New Grad in Home Health

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Hi everyone!

I'm a new graduate nurse and new to allnurses. After 12 grueling and painful months of job hunting, I have finally been offered my first job! I'm incredibly grateful, of course, but I'm very nervous because it's a home health position in a different state. I would've prefered to begin my nursing career in hospital setting, most likely in med-surg, at one of the many hospitals in my area (DC metro region). However, I was in for a rude awakening after I graduated. I'm relatively lucky in that I'm single, in my 20s, with no kids. I live with my family, but they too have been waiting for me to get a job to get us back on track financially. I'm looking forward to gaining some experience, which is like GOLD apparently, but I'm worried I'll be in over my head. I haven't practiced my nursing skills since I graduated, but I learn fast. Once I can see a skill performed, I can nail it after practicing it on my own. I guess I'm just here looking for advice--any advice really. Any tips, tricks, and especially books that you can recommend, would be great. Thanks!!

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

Congrats on your job offer. What kind of home health care will you be doing?

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Specializes in DD/MR, long term care, homecare.

You can get refreshers on a lot of skills just by searching YouTube. I did that when I wanted to show my husband what a wound vac was, and there is lots more on there that I haven't watched yet.

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For a few years I carried my illustrated nursing skills book in my book bag when I went to work. I don't remember ever looking up anything while on the job, but it sure made me feel more secure. Ask for a good orientation, as much as you need. Be proactive, don't take no for an answer. Don't be afraid to call your supervisor with questions. And look stuff up on the internet. This forum is a good place to start. Good luck.

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I'm a new grad in homehealth too. Been working for about 3 weeks. and I won't lie it's very overwhelming! However, i always make sure to call another nurse if I have ANY questions! I find there is a lot I don't know and alot of days I get frustrated! BUT, I also am finding that I am learning a ton and each day things are coming a bit easier. So just hang in there, don't be afraid to ask questions, and just keep a positive attitude!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

there are many sticked links at top of this forum.

4/08: update: new to homecare? read these articles to get you started teaches you important homecare aspects, especially medicare guidleines for home care.

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Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

I was hired as a new grad into home health as well. My coworkers have been amazing at answering my million questions. 8 months later I feel pretty competent in what I do, and I continue to study and review my nursing books almost daily. I will research online or in my books a procedure or diagnosis that I don't know about, or need refreshing on.I love home health, and I feel as if I found my niche in the nursing world. I did not have any desire to work in the hospital environment. So now I work Mon-Fri 8-4 with a great support system!

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i am going to complete paper work for a home health nurse agency on monday. i am a little nervous because i graduated last may which seems like a long time ago now! i am especially nervous about procedures that i did not get real life experience with such as foleys and iv insertion. for those of you who have been in home health for a while and especially to new grads, how has it been? did your company put you through any training? i plan to carry my books and to have internet access, and i plan to utilize experienced nurses as mentors and hope to have an assigned preceptor. also, i just reviewed coverage guidelines for home health agencies. thanks for insight and advice!!

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I started as a new grad in home health, but my company (Gentiva) gave me orientation. How could they not??

I stayed for nearly eight months before I became concerned that the lack of exposure to certain skill-sets would restict me from bedside forever--I worked too hard in nursing school to let that happen. So I bailed; please consider a PRN bedside position if you do accept the HH gig.

Here are some questions to consider:

1. What are the productivity expectations as a new grad but also after you have been there for a year?

2. What is the expectation of you when they become short staffed?

3. What continuing education do they offer?

4. When will they begin using point-of-care documentation (using laptops)?

5. Is your pay based on # pts seen or are you salary (may lead to highly fluctuating paychecks!)?

6. Ask about the performance improvement plan.

7. Ask about the support you can expect if you are asked to perform a procedure that you are not comfortable with (you don't want them to require you to go alone and perform nor do you want to be penalized for asking for help).

8. Is the company bringing LPNs into the company also (limits RN visits--and $$)?

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Specializes in Home Health; Family Practice Clinic.

As a new grad, I got a job in a nursing home working 3-11pm. I didn't like anything about this job (other than some of my very sweet patients, but it wasn't for me).

I only lasted 3 months, then started applying to home health. I worked in as a home health aide while in nursing school, so I knew I would love the one-on-one interaction, and the pay was a lot higher than other areas of nursing (where I live anyway).

I was surprised they hired me with only 3-4 months experience, but they did. They sent me to a lab to become certified in venipuncture (which terrified me at first but is actually not as hard as I thought). They also sent me out with a nurse to shadow her for about a week. Then I was on my own, but not with a full day's schedule, which is 6 patients where I work. They gave me 1-3 patients and would call and check on me to see how I was doing.

I also made it habit to get ALL of the other nurse's cell phone numbers just so I'd have someone to call and consult if I was on the road and had questions.

If you know you have to perform a skill on a patient that you're not totally sure about, just research it the day before.... text books work great, so does the internet, or even allnurses.com :)

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