Just started as a home health nurse and want to make sure I'm making what I should be making...

Specialties Home Health

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I've started at a home health company... I'm a RN. This is in Michigan. Multiple ways that we can be paid... by the visit, by hourly plus mileage, or salary plus mileage. Salary is really only for those that can maintain a 26-30 visit caseload each week and I'm not able to get it yet. By the visit, I think the company offers either $45 or $50 for a visit of minimum 30 minutes, for a start of care its either $95-$100, but no mileage. I set myself up for hourly and I'm at $27.50 an hour plus 40 cents a mile after my first 20 miles and before my final twenty miles... but here's the kicker that's thrown me off a bit.... I can only claim my hourly rate while making a visit... I originally thought I was supposed to be paid from the beginning of my day's first visit until the end plus mileage, but thats not the case. So if I only have 3-4 visits in one day, and each goes 30 minutes, I'll make $55, plus whatever the mileage is. Is this normal in home care? I've seen multiple other time cards for other nurses while they were showing me how to calculate my time, and yes, many of them are only getting a few hours a day and are maybe driving 120-150 miles. I calculated my time card by both by the visit or start of care, plus adding it up as hourly plus mileage, and this past week, I would definitely make more as a by the visit nurse....

So is this how home health companies normally work? Is the rate of pay for both methods above a good amount? Is it like the vast majority of other companies or am I getting duped?

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I know there are several ways HH will compensate and they seem to vary quite a bit. I'm not in your state but I get PPV (pay per visit) + mileage. Period. No car. No MVP status. No free pen. ? PPV varies in my area from $35-$75. My visits per day vary widely depending on if I have a missed visit one day etc. I average 6 visits a day. Again, average isn't very telling. Some days I end up with only 3 and other days I end up with more. I average 500 miles a week. Last week was 700, however. My first client out of the gate every day is usually 1.5hrs from me. I'm totally okay with that, too. I'm sure others will chime and provide information as well.

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Specializes in Dialysis.

That’s how it’s been when I’ve done HH in IN hourly w/mileage

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We are hourly and get paid for all the hours we work.

Ive never heard of salary for HH before.

Generally, in my area, HH nurses make 20-25% less than hospital workers, so if you compre your income to the average hospital nurse in your area, if it is in that ballpark sounds like you would be on track.

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8 hours ago, HHNurse<3 said:

We are hourly and get paid for all the hours we work.

Ive never heard of salary for HH before.

Generally, in my area, HH nurses make 20-25% less than hospital workers, so if you compre your income to the average hospital nurse in your area, if it is in that ballpark sounds like you would be on track.

so you're paid from the beginning of your day until the end? It just makes me wonder if it's dubious for them to pay only during the time you're doing stuff in the patient's home, but not while driving around.

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My agency had salaried workers who were paid the hourly wage whether travelling or not, plus mileage. Per diems got a pervisit rate that remained the same no matter if the visit was 10 minutes or two hours. Travel times were short because patients were clustered.

I would look for another agency. Or, if you can, do only SOCs. Once you get a rhythm down, you can knock out one in no time, especially with less complex patients.

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On 3/13/2019 at 5:25 PM, SentinelTruth said:

so you're paid from the beginning of your day until the end? It just makes me wonder if it's dubious for them to pay only during the time you're doing stuff in the patient's home, but not while driving around.

Yes I am

I am paid for hours worked but i need to meet productivity expectations

I know a lot of places do pay per visit but you can calculate an hourly based off average visits per day and time worked a day, then compare it to other jobs in your area

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