New graduate working in Pediatric Home health care??

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Hello,

I recently got offered a new graduate position working with medically fragile pediatric patients at a home health agency. I am really torn if I should take this position, because I hear the scary stories of being a new graduate in home health. I am wondering if working with fragile pediatric patients (trachs, vents, TPN, etc.) will help and add more oof to my resume in case I did want to go into hospital work. I have always been unsure what to specialize in, and I also have always been unsure if I even want to work in a hospital. I have been able to see myself working with pediatric patients which is why I applied to this job. I really do love working with pediatrics/adolescents population. 

The home health agency I would be working for is ran by nurses, and has roughly around 15 nurses who work there. They have orientation and preceptors to help new graduates, but I am not exactly sure how long. The lady said because I am a new graduate I will learn all the skills I need for my one patient until I am ready to take on more patients. I will always have 1:1 ratio. The indeed reviews from this agency are amazing as well.

What do you guys think? Should I ask more questions? Do I trust these indeed reviews? 

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Hi there,

This post caught my eye because it sounded exactly like my concerns and situation. Did you accept this job offer by chance?

I just got the offer to join the residency program and am really not sure how to feel about it since home health was never really on my radar until hospital residencies were nearly impossible to get into. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

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12 minutes ago, CBanks05 said:

Hi there,

This post caught my eye because it sounded exactly like my concerns and situation. Did you accept this job offer by chance?

I just got the offer to join the residency program and am really not sure how to feel about it since home health was never really on my radar until hospital residencies were nearly impossible to get into. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

Hello!

Yes!! I did accept the job. I am now a little over a month in. It has truly been amazing and I am so glad I went this route. I can honestly say I love my first job as a new graduate RN compared to my friends starting in the hospital haha. I am never stressed out and I also have time for me!! I never ever like ever saw myself as being a home health nurse also... but here I am...... I would highly recommend a home health agency only if they do training, have great reviews,  and they have good management. It is always a plus also if they are a small organization. If your home health agency is similar to mine, I would say definitely do it! 

Aside from that, I think it depends where you see yourself in the future. If you are super specific in a field you want to be in, lets say ICU, or cardiac then I  would choose the hospital residency. However, if you are like me, where you don't know where you want to go, I would say take the home health agency because it can actually be amazing and why not? Once you have a year experience in nursing, you can really go anywhere. The person who trained me at the home health agency was able to quickly get a hospital job at her one year mark.....Also, I will mention you do make a lot more money in the hospital than a home health nurse, so if you care about that, do take that into consideration.  But if you are just trying to see what's out there, I say why not. I was scared, but I am happy I went this route.... 

The good thing about being a nurse is you can truly go anywhere and change your specialty whenever you want. 

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Hello!

Wow, thank you for such a prompt and detailed response. I am so thrilled and relieved to hear that you are happy with your decision to pursue this route!! I am actually very similar to you in that I don't really have a specific department I am prioritizing at the moment, and flexibility with a supportive organization sounds really good right now. As well as building that first-year experience like you mentioned!

This might be a shot in the dark but are you located in OR by chance? The agency you work for sounds soo similar to the one that I am in communication with! (Nursing*le) There's not that much information regarding the reviews or job outlook for this small agency so I would love to pick your brain if it coincidentally happens to be the same one you're loving!

 

Thanks again!

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OMG! Yes!!  I am in OR. Based in Portland!! Small world... so, I actually don’t work at Nursingale!! I work for a smaller agency called Cascade. However you are in luck because I do know some people who worked/work there. So far, I have only heard good things about Nursingale and that staff is supportive.I feel like it’s pretty much like where I work honestly...but I personally am not sure... but everyone I talked to have said it’s great!!  ? 

One thing though I will say again if you take this job is that you have 1:1 patient ratio... and eventually you’ll take on 2 patients or something  ... so eventually down the road you may be wanting “more” because it can .. in a way... become repetitive because you are with the same patients!! I would honestly describe it as a nanny nurse job I would say haha. But I personally love it, and I think it’s an amazing new grad job. Very laid back, and I think doing it for a year or so is an amazing experience because you are working with vents, trachs, g tubes and etc so you can add that to your resume!! 

let me know if you have any questions!! Please do let me know if you go that route also ?

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wow, that IS such a small world haha! I am so relieved to hear so much positive feedback, thank you so much for sharing! If you'd like to continue this conversation I'll leave my email here just so we can have a more private dialogue! 

[email protected] ?

I look forward to hearing from ya!!

 

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Hi!! I am about to start a pediatric home health new grad program. I am super anxious. I have heard horror stories about this not being a great start for me. How do you like it so far? 

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Congrats!  Another thing to consider is the valuable skills you will learn in Home Health that may be beneficial to a future hospital job.  I worked as an LVN in Pedi Home Health - specifically with vent/trach kiddos.  After I finished my LVN-RN bridge program and applied at the hospital for a pedi position - the nurse manager flat out told me I was hired because I had the vent experience that they were looking for.  

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8 hours ago, Marisol Valdez said:

Hi!! I am about to start a pediatric home health new grad program. I am super anxious. I have heard horror stories about this not being a great start for me. How do you like it so far? 

Hi Marisol!!

I felt exactly the same way as you starting in home health as a new grad. I still love it so far and it has been amazing!! However, I think that is because I work in a great agency so it will really depend on that. Plus, I only have 1 patient to take care of the whole day, and not really the multiple patients we see in the usual home health.  Also, working with kids is great experience!
 

how does your agency function?? :) 

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That is so comforting to hear this! I would only be with one patient for the whole day. as a new grad it’s hard to find a job with no experience! It sounds to me we might be working with a  Similar agency! How much new grad training did you get? 

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21 hours ago, Marisol Valdez said:

That is so comforting to hear this! I would only be with one patient for the whole day. as a new grad it’s hard to find a job with no experience! It sounds to me we might be working with a  Similar agency! How much new grad training did you get?  
 

Yes it is hard to find a job!! But with this it would be great experience. Once you hit the one year mark you can go anywhere!! I only got 3-4 days of training but could ask more if I needed. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but you are only with one patient the same time. I was nervous, but I took good notes and asked questions! You’ll be great!

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Hi! I recently just read your post because I was also offered a new grad Peds home health position. I was so worried because almost all the posts online say home health is never the right choice for new grad RNs. I just want to leave a comment and check if you're still doing this position? How was it and what aspect of the job can be stressful for you? 

 

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