Home Health Question

[guyRNstudent]

i'm about to finish nursing school and i really love home health. i've found some agencies who hire new RN grads, and i've heard different things from RNs about this. some say to get 6 months or so of experience first then apply with HH, others say to go for it right out of school it that's what i really want to do. any thoughts on this? also, what are some of the pors/cons of home health? thanks!!

Anson

[CardioTrans, BSN, RN]

I have been in home care about 13 yrs or so. I would not advise anyone to go into home care as a new grad. I say this because you are in the pts home. No one to come down the hall and help if you need it, no one to take a second look. You have to have great assessment skills, be able to critically think through any situation. Yes, your supv would only be a phone call away to help, but sometimes their isnt time for that phone call. Their are tons of things that you must know in home care, yes alot of them you learn as you go, some you pick up with experience, like particular wound care, different IV lines etc. You have to be very organized, and even with the best organizational skills and plans for the day, you have to be able to adapt to changes in a big hurry. Does your school have a clinical in home care? That would be a small insight into what it involves. I know at the agency I work at now, we have nursing students that come and ride with one of the nurses 2 days a wk. When they come back to the office in the afternoon, everyone of them this semester has made a comment about how different it really is than they thought.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do