New to Home Health

[annieboo444]

I have some RN hospital experience a little over a year and half. I am tired of the stress of hospital nursing. I am starting a new home health job as prn once a week. If I like it I will want to go full time and leave hospital completely! I am so excited and hope I like it! I know the charting is going to be hard to get used to. It took me a while in hospital to get fast. I am so fast now it only takes like 20-30 min to chart hardly ever have to stay late for it now! I also know the driving might be annoying. I am worried about what if I can't start an iv or drawl the blood or get the Foley in because it seems like you don't really have anyone to help you or ask questions which at the hospital there's always help!! Any suggestions or advice for me starting this new job???

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm not sure what kind of patients your agency will see but we didn't often have to start IV's. I did have to do blood draws pretty often but I can draw blood all day while IV's are a weakness.

If you have trouble with a skill you typically call the office and another nurse can come by and help or see the patient later in the day to try.

Usually when patients have IV antibiotics for long periods of time they have a PICC or other central line.

My biggest advice: be flexible.

As far as the driving - it's a good time to catch up on some "reading" with audiobooks!

[nutella, MSN, RN]

For long driving I have audiobooks but I also really like podcasts - there are so many hundreds for free to download to a smart phone. Just make sure you get a car charger. I use my phone a lot on the road and also have a wireless set because it is safer to drive and the other thing is that when I am sitting and charting I can be on the phone the same time as I am writing - saves time....

If there is a specific skill you are weak with ask the agency to give you more education/ practice - I know that I have never been good drawing blood, I went to the hospital draw center for half the day to practice.

Make friends with every road clinician right from the start and make sure you have their cell phones. The way it works in my agency is that if there is something I really need help and it can not wait until next day I will call my colleagues. Usually there is somebody who will say " I will be there shortly" . Or you just need a phone advise. Since you will be working alone, having a good relationship with all your coworkers is so important!

Plan accordingly. In cases where I know the foley exchange will be difficult and requires 2 people see if they have a home health aid and come to the same time. When you are new you should have a mentor who would be able to meet you at a house as well once you are doing your own visits.

A lot of patients that require iv therapies have a PICC or port - it is good to be proficient with those accesses.