New to hh, need advice

Specialties Home Health

Published

Hi, I just need someone to sound off to.

I work fulltime in a position that is more of a case management job with elderly and disabled. Recently I took a 2nd job doing hh with pediatrics for weekends and maybe evening hours. (I have never worked peds before, but have worked with adults with trachs, g-tubes, and the other things this little one needs.)

I am planning some evening hours to orientate. The DON wants me to orientate to a day shift but, they could not have me orientate on a weekend day shift with another nurse because they just don't have anyone to do it. She said that if I really wanted this job I would need to make a sacrifice and take a day off my primary job for orientation. She even suggested I call in sick. But my job does not work that way. I get so many days per year and when I call in they take one of those day. Due to severe health problems with some of my family members I only have 2 1/2 days left for this year, which I have been trying to hold on to for the same reasons.

Last night I did orientate a few hours with another nurse and she offered to orientate me on a weekend day, but that would mean changing her schedule which she was willing to do. She suggested I call the scheduler, so that is what I did. I thought, what the heck it's worth a try. The scheduler said she had to check with the DON. A few minutes later I get a call from the DON, and she says the other nurse should not have offered and they can not change any schedules just for me. She was rather snotty about it, saying I only have 2 choices, and we had this conversation before. Blah blah..... Basically treating me like a kid.

I am sitting here thinking.............do I really want to work for this company? I am also thinking, I am not very important to them, even though I am going to be filling a big void for them. I can understand sacrifice, I have made a lot of them in my life. I keep thinking why wouldn't they make sure I get the orientation that they think I need to do this job.

Am I wrong to feel this way? Tell me what you think.

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I understand that it may be difficult to schedule your office orientation and skills lab training outside of business hours, but even that should be a little flexible. My HH agency is very good about scheduling nurse's orientation with the kids they'll be taking care of during the hours they'll be taking care of them. Your routine will be different on an evening or weekend, there may be different skills involved. I think that the DON sould respect that your work ethic doesn't allow you to call off when you aren't sick...isn't that what she wants in an employee?? If they don't currently have anyone working weekends, I understand their problem but my agency would jump on the chance to have a nurse offer to pick up the open weekend shift to orient; I'm sure mom would, too! Maybe look into another agency?

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Thank you so much. I was really starting to think there was something wrong with me!

I kept thinking about her telling me that I needed to make a sacrifice, and I think they should be making a sacrifice and pay the overtime or change a schedule a little to get me orientated so I can fill those weekend hours for them. The fact that they are not flexible enough to do this scares me.

I am seriously thinking about doing something different for a 2nd job.

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There is nothing wrong with you and everything with this company.

But I do have issues with you going to a home with a vent dependent child with no pediatric experience. The trach tubes are different, they do not have inner cannulas and can become clogged and need changing. Have you ever changed one before? Ventilating is also different, and depending on what the lung issues are with the child that required the trach or vent to begin with. The other issue you have is with liability. G-D forbid an issue ever came up and you were asked what was your pediatric experience in the past, your oanswer would be none. The family/insurance company is paying for expertise in this area......something else that you need to consider.

Sorry to put a damper on your plans but this is something to consider. A family member will pick up very quickly that you do not have expereince in this area.

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Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

Tell her that you will be happy to call in sick to your other job to orient but then in a couple of weeks you will have to call in sick for her so you can make that time up. I am sure that will be fine huh?

Really there are lots of places to work that will work with your schedule especially as a part time weekend person. Not like folks willing to work a weekend shift are just crawling out of the woodwork.

If she has an attitude now to a new employee, how is she gonna be if you have to call her later with problems?

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There is nothing wrong with you and everything with this company.

But I do have issues with you going to a home with a vent dependent child with no pediatric experience. The trach tubes are different, they do not have inner cannulas and can become clogged and need changing. Have you ever changed one before? Ventilating is also different, and depending on what the lung issues are with the child that required the trach or vent to begin with. The other issue you have is with liability. G-D forbid an issue ever came up and you were asked what was your pediatric experience in the past, your oanswer would be none. The family/insurance company is paying for expertise in this area......something else that you need to consider.

Sorry to put a damper on your plans but this is something to consider. A family member will pick up very quickly that you do not have expereince in this area.

I can understand your concerns regarding my pediatric experience. I had a lot of apprehension myself. But I have to admit I have told everyone that that has any connection to this job that I do not have any pediatric experience, including the family, but I have experience with adults with the same needs. That is why I am taking the orientation slow. And yes I have never changed a trach on a pediatric pt. That is why the DON wanted me to work the dayshift, to get more experience with it. As it turns out I was able to do a dayshift last Saturday and I will be going back again this week for more orientation in the evening and do a trach change. When I was hired the DON told me she would not be giving me a child with a trach, but she changed her mind. I think she changed it because the Mom is so involved with the child's care, that when it comes down to it she is the one that does most of the cares and we assist her. And I feel comfortable with that. The parents have been doing these cares all along (the baby is 14 months old now) due to the shortage of nurses. They usually only have help for 8 hours 5 days a week, but are approved for 24-7, so my help is more respite for them. Also the child is scheduled for surgery in a couple months to upgrade the trach to one with an inner cannula for a short term and then to DC it all together, so she is very stable. She is covered for nursing service under the Katie Beckett which is Wisconsin Medicaid.

Even though I have had a lot of doubt about this job, I like the baby and the family, plus they live very close to me. After I am done orientating I can tell the compnay what hours I will work, and it will be much easier on my back.

P.S......the child is not vent dependent but is on 35% humidified O2.

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All I can say is run the other way quickly..... :uhoh21:

If you are having these sort of difficulties before you even get started, it will definitely get worse. Considering you don't have peds experience, it is utmost importance that you are properly orientated....which good for you, you recognize and are trying to do that. Shame on them for not caring about your licensce nor the quality of care for their patients.

Kathryn

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Do not take this job. It is starting out badly and that will only lead to other problems.

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Do not take this job. It is starting out badly and that will only lead to other problems.

After talking with the 2 different nurses that orientated me and the parents of the baby......I get the impression that the DON is laking in people skills. Even the family said that!

I really like the family, the baby and the other nurses. I would not have much contact with the DON so that problem would resolve itself.

Since working on Saturday I feel so much better about the whole thing.

Thanks for all you input though, I really do appreciate it.

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Here is another chapter to the saga.

Today I got an email from the DON telling me I need to take the time on Friday to go and do a trach change with the other nurse. Then she preceeded to tell me that I need to watch what and how I say things to other employees. She said I really hurt the other nurses feelings Saturday because she was an LPN and I said I needed to do the trach change but had to be checked off by an RN or the DON. (Should I really be orientated to a trach change by an LPN when I am an RN......no offense to LPN's, I was one for 20 years and could teach a lot of RN's stuff in an institution setting, but in a homecare setting?) She also said I was abrasive to the other people at the orientation meeting. I was there for 1 hour, and the other people were 3 aides, one nurse the scheduler and the DON. I don't think I said more than 2 sentences! She is unhappy that I discussed schedule changes with the other nurse instead of the scheduler or her and was not happy that I was starting out my employment like this.

Then she goes on to say that all these things can be fixed and she hopes we have a long and happy working relationship!

I was stunned.....I really do not think I am the way she has described.

I called my husband and he said right away to tell her and the job goodbye. So then I called a friend that used to work for this agency but she did not know the DON, but gave me the number of someone who did. After talking to her I sent an email back to the DON and told her I thought she should be aware of the negativity she made me feel and I did not think her agency was right for me and I would not need anymore orientation because I would not be working for them any longer. I also mentioned her telling me to call in sick. I am keeping copies of these email and am thinking about sending them to the administrater, but from what I have heard it will probably not make any difference.

This is sad because I know the family really needed some respite time on the weekends, but I think the DON is not safe and she is a little nuts!

I really feel bad right now...............

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