How To Sell Myself...

[DallasRN]

without much experience? How can I convince someone to hire me and especially when I doubt I'll get much of a reference from the other place I've been working.

If you're interested, my previous thread will give you lots of info:

https://allnurses.com/home-health-nursing/i-must-be-1154122.html

So here I sit with 3.5 months of experience. Truthfully, I still need some training, but not a huge amount. I'm great with the SNV's and documenting that info. I've never done an admission Oasis, but I've done a couple of Recerts, a single ROC, a single Discharge and did them quite well, if I do say so myself. (Don't tell anyone but it took me HOURS to do them :) but I'm learning!).

My strong points:

1. Extremely good with the SNV's including the documentation.

2. Familiar with Kinnser.

3. Excellent assessment skills (many years in ICU/ER help that) but a bit weak on wound care as it's done in the Home Health arena.

4. HUGE amount of enthusiasm for the job. I absolutely love being out and about, having the time to really "listen" to and teach my patients rather than the hit-and-miss stuff one is forced to do in the hospital.

5. Perfectly happy doing visits and leaving the other stuff (admissions, etc) to the more skilled nurses.

6. Available to work weekends/holidays but I only want to work PRN or part time - 3 days a week. I don't care what days.

7. I've reviewed many hours of youtube videos on HHN.

8. I've developed excellent relationships with the facility staff, DON's, and doctors I've been involved with these past few months.

9. I now know the amount of work involved - documenting, placing/receiving calls, etc. (didn't know all that going into this).

10. Fantastic venipuncture skills (my claim to fame after years in ER ) .

My weak points:

1. I've never done an admission Oasis and would require assistance with that..

2. Slow (but thorough) on the other things - recerts, discharge, etc.

3. Still need some training but mainly a resource person to answer questions as they come up.

4. A bit weak on wound care as noted above.

5. No experience with LVAD's, Mediports

One thing I've done is print off copies of all recerts, ROC, discharge reports I've done. I've blacked out the names and all identifying info with the intent of having those things to demonstrate my work. Good or bad idea?

Anyway, this is my predicament. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.

[OldDude]

Apply for the position, present your top ten list, and ask when you can start. Don't worry about what if...as they say in basketball, you miss 100% of the shots you don't try. Good luck!

[DallasRN]

I love that advice. Positive, looking forward, and yeah...100% missed if not attempted.

Thanks!

My only qualm is having people believe I'm good at things I may not be good at (that infernal admission OASIS).

[OldDude]

I love that advice. Positive, looking forward, and yeah...100% missed if not attempted.

Thanks!

My only qualm is having people believe I'm good at things I may not be good at (that infernal admission OASIS).

If you've never rebuilt the carburetor on a 2 cycle leaf blower you might be good at it but you'll never be if you don't try doing it. Just say you haven't done an admission YET and you're ready to learn how. They'll appreciate the honest and enthusiasm. Now go rebuild that carb!!

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

Looks like you've assessed your skill set thoroughly! I see lots of great selling points on your positives list - customer service/ networking is very important in HH.

I would encourage you to maybe put a different spin on positive #5... maybe add a willingness to learn admissions. While a visit nurse is helpful, unless it's an agency that has exclusive admission nurses typically everyone "gets to do admissions". At first they are awful but get easier once you are more familiar and get a routine down. Telling an agency you are interviewing for that you would prefer not to do admissions if that's part of the job might not work in your favor. Teamwork, sharing the workload is something employers look for. Besides, admitting your own patients can be nice because then you know what's going on with them.

Your ER experience can be invaluable in HH - critical thinking skills, prioritization, assessment skills, thinking on your feet all are great selling points.

Good luck!

[amzyRN]

Sounds like you've got quite a skill set. Don't state any weak points in your cover letter, resume or interview. When you get your interview turn your weak points into opportunities for growth. Any skill you lack, turn it into enthusiasm for growth or demonstrate how you can learn quickly and efficiently. I've found in my job searches that so much of it was about supply and demand and who you know. Also, sometimes bypassing HR by calling the manager has helped me with interviews.

[DallasRN]

Thank you all for so many helpful comments and the constructive criticism. You're all right about focusing on strengths and not weaknesses. With just my few months in home health, I'm sure they'll be able to figure out I have a "few" weaknesses without any help from me

So the rest of my saga...after a not-so-nice e-mail about me doing any OASIS, I decided I was done. We all need to be treated with respect and dignity. I went into the office and gave the administrator (DON/Owners son) a verbal two week notice. A couple of days later, I was messaged and told to come into office that afternoon. Why? I'm seeing patients in the afternoon. Told to come the next morning. Why? I'm off that day. Finally I called, asked why I needed to come in, was given no answer other than "when I tell someone to come in I expect them to come in". My only response was I saw no reason as I had resigned and with that was told if I didn't come in, that day would be my last day of seeing patients. I only said ok, that's fine. Do you want me to see the patients I'm scheduled to see this afternoon? He said no, I thought (but didn't say) fine, cut off your foot to spite your nose. So there is the ending to my foray into HHN.

I wasn't about to go in. I knew if I went in one of two things would happen. 1) They would try to talk me into staying, DON would make promises I don't think she's capable of keeping or 2) I would be yelled at and ripped to shreds by the DON - that's her MO. Neither option was acceptable to me. So there you have it.

I'm taking a couple of weeks off from anything nursing related and focusing on getting my apartment in order, tossing out or donating tons of accumulated stuff, clean, clean, cleaning things...and it feels great. Purging. That horrible job and old stuff.

[caliotter3]

Well, I can bet you feel a sense of relief. Only advice I have to add is do not present examples of work, even redacted. That is evidence you copied the documents and you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot. Good luck moving forward.