interested in home health or visiting nurse

Published

Specializes in Critical Care.

hi everyone! any idea as to how to apply as a home health or visiting nurse? what are the qualifications? annual salary? duties and responsibilities?etc.. i need all the info i can get.thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You can get a lot of info in the home health forum. Generally, agencies will require from one to two years experience in an acute care setting, but there are some agencies that will hire new grads with no experience. If you decide to go into home health with no previous nursing experience, you are advised to seek a thorough orientation to the job. If the agency is not willing to give you all the support that you would need, then it is not a good idea to work for them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

I was a home health nurse for quite a while. It is not a good job for an inexperienced nurse. You are on your own after orientation, and even though you can call people for info, you have to do all of your own procedures/dressing changes, etc. Blood draws, foleys, IVs, all types of dressings, leg wraps, etc. Even w/a decent orientation, you need well developed instincts. and a lot of self-confidence.

Salaries are generally a bit lower than the hospitals, but there is on-call pay, and the ability to adjust your schedule to a degree. Make an early AM dr's appt and start your visits a bit later. Get to your kid's school play.

Lots of paperwork or computer time. An admission, if done right, may take at least 2 hours. But I loved every minute of it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

thanks guys! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.
An admission, if done right, may take at least 2 hours.

Good heavens, I'd love an admission that only takes "at least 2 hours." I spend at least 2 hours in the home and then another 2-3 (sometimes longer) finishing up paperwork.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion