Is Home Health a possibility for me?

[mharrah]

I'm looking for a new job because I have an 8 week old son and want to spend more time with him during the day. With my current job, I spend all day at the office away from him. So here are some questions I have:

Is home health flexible? Would I be able to do some of my work during the day but save some such as documentation for evening?

Would a home health agency consider me for employment since I have only done a llittle clinical work over the last two years? With my current job, it is mostly educating over the phone. But before that, I worked in a hospital and a doctor's office.

Do home health agencies have different shifts? I would assume all home visits would have to be during the day?

Your input would be very much appreciated!

[HmarieD]

Home health can be flexible although to a large degree that depends on the particular agency you're working for. Paperwork is supposed to be completed while in the pts home but it is not unusual for nurses to take paperwork home. However, this usually happens when you've worked your 8 hr day and still aren't done with the paperwork; a lot of field nurses get burned out from doing additional work at home with no additional pay.

Some HH agencies provide private duty nursing and a variety of shifts. Intermittent home health typically works day shift with on call at night.

Good luck to you & congratulations on the little one ":)"

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

Where I work, its very flexible. We can visit at any time we want (providing that the patient is agreeable) just as long as the visit is done. Ive made visits at 8 pm. I do the assessment part of the paperwork in the patients home, but then do the actual nurses note once I get home. For an admission, I do the amount that I have to, then finish the plan of care (485) once I get home. I work with a nurse who has a new baby and goes home every 2 hours to breast feed. Sometimes more often if baby starts crying and the husband freaks out. lol. But it does depend on the agency. Im paid per visit. Some agencies expect visits to be done between 8-5 or whatever.