How many years of experience for home health?

[Good Morning, Gil]

Hey guys,

I posted on here a while ago, and thanks for everyone's responses. They were very helpful! I really like my current job in ICU, so not looking to leave any time soon, and if I do leave in the future, it would be within the same system (home health is often tied to hospital systems). By the time I would consider home health, I would probably have about 5 years of nursing experience (I currently have almost 1.5 years of experience).

I'm not really all that stressed in my job, suits me well, and I do enjoy it, and who I work with, as well (you're probably wondering, then, why would you leave? lol. Just for better hours for family life, not having to work 12's; my hospital is all 12's only, and while I don't have kids yet, I really would rather not leave them for 12 hours and pretty much not see them at all that day, though I guess there are pros to that; I could just work 2 days a week and have 5 days with them. Guess I should just play it by ear :)). I do know that home health nurses typically work 8's (not 12's), and nights are not as typical. What scares me is being on your own...I mean, even with experience, there have to be times where you don't know something and wish you had a second opinion, right? What draws me to home health is the educational aspect, and being able to spend time with the patient (limited still, I know) without as many interruptions (though the interruptions are more unique, I'm sure, bed bugs and the like at times lol).

[nursedaddy123]

In Ohio, if you're not working at a small facility, you need at least a year they told me. I work at small agency and they just want a license and some hands on experience. Home Health has its own issues, but for now I like it better than the hospitals I've been at. I actually didn't like hospitals during nursing school, but since I already spent money I finished up the degree.