PAY rate /FOR HOME HEALTH SERVICES with Hospice Agency

Specialties Hospice

Published

Hi all,

I'm a new grad and I had a call not too long ago about a Hospice case that I would be administering morphine by mouth becaus the patient was adminestering it himself and they want a nurse so that he doesn't overdose, when the recruiter called me about the position I asked her will their be any training she told me the hospice company is there I need to be there the same day of the call, then she went on and tell me about how the family can't really afford nursing care their agency were just helping them out, and she couldn't afford to pay me much and she suggest I gave her a price, when I told her ok since this will be my first job, I can accept $20.00 she bluntly said no that's too much so I said $19.00 she once again said she can't afford and as a new grad I need to take whatever since there barely any jobs out there and this would be a very good opportunity to learn, and she can't afford that and said ok bye. what do you guys think about this situation? please advise

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Specializes in hospice.

as a new grad, I started out at 14.75 an hour, but that was in 2000, so I'm sure the amount is much higher now.

What I do not understand is why home health is going to give morphine?? If he is on hospice, and too sick/demented to take it himself, what is he doing there alone?? Whomever he is living with should be giving it to him.

If he is in assist. living, the pharmacy can draw up individual dosages in syringes that they can give. Where is the hospice company in all of this?? of course, hospice is not a caregiving organization, and we are not meant to go out every time he needs it, but we are to teach the caregivers how to administer the medication safely.

liq. Morphine, or sometimes called Roxanol, is a quick in, quick out medication. It doesn't last that long so are you going to be staying with this pt or are they expecting you to go out there every few hours to give it?

something just doesn't seem right.... be careful..... it is easy to give, but make sure you get the whole story and exactly what they expect you to do before taking this on.

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg.

I'd keep looking.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I agree that there are many unanswered questions here...what state are you in?

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I am currently in FLorida, and she said that they only have medical assistant there who is of course not licensed, and I have to be there 12 hr days as many days to adminitered morphine for the patients.

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and the patient is at his home not in an assisted living

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My friend is new grad home health nurse and she had to give morphine by mouth to her hospice pt. I guess they figure its less risky than injections?

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