Is Home Health Nursing still Growing

[pat8585]

I read over and over that new grads are having a hard time finding work.

Is Home Health still a growing field?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Judging from the postings here, new grads are still having a difficult time finding positions.

Home health would be difficult for a new grad, I would think. It would be hard to function so autonomously without experience to draw upon.

[Super_RN, BSN, RN]

Judging from the postings here, new grads are still having a difficult time finding positions.

Home health would be difficult for a new grad, I would think. It would be hard to function so autonomously without experience to draw upon.

I agree. I did home health after being a RN for 4 1/2 years. I believe you need the experience to identify problems and have solutions before you go out on your own--where there is no one but yourself for help! The majority of the time you are the only interaction a patient may have re: their health and you need to know what you're talking about, why you are doing what you're doing, and be ready to teach, teach, teach! IMO, you can't teach unless you know what you're teaching about and why.

[caliotter3]

Judging from the new nurses I have met, the number of agencies that hire nurses without experience has decreased. I was hired with two agencies in June of last year. Neither has provided me with work. Another agency has not provided me with work since March of last year. That is in contrast with being with an agency that had so much available work that the staffing coordinator had a difficult time prioritizing which case to send me on. Had never experienced famine days in home health until recently.

[laughing weasel]

It should definitely be heavier regulated than it is. I was a brand spanking new lvn sent out to take care of ventilator cases at night. I was stupid brave and very lucky that nothing horrible happened. Common sense says get at least a year or two under your belt before jumping out on your own and call your on call support to make sure they are good before you jump into something you are not prepared for. I have not had to look for work but my sister was able to find day shifts with less than two weeks job search which is not that bad.

[nursel56]

New nurse in my agency told me the home health jobs market has really dried up. She was hired because she was personally recommended to the administrator by a mutual friend.

[KateRN1]

IMHO, home health is not an area for a new grad and some states, like FLorida, don't allow it. The jobs are out there, but often they are with some shady companies, and often are only PRN.

[paradiseboundRN]

The jobs are out there in home care but not for new grads. And, all of the private home care agencies are struggling while the agencies owned by hospitals are booming. I was told that the hospitals used to give at least 10% of their referrals to home care agencies that were not related to the hospital. This showed good faith that there was no collusion and that the patient had a choice which agency to pick. Now, the hospital keeps 100% of their referrals and it is frowned upon by the hospital corporation if a physician tries to refer to another agency other than the one the hospital owns. So, if you want to work, you need to hook up with a hospital agency.

[HmarieD]

I think when you hear that ¨home health¨ is a growing field what they are really talking about is ¨home care¨, or nonskilled assistance, such as housekeeping, meal prep, and personal care. I agree HH is not the place for a new grad.