I am a new grad RN and I am considering going into home health. Hospital jobs are scarce these days and after filling out countless apps with no prospects of an interview I had to get this show on the road.Moving along I began to apply at nursing homes and what do you know I have work, but I hate it. I work on a rehab unit in a nursing home I have 40-46 pts on a regular basis(well I work 7p-7a so from 7 to 11 I only have 12- 20(rehab side) the other 28 are pretty much ltc, 12-14 of these pts are skilled which means I have to chart I have tube feeds (9),diabetics, ppl with wound vacs,dialysis pts,pts transferred directly from the hospital, and ****** unsupportive coworkers, plus I'm suppose to know everything bc I'm the RN (that's what they say smh) . Sometimes I have to float to other units and yikes. I have been at this job since July 3rd and I'm ready to throw in the towel. I wanted to do 6 mos, then it was october bc in that time I can pay off my bills,now I'm like.....I work 3-12's thank god for that only 3 days in that place. Iam miserable but I need money, but I'd wrather not jeapordize my license but.....I know bashing my job won't help but I always have to stay over I mean hrs sometimes I get off at 9:30 and I don't get paid OT.
Enough with the background info. My mom is a home health nurse and she loves it. So I am thinking of following mommy but she worked in a facility for a number of years before becoming a home health nurse. I have two job prospects at the moment. So what do you gals/guys think. Should I try it? Or should I continue to work in this unsafe environment.
I worked as a home health aide since I was 18 which is how I paid for college,so I'mjust going to trust myself,thanks for nothing everyone.
How rude was that. You come on here, ask for our opinions, and when it's not what you want to hear, you say "thanks for nothing everyone". Well in "my" opinion, I wouldn't want anyone fresh out of school with little to no experience coming to my home to perform nursing duties. As someone stated earlier....if you can't make it in LTC, just how confident do you think you will be when you're on your own? Your patients lives are in your hands, and I am not sure that you even have "Critical Thinking" skills down pat yet, and this is something that you will sure need.......good luck, and I will pray for both you and your patients......"my opinion":down::idea::idea::idea:
well I 've made m decision I'm quiting and going to home health. I'll get it at some point. Also of course there are not other nurses staying as late as I do, maybe one. I have found some new grads who do home health and it s ok for them so I should be able to do it. I worked as a home health aide since I was 18 which is how I paid for college,so I'mjust going to trust myself,thanks for nothing everyone.
Wow, talk about a new grad attitude.
I would be terrified to do home health as a new grad. You are there alone. If there is an emergency- it's only you. I started doing home health 3 years into my nursing career and it was still a little intimidating knowing I'm the only one there.
I would be terrified to do home health as a new grad. You are there alone. If there is an emergency- it's only you. I started doing home health 3 years into my nursing career and it was still a little intimidating knowing I'm the only one there.
^^^^ Seriously I just did that do get a rise out of people, but you were not mistaken I do have an attitude at times but for the most part I'm sweet as cherry pie. I feel alone at the nursing home,so I really don't see a difference there.
I wouldn't recommend it. I'm a new grad, and this is my second week working as a home health nurse. I feel like I've had no type of training and they are just kind of throwing me in there. I'm already looking for another job that will help me build experience. I would say home health is for experienced nursing who has no problem functioning independently.
I have been offered HH as a new grad as well, and while it is what I would *like* to do, I don't feel like I could safely accept the position yet. They say they will wave the 1 year requirment for LPN experience (which I have) but I wouldn't be practicing as an LPN, I'd be on my RN license, and I will not place my pts or my license in jeopardy...so I'm still looking...probably will go back to med-surg for a few years...then take a HH job. While I will never, ever know everything there is to know, experience is a great teacher...sometimes better than textbooks
She didn't state whether she thought I was ready or not. She wants me to try it. She even tells me she will train me with her client. Her client alsowants me because I am young.
I'm a little confused, are you talking about intermittent visits or shift work with one client?
I'm about to go that route myself...although I have a few years of nursing exp - oncology/med-surg/LTC/School Nursing. I think it's like anything, will be tough at first learning all the in's and outs of Home Health...but usually the other nurses are willing to give tips. Don't be afraid to ask, if you don't know or understand something.
I would have to agree!!! You don't ask for someone's help or advice and then when they give it, curse them for giving it. I have been an lpn for 4 yrs. I've worked ltc and phy office. I am currently applying for employment in hhc. I feel that I am able to work in this position, but only because of my expierence elsewhere. I know I still have much to learn, and I am still continuing my education to obtain my rn, but you don't learn all you need to know in school, you learn it by expierence. I couldn't even imagine working unsupervised in any setting when i first started. To much confidence right off the bat is only going to get you into trouble and more importantly, possible harm you patients, which is the oppisite of 'to do NO harm NON-intentionally or intentionally.' Skills must be learned by hands on, you can't learn all you need to from books alone. Expierence is the only true way to learn. As said before I will also be praying for you and praying more so for the patients that you will have contact with in hhc!!
Listen, what these fine nurses are trying to explain to you is that HH requires you to able to be in control, have confidence in your abilities, and more than anything, be able to react quickly with critical thinking in an emergency.
Just for example, I understand the concept of what a monitor does and how it works. But monitors are like computers. I may know how to run MSWord, write a business letter, and type; but to do those same things on a Mac requires me to know how it works. It's the same program and concept. . . but different. My agency sent me out expecting me to know the monitor in the homes I was in. The new protocols use a monitor that has its own set of nuances like nothing I've ever seen before. And I have worked with lots of monitors. To turn off the very loud alarm, you have to hold down both the on/off switch and the reset button. Well, I didn't know that when I first went into HH this time. Shoot, I didn't know why it was alarming because I am used to seeing at least some numbers. The only indication for why it is alarming is simple colored lights. Thats it. If you don't know what those colors mean, you're sunk. The number readouts are hidden if the parents keep the monitor in its protective case. I didn't know that either. There was nobody professional there to ask what to do. What would you have done? I had the life of that infant in my hands, parents who are expecting me to know what I'm doing, and a potential situation that could cost me my paycheck and license. I needed to utilize my nursing skills. . . FAST. Almost unconscioiusly, I did a quick evaluation of my baby. I could see that he was breathing fine, not feverish (which could cause those changes), smiling and pink. So I knew he wasn't in any distress. I have a sixth sense about breathing. When I don't hear that soft flow of air, I know it is time to start acting. Do you? Turns out the lead had come loose. Needless to say, the whole house was woken up my first night as I fumbled around with this monitor. To correct that, I found the manual online and read it.
911 is available to us. But 911 is 5-10 minutes away. Can you understand that a lot can happen in that time? That's why your complaint is throwing up red flags here. People think HH is easy street. It isn't.
Listen, what these fine nurses are trying to explain to you is that HH requires you to able to be in control, have confidence in your abilities, and more than anything, be able to react quickly with critical thinking in an emergency.
Just for example, I understand the concept of what a monitor does and how it works. But monitors are like computers. I may know how to run MSWord, write a business letter, and type; but to do those same things on a Mac requires me to know how it works. It's the same program and concept. . . but different. My agency sent me out expecting me to know the monitor in the homes I was in. The new protocols use a monitor that has its own set of nuances like nothing I've ever seen before. And I have worked with lots of monitors. To turn off the very loud alarm, you have to hold down both the on/off switch and the reset button. Well, I didn't know that when I first went into HH this time. Shoot, I didn't know why it was alarming because I am used to seeing at least some numbers. The only indication for why it is alarming is simple colored lights. Thats it. If you don't know what those colors mean, you're sunk. The number readouts are hidden if the parents keep the monitor in its protective case. I didn't know that either. There was nobody professional there to ask what to do. What would you have done? I had the life of that infant in my hands, parents who are expecting me to know what I'm doing, and a potential situation that could cost me my paycheck and license. I needed to utilize my nursing skills. . . FAST. Almost unconscioiusly, I did a quick evaluation of my baby. I could see that he was breathing fine, not feverish (which could cause those changes), smiling and pink. So I knew he wasn't in any distress. I have a sixth sense about breathing. When I don't hear that soft flow of air, I know it is time to start acting. Do you? Turns out the lead had come loose. Needless to say, the whole house was woken up my first night as I fumbled around with this monitor. To correct that, I found the manual online and read it.
911 is available to us. But 911 is 5-10 minutes away. Can you understand that a lot can happen in that time? That's why your complaint is throwing up red flags here. People think HH is easy street. It isn't.
I agree HH is not easy. I was one of those who thought OK lets go ahead and do it as a new grad. And I have been learning a lot, among those things I am learnig, I can count IT IS POSIBLE TO DO HOME HEALTH AS A NEW GRAD as long as you got some good skills at school, a good support group to go and ask questions and a lot of confidence in yourself. I went into HH because no hospital or doctors office, or LTC or nursing home would even consider calling back (after more than 200 applications sent and being valedictorian of my class with 3.71 GPA). So againt many people's opinions and advice I went into home health, have been doing it fir two month already, my patients love me, I have seen them improve their health with my care, and some of them even request to be seen by me.
So while all the opinions to this post make sense to me, it is also true that when all doors are closed and a window opens, many times that window represents a whole new world of opportunities. Nowadays new grads are treated like they have no value or they are not needed, like it is a disease to be a nuew grad or being fresh out of school means you are "dumb". Well, things are not like that, we also can be efficient, we also can save lives, and with a little bit more of suppor from "experienced" nurses everything would be SO MUCH BETTER.
In my opinion the most important thing is being readily available to learn, being responsible and if you dont know, if you are not sure...call someone... patient care and safety always comes first. I love my profession with all my heart.
I went into HH because no hospital or doctors office, or LTC or nursing home would even consider calling back (after more than 200 applications sent and being valedictorian of my class with 3.71 GPA). So againt many people's opinions and advice I went into home health, have been doing it fir two month already, my patients love me, I have seen them improve their health with my care, and some of them even request to be seen by me.
If I am not mistaken, you are the same nurse that posted a while back. Guess what? We are probably neighbors working at the same agency. Don't want to say that too loud because I've been trying to keep a low profile. But I was so grateful for your post a while back because I honestly thought it was just me. I was nurse from 1980-90 in the place you live. I decided to stay at home and educate my children for 18 years and then go back to work. The hospital I worked for even encouraged that and told me that the door was always opened. My husband and I had a huge financial setback about ten years ago that we haven't recovered from. Because of that, I couldn't afford at the time to renew my license. So I let it lapse, which I know was very stupid now. If I had just worked a day or two here and there, it would have been better than what I chose to do. I opted to retake the NCLEX to get my license back. I passed with flying colors. I was ecstatic. :monkeydance: But like you, I started applying for jobs only to discover that the local hospitals (and you know who I'm talking about because they have a huge monopoly here) refused to hire me and continue to refuse. Since May 2009, I have also submitted over 200 applications to that hospital. My forte is NICU and anything infant related. I am very good at it as well. So when said hospital sends me a computer generated letter from their outsourcing company that says, "There are other candidates more qualified," it makes me sort of mad. But of course, I can't be mad. I'm a nurse. :chair:
In my day, as a new grad, everyone rolled out the red carpet. Today, this is me as a nurse: :bowingpur I have taken quite a lot of abuse that I would never have put up with many years ago simply because I didn't have to. I was in demand and respected.
Anywho, all that to say that I was so grateful to see your letter that day because I realized that I am not the only one. I would love to make waves and figure out a way to argue that point, but what good would that do? :icon_roll So, I'm biding my time and waiting to see what happens. This week, for the first time ever, I thought there might be a glimmer of hope at one of the hospitals I used to work at. We shall see.
Don't want to say that too loud because I've been trying to keep a low profile. But I was so grateful for your post a while back because I honestly thought it was just me. I was nurse from 1980-90 in the place you live. I decided to stay at home and educate my children for 18 years and then go back to work. The hospital I worked for even encouraged that and told me that the door was always opened. My husband and I had a huge financial setback about ten years ago that we haven't recovered from. Because of that, I couldn't afford at the time to renew my license. So I let it lapse, which I know was very stupid now. If I had just worked a day or two here and there, it would have been better than what I chose to do. I opted to retake the NCLEX to get my license back. I passed with flying colors. I was ecstatic. :monkeydance: But like you, I started applying for jobs only to discover that the local hospitals (and you know who I'm talking about because they have a huge monopoly here) refused to hire me and continue to refuse. Since May 2009, I have also submitted over 200 applications to that hospital. My forte is NICU and anything infant related. I am very good at it as well. So when said hospital sends me a computer generated letter from their outsourcing company that says, "There are other candidates more qualified," it makes me sort of mad. 
But of course, I can't be mad. I'm a nurse. :chair:
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How rude was that. You come on here, ask for our opinions, and when it's not what you want to hear, you say "thanks for nothing everyone". Well in "my" opinion, I wouldn't want anyone fresh out of school with little to no experience coming to my home to perform nursing duties. As someone stated earlier....if you can't make it in LTC, just how confident do you think you will be when you're on your own? Your patients lives are in your hands, and I am not sure that you even have "Critical Thinking" skills down pat yet, and this is something that you will sure need.......good luck, and I will pray for both you and your patients......"my opinion":down:
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