New Grad HH job offer! Take/dont take?

[mama-mama1]

Hi all!

I graduated a public nursing school, here in LA about 3 months ago. So thankfully I dont have the debt from privates. I passed NCLEX and got my license a few weeks ago. Like all new grads I hit the ground running with resumes and applications and quickly realized how hard the job market is. After networking any possible contacts, calling and calling HR reps in the area, Ive gotten nowhere. I finally got two interviews and job offers from different sources. One would be one on one care, with an alzheimers pt overnight. watching for sundowners, giving one or two meds and assessments. Pay would be reasonable, and it is technically paid as LVN though I think Id be more of a sitter, home health aide capacity. The other offer I got was in a home health agency and they want to orient me then get me out with patients. Much more LVN work and experience here, benefits, etc.

Heres my thing. I dont want to turn down a job. I just dont know when another would come along. Ive heard TOO MANY horror stories. I want to go to the agency, but I want to protect myself. I was wondering if I could get an idea of where I should go. I feel really really confident I can handle hh especially if I get a good supervisor and take it one pt at a time. Sometime this week Ill be buying my own liability just in case. Can anyone on here give me some guidance?

Thanx

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Keep in mind that if you do home health, you will be entering clean homes, filthy homes, and everything in between. Some people will not be home for their scheduled time or they may not open the door for various reasons. Some clients will be blowing cigarette smoke in your face as you dress their nonhealing wounds. Although you might have the best training in the world, you will not have backup at all times to make clinical decisions or perform skills. If you cannot draw the client's blood after three sticks and misses, who will do it? You're on your own. In addition, mileage reimbursement does not even cover the expensive cost of gas in the LA area, and you'll be burning through lots of gas as you drive around to your visits.

Although I might be the lone voice of dissent here, I would love the private duty job with the one single Alzheimer's patient.

[caliotter3]

There are posts in the home health forum about orientation. The overnight position sounds like a good start. The agency job can be handled as long as you approach it with the thought that you will have to make a good effort to get the orientation that you need. Ask to start out with an easier case and work from there. Do some reading in the home health forum to get some ideas on how you should approach learning about your responsibilities. The family is usually a good source and for the most part, you can rely upon the family to help you learn the ropes. I would go for this. You would not be the first nurse who started out in home health because there was no other available work.