Is HH exhausting?

[iwanna]

I am returning to nursing after 4 yr. hiatus. I am currently on disability. I really should not be doing any physically demanding nursing. I have about 5 yrs. experience in Behavioral Health. I did not become nurse until age of 40. BTW I am an LPN. My first job was in drug rehab. Then my last job was for four years in psychiatric hospital. So, my skills are very limited. It has been 12 years since I graduated from school. I was thinking of taking a refresher course to get skills to feel confident about working in HH. I like the idea of HH because it is only one pt. at a time. However, currently, I am initimidated by being independent. I believe with refresher course and able to complete clinical tasks, I may be candidate for HH. I did work on geri psych unit for about one year. However, we were a psych hospital and for medical complications, patients needed to be sent to local hospital. My skills on that job were basically good assesment skills to notify RN and of abnormalities. As far as medical nursing skills, limited to administering medications including injections, daily vitals, bgm, performing ekgs, straight catherization on few patients, dressing changes, care of decubitus ulcers, occasional g-tube feeding, assisted with colostomy care, and have knowledge of trach care.(I have had two of my own) My knowledge of IV's is very limited.(just from nursing school). I vaguely remember skills for insertion of foley.(again only did this in nursing school) I think with refresher course I should be able to handle HH.

I have vocational rehab counselor from my disability insurance. They are willing to pay for refresher course. However, she thought that HH may be physcially strenuous for me, as lifting patients. But, I told her that I don't think that I would have to do heavy lifting. In fact, my dr. has suggested that I do agnecy nursing to work when I wanted to. But, I decided that I am not ready for that, yet. Although, I have applied for flu shot clinic through Maxim.

Okay, now does HH sound like it may be a good option for me, once I have completed reresher course? My vocational counselor told me to check it out.

[annaedRN, RN]

It may be a good fit for you...but it can be challenging. Often wound care may need to be done with you sitting on the floor. Patients do occasionally need lifted/repositioned and they do not usually have an adjustable hospital bed. THey can have hazardous stairs to enter the home. You do alot of driving (which can be a problem for some).

If you have your basic skills down and are comfortable being by yourself and knowing what to do/report without having another person's input/eyes, then it may be okay for you. But, yes, definitely be up to date with your skills because you are performing them in a variety of places on a variety of people without help. For example, I've cathed a lady in her recliner and done wound care outside at a picnic table. It seems like you need a 3rd hand at times...especially when trying to wrap a leg of a 300 lb person that is dead weight!

Another possibility would be private duty nursing rather than HH- where you stay with a patient for an entire shift rather than doing visits. Find a case where there is not alot of lifting and you'd be set! Good luck to you!

[newLPN04]

I've done very little lifting working HH. In fact I think the only lifting has been when a pt has been in the floor, and my director was with me, a lady had pushed her emergency alert button and we went to see about her. Another time the PTA went into a home and found a pt in the floor, she called the office for help and I went to assist her, we had to call the son-in-law since the 2 of us couldn't safely get her up alone. I have had to

reposition pt's in their beds or chairs, but usually there is a family member

present or a sitter, and most are glad to assist.

As far as skills go, I have gone to a pt's home when I knew another nurse was going there to do a specific skill and watched and assisted so I would

know what to do if I came across that skill, and since we take call,it's likely to happen. A good director will go with you to a pt's home if you let them know you are not really sure about doing a skill. My director is a wonderful teacher. I worked LTC before going to HH. LTC nearly got the best of me physically. I could hardly climb the steps to my house when I got home, and was getting to be a problem even on my days off. Less than a month

after going to HH, my husband commented that he could see a big difference in my ability to climb the steps, and an improvement in my whole

outlook on life in general. You can always give it a try and if it's not for you, then look into something else..you never know til you try. Whatever

you choose to do, I wish you the best of luck. Life is too short to be unhappy and too long to be miserable in what you do.