home health visit time frames

[roseone]

I realize each home health agency has different baseline time frames for home visits as a visit requiring dsg change, personal care etc. may take longer then just obtaining an INR. I am wondering what are your experience with time frames? Does your agency have strict guidelines or is it more lenient.

[RN4life08]

I feel like my visits are too short. Once I assess my patient and do vital signs, I'm not sure what else there is to do. I do education but I feel like I'm repeating myself and I feel like the patient feels the same way. Unless I have a wound change or need to check an inr, I'm done with everything in about 15 minutes. What am I missing???

[turningred15]

What about medication reconciliation and teaching? Depending on the patient, this can take 30 minutes or so. Then if a change needs to be reported to MD of course you have time spent doing that.

[turningred15]

And sorry - to answer the original question - we have no guidelines. However long the visit takes, it takes.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

No guidelines. A visit takes as long as it takes. It could take as short as 15 minutes if all I'm doing is given a shot or as long as an hour and a half if there's a lot of teaching or if something is wrong with the patient.

[jmn126]

Medicare requires taht a visit is a minimum of 30 min...if u are making 15 min visists u need to relook at that patient and question urself why u r seeing them! Perhaps discharge is in order. 15 min visits in r agency would not be tolerated.

[NursexOx]

State requires we stay a minimum of 15 minutes for med admins...but it usually takes me longer depending if I have to contact MD, refill prescriptions, etc.