Interested in Home Health, but...

[ittybittybabynurse]

I am thinking of leaving the hospital and going into home health, whether it be home visits or shift work. My only hesitation is that I need benefits and I would be required to work FT, which is 36 hr./week in HH.

That will be an adjustment for me because I'm currently working w/e option, so I work 24 hrs/week but get paid for 36, plus benefits. I do have a child in school, so it's been good, but I am so sick of working EVERY weekend. i would like a more "normal" schedule, but I am nervous about changing.

How does the 36 hr work week work out for you, if you do home visits or shift work? Ideally, I'd like to get off of work by the time he gets home from school. Is this do-able with having to work FT status in HH??

[caliotter3]

It is doable to get off work in time to be home for your child. But that depends on the workload available from the agency. More easily done with visits. I have known nurses who arranged day shifts to end earlier than 3 pm for this purpose and other reasons. You just tell your staffing coordinator what your hours have to be. This tends to be more doable with an agencv that has more work than nurses. Often, they will assign a nurse to a case for "short" shifts, (say, from 0700 until 1330) telling the patient that this is the best that can be done at the time. It never hurts to inquire. See how flexible each of the different agencies seem to be before you go in for a hiring interview. Definitely do your research before you take the plunge. Frankly, reading your posts, I would hesitate to leave such an arrangement. It just sounds so much better than most everything else.

[ittybittybabynurse]

Thanks for your input. I do hesitate to leave my current situtation because there are so many pluses. I really think 2 - 12 hr shifts (Sat, Sun 7p-7a) would be much better than 3 - 8's (Fri, Sat, Sun 11p-7a), which I do now. It basically sucks to miss everything on Saturdays because I have to sleep because I have to back in that night. I did mention to my manager that I'd like to change from my current schedule (which I have been working for a year) but all positions are frozen - they have been NO postings in over 6 months. Depressing.

So I am looking at another hospital who has the 2 - 12 w/e option. At least with that, I would have part of a weekend.

I do appreciate your reply. I will I will think long and hard before I do anything because I don't want to kick myself later.

[GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN]

I work WE baylor 10 hr shifts sat/sun 8a-6p (usually done by 4:30 or so) Home Hospice, full benies, PTO, 5 WE's off per yr, works for me, good luck