post nursing school,(hated it!) I have decided to try home health. I am starting part time, so no mileage, no benefits, and no computer. I'll try it out and see. I went out with a nurse today, and I had to drive my shiny new car through horendous neighborhoods and park there! Got it scratched too! I am a bit spoiled and sheltered, and this is a little scary! I do want to make a difference and be a good nurse bla bla... Sigh! Pay is per visit. I got hopelessly lost on my way home, and decided to splurge $500 on a GPS navigation system. I cannot afford to be lost on winding highways, when I have to pick up kids from school!

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Specializes in MICU, Endo, HH.
I'm a home health nurse as of yesterday. Just got hired. I'm an LPN with 11 years experience in med/surg and geriatrics. Looking forward to the personalized experience of home health.

You are going to LOVE HH!! Welcome!:welcome:

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Specializes in Tele, Resp, CCU.

Good Day.

I have been reading the threads on HH nursing for over a couple of hours now. This evening I 'e'-submitted an app for a VNA position at the local office here in western MA. I am so glad I came to this site to check it out. I have 11 years in hospital nursing (I'm 48). I have been a traveler for a few years and now want to stay 'home' to work. I wanted to get back into the CCU where I was pre-traveler, but those jobs are far and few between and they don't want to pay to train me up to speed. The thought of doing med surg again give me ulcers just thinking about it!

I have toyed with HH nursing but wasn't sure I would like it. After reading 'Typical day for aHH nurse....' I think it will be a good thing. I love the idea of the autonomy, not having 7-8 pts to literally 'run' to and from in an 8-12 hr shift and that the pay is comparable. AND not having to deal with hospital politics--priceless!

And the paperwork can't be any worse than some places I have been!---esp if it is computerized.

I will go to the office tomorrow to see if they got my app --with a resume in hand!

Thank you all for the posts --even the 'rant and rave' ones usually have ended with 'I wouldn't trade it for anything'---that say it all!

I found some questions to ask duing an interview but any other info, hints, tips would be greatly apppreciated. Thanks again,....justwannacraft,CathyM (My first REAL love)

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Specializes in Home Health.

Hi all,

I'm a new grad RN and will be starting a job as a home health visit nurse next Monday. I know many of you don't recommend starting right out of school, but I'm hoping you'll accept me here anyway? The company I'm starting with has an extensive orientation and preceptorship and they seem very supportive. They said they will not send me out on my own until I feel comfortable, and help is only a phone call away. I have done well in school and catch on quickly so I feel confident I can handle it. Anyway, I'm really excited about it and wanted to introduce myself.

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I am wanting to start my own HH agency but am a bit lost as to how and what to bill for services, where to begin the insurance nightmare and how to compensate employees. I've never really been concerned with the compensation of care aspect before so now I am a little lost. Any ideas where to start?

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I was working in a NH that was connected to a hospital. Worked the midnight shift and had between 35-40 pt a night. The hospital was sending pt's over because they did not have the room, basic recovery stuff. Because of politics in the NH if there was a problem, I had to call a supervisor in the hospital and seek their advice, then if they let me call the Dr, on call.

One night a pt presented with a potential MI, had to call the sup, then the Dr. log it into the comp, put new meds into the pt having the MI's MAR. and with the pixis had to wait for another nurse to come and over ride the new meds (ASA & NITRO) so I could give the pt them. Good thing time is not important in this situation. Anyway to protect my license I put in my two week notice and was offered a job in HH.

I have to drive 53 miles, but it is 17 more than I was driving for one pt. Have to stay at his home for my 8 hrs. Got a 66% raise also. So here I am going for my RN, running sips of water when he needs it, or cath him, and having 3-4 hrs per shift to study. HHHMMMM What does the hospitals/NH do with all the money they get from these pt's. If the insurance co. can pay this kind of money for one pt, makes me wonder.

Oh, and when I placed my resignation they offered me $5 per/hr to stay.

So for now while being in school anyway, HH is perfect for me. Yes I miss the co-workers/nurses, but less pt's and more money, less chance of law suites, etc. is best for me at this time. In the future after some experience I may try the med-surge floor.

Also, when working in the NH there was so much stress. The only stress I have at this time in HH is deciding which day to take off. What a big difference.

Dabuggy

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Hello HH!!! BgoGal signing in. :nurse:

Been a HH nurse for 11 yrs and tried inpt hospice for 17 months when we relocated. Next month will be returning to my 1st love - HOME HEALTH!!! Wooohoooo !!! :w00t:

I'm so stoked coz now they've got this program as long as I get my 30 visits done in 4 days ( 4- 10 hr days) I can be off for 3 so basically get paid for 5 days but work for 4. I'd rather see 7-8 pts per day as long as I'm off for a long weekend. Plus anything over 30 visits would be paid per visit rates. Could come in handy for the holidays.

:monkeydance:

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Specializes in LTC, HH, clinic.

anybody here work for a company called Amedisys? Our company was recently bought by them. Want to know what health ins etc they offer...

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