LPNs in Home Health...

[LTCNS, LPN]

What is a typical day like for you?

For the second time in the last few days I have been called to interview for a job as a HH LPN, so I decided I may as well just hear the interviewer out to see if it's something I would like to do as a LPN. From '95-'96 I worked in HH as a CNA and absolutely loved it, but I realize things have changed a lot since then. I will be interviewing on my lunch break tomorrow for a position with a very large, corporate owned HH.

Do LPNs take call like RNs do? Not a problem. Just curious.

I know LPNs don't do Oasis, admissions, SOC, ROC, certs and recerts., etc...

After my mom had a TKA and emergency surgery for a perforated ulcer, she had a HH LPN who saw her several times a week and did vital signs, dressing changes, med. and wound care education and noted any changes. Is that type of visit fairly typical?

Do you do a lot of documentation from home?

Do you get paid per visit or hourly? Is your mileage pay fair? Do you have good benefits?

How many miles do you typically drive in a day? What time do you usually get done? Do you have to go to known "bad" areas? Do you feel mostly safe?

Sorry for all the questions

[I<3H2O, BSN, RN]

Where I work, LPNs do not take call at all. Assessment, follow up teaching to the RNs initial teaching, wound care, catheter changes, ostomy teaching are all "typical visits" for the LPN. Documentation is to be completed in the patient's home. Per visit pay. Decent mileage reimbursement. The time you get done depends on the time you start. We see about 6-8 skilled visits per day depending on the driving involved or if there is a more complex wound care.

[LTCNS, LPN]

Where I work LPNs do not take call at all. Assessment, follow up teaching to the RNs initial teaching, wound care, catheter changes, ostomy teaching are all "typical visits" for the LPN. Documentation is to be completed in the patient's home. Per visit pay. Decent mileage reimbursement. The time you get done depends on the time you start. We see about 6-8 skilled visits per day depending on the driving involved or if there is a more complex wound care.[/quote']

Thank you! Doesn't sound bad so far :) Do you work for a corporate owned HH?

[LTCNS, LPN]

I want to add that I currently work in a very disorganized large family medical clinic. Hours are 8am-5pm Mon-Fri., 10 holidays per year, generous PTO/sick pay and good (but expensive) medical insurance. Stress level is very high. Two nurses have had to take extended leave due to heart attack and stroke. Trying to weigh the pros and cons.

[LTCNS, LPN]

Interview went well I think. Hopefully I will get some good news early next week.

[I<3H2O, BSN, RN]

Thank you! Doesn't sound bad so far :) Do you work for a corporate owned HH?

Yes. :)

[LTCNS, LPN]

Well...I haven't heard back from the Nurse Manager. She told me she was very interested in hiring me but had to interview through this past Tuesday. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be, or there are hoops to jump through with corporate before a decision is made. I'm kind of disappointed But thank God I have a job right now.

[kiszi, RN]

I did home health when I was an LPN. I enjoyed the work and found it very low stress (as opposed to the case management side, but that's for another thread).

I was full time, paid hourly. I did 5 to 7 visits a day on average, and spent maybe an hour finishing up charting each day. I got paid from the time I booted up my computer in the morning until I finished up my charting.

I usually started visits at 8:30 and some days I would be home at 2pm, rarely later than 4. Sometimes I was too efficient and came up short on hours. I just couldn't sit and chit-chat in pts homes when I had nothing more to do. Looking back, being paid per visit may have been better.

Benefits were excellent. I worked for a hospital-based HH and benes were the same as for hospital employees.

Good luck! Hopefully you will hear back soon.

[LTCNS, LPN]

I did hear back from the interview today. Turns out a LPN from another branch transferred to the branch I was applying with, so of course he/she got first consideration. The NM is going to keep my info. and call me when they have another position open up. I'm not giving up. I really want to do HH and am going to keep trying.