New Grad and HH

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Hey everyone,

I am a new grad who took a position as a field nurse with an HH agency. I have applied to every hospital in dallas and have heard nothing positive. I am so frustrated with the whole job search and to add salt to injury, my mom lost her job. I was so desperate to find something so not to lose our house.

I took a position as a field nurse in an HH agency and from what we (The DON and I) talked about it seems different from anything else i know. I am still trying to wrap the number of visits per week around my mind. i called a friend to help me with paperwork so i'll see how that goes.

I am excited to start working as a nurse but i don't know just yet if this is where i want to be. Any suggestion for me would be appreciated. what should i look out for? who do i call if something happens to a patient on the field? i am sooo confused!

I start orientation monday btw!

Thank you all

God bless

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Specializes in Home Health.

How many visits per week?

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she said she would start me off with one/day and increase the number.

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Pay the 108$ for some for yourself just in case

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I've never heard of HHA accepting a new grad for HH. In CA, 1 year acute/clinical experience is always required and that really makes it hard to get a job, new grad or old grad.

Read as much as you can about your case, esp. medications and drug interactions, make sure all care plans are performed. Ask your DON/supervisor for training if she has time at all.

Ask a colleague to assist you on paperwork that SHOULD coincide with patient's condition. Good luck!

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Thank you all for the great ideas!

How do i get ?

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I go through Nursing Service Organization or http://www.NSO.com. Part of the service also covers your legal expenses in the event of being sued by a patient..becasue if you got fired from your job for some reason, your employer's insurance would no longer covers you.

That peace of mind is so worth it to me!

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I was a new grad hired to do pediatric home health, was doing trachs and vents within 1 month of hire. It was scary for me at first. With all my training...those were two areas that I had very little prior training or experience in...but I made it and I have learned alot along the way and sought additional education where needed. Actually AN.com was very helpful to me for resources and just other people to talk to and view their experiences that first year.

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To Sehille4774

What State are you at? Not in CA at least or in the big cities. I would imagine that in the suburbs. That is good to know.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

Pediatric home health and Medicare/skilled intermittent visits are two entirely different things. Pedi home health I would think would be somewhat easier for a new grad, given that it's one stable patient, even with vents, g-tubes, etc. In the hospital or SNF, we're expected to handle multiple patients with those issues.

Medicare/skilled is a whole 'nother ball of wax and there's just about no way I would throw a new grad without a solid skill set into that mix. No way, no how. Too risky for both the patient and the new grad.

I also use NSO for my liability. I tried another carrier briefly but had no customer service, couldn't even get a declaration page for my policy, so gave them the boot. I'll stick with NSO, I can always get a person when I need one.

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No this was in PA. I left that agency tho once I got my year because it was too many new-grads, among other issues, and because I wanted to work somewhere that had some veterans with acute care background.

I felt bad about it but their were things going on that made me worry about my license and a culture of doing whatever necessary get a case even if they did not have the staff to handle it...didn't want to address anything and I was constantly being put on all different shifts. ECT. I'm with Bayada now..and while not perfect, has been much much better..they get our backs and the staff has been very nice and professional.

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To KateRN1

Accepting new grads is not the problem. The problem lies on people who hire them and not provided adequate training for a period of time.

How else would new/old grads get their break if they are seen as "Know-nothing-nurses"?; how would they learn if they are not given a chance?

I had a break in a SNF and I'm an RN being trained by an LVN (new grad with barerly 1 yr experience) showing me how to pass medcs. from another patients medc. packet bec. the other patient that I'm about to give the medc. is out. Including insulin.

I got so disgusted that I had to raise the issue with the DON. They got scared that I could blow the whistle---I was not given a new schedule after 30 days. What's wrong with the picture? They said, " if it's not documented, it was given".

Well, b.s. because clearly there's fraud being committed. That when a nurse takes away medication to give to another patient doesn't justify that you did your job. That constitute stealing---and what about the vicious cycle? The never ending stealing from one's packet to give to the other. Who pays for that? and who keeps tab?

I will not work in SNF ever again!

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