New job updates?

babynurse73 · May 3, 2015

I start may 11..... I will let you know :)

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Wendy

RNmomma3 · May 4, 2015

I also start May 11th. I'm very excited, the company that hired me has an oustanding reputation, so that is comforting. My prior experience is 2 years in labor and delivery, so it's definitely going to be different.

JackieAnn · May 6, 2015

I have been in HH for 4 months. Worked in acute care for 2.5 years and was very unhappy. My pay is hourly and I am union. If those factors were not so. I would not be doing it. Hh is very hard but for the independent and those with sharp assessment skills, I think so far....worth it

Oliver1234 · May 7, 2015

Well.... After my month of stress I gave my 2 weeks notice. They offered me per diem. I said yes, but was just told the pay rate and it is HORRENDOUS. Worse Ive ever heard of. so i will not be working for them at all. Now I am sticking with my per diem acute care job and looking for a per diem vna job that the pay is worth while for me. Hope something comes up because I really do enjoy vna. Although the case management aspect is very stressfyl, thats why per diem will be better for me, no case management! =)

Libby1987 · May 7, 2015

There is so much to learn these days, and on top of that newer nurses aren't getting that acute care head start and need plain ole nursing experience as well.

It wasn't like this when I started, it was very simple in comparison and then I grew with it. I get a bit overwhelmed at the thought of all I need to teach our new nurses and I'm not even the one who needs to learn it.

nurse.j., ASN, BSN, MSN · May 9, 2015

Been working since the end of March and I LOVE it. The flexibility, the independence, the critical thinking, the time you get with your patients and families one on one. It's the best, still lots to learn, but really enjoying it. The only thing I have concerns about is the pay. I'm ppv til my 90 day review and although seeing 6 patients a day is not impossible for me, th e area I work in is more spread out and less patients, versus the city where people are more concentrated. Talked w nursing supervisor and they are working hard to get more referrals and I often volunteer to take patients outside my area to help out and meet quotas. At my 90 day review in late June, I'm going to ask to be salaried and hope they are ok with this. I'm spending much more money in daycare working 5 days a week so I need to make sure I'm making more than the additional expense, otherwise I don't know if I will he able to afford it. Also recently found out my fiance and I are expecting so I'd like to keep this job for the flexibility especially when the baby comes, but I need to make a living also. We shall see. I love the job though :) so much less stressful than the hospital floor.

RNmomma3 · May 9, 2015

Been working since the end of March and I LOVE it. The flexibility, the independence, the critical thinking, the time you get with your patients and families one on one. It's the best, still lots to learn, but really enjoying it. The only thing I have concerns about is the pay. I'm ppv til my 90 day review and although seeing 6 patients a day is not impossible for me, th e area I work in is more spread out and less patients, versus the city where people are more concentrated. Talked w nursing supervisor and they are working hard to get more referrals and I often volunteer to take patients outside my area to help out and meet quotas. At my 90 day review in late June, I'm going to ask to be salaried and hope they are ok with this. I'm spending much more money in daycare working 5 days a week so I need to make sure I'm making more than the additional expense, otherwise I don't know if I will he able to afford it. Also recently found out my fiance and I are expecting so I'd like to keep this job for the flexibility especially when the baby comes, but I need to make a living also. We shall see. I love the job though :) so much less stressful than the hospital floor.

I love to hear this. I hope they do raise your pay! I start orientation on Monday, I'm hoping it all works out. I've only heard great things about the company that hired me and I'm getting paid a lot more than I did in acute care. I have 3 small kids and the flexibility is very attractive to me. Congratulations on the baby :)

Libby1987 · May 9, 2015

Been working since the end of March and I LOVE it. The flexibility, the independence, the critical thinking, the time you get with your patients and families one on one. It's the best, still lots to learn, but really enjoying it. The only thing I have concerns about is the pay. I'm ppv til my 90 day review and although seeing 6 patients a day is not impossible for me, th e area I work in is more spread out and less patients, versus the city where people are more concentrated. Talked w nursing supervisor and they are working hard to get more referrals and I often volunteer to take patients outside my area to help out and meet quotas. At my 90 day review in late June, I'm going to ask to be salaried and hope they are ok with this. I'm spending much more money in daycare working 5 days a week so I need to make sure I'm making more than the additional expense, otherwise I don't know if I will he able to afford it. Also recently found out my fiance and I are expecting so I'd like to keep this job for the flexibility especially when the baby comes, but I need to make a living also. We shall see. I love the job though :) so much less stressful than the hospital floor.

That's so odd how they start you out as PPV. I wonder if it's a strategy to promote higher productivity from the start? I've known nurses who started out hourly that became resentful when their load was increased to standard and they were having to work faster for the same amount of money. That's when we've switched them to PPV and they're rewarded for higher productivity or they can cruise with a lighter load but be paid for what they produce. Lately though they've been staying on hourly for a year or more which they seem satisfied with but making thousands less than us PPV staff.

Depending on your situation, the rural area that you're in might be marketed for a higher amount of referrals and there's nothing better than cruising on a country hwy compared to traffic. And if you stay PPV you will have more autonomy with your work load and scheduling. As soon as you go salary or hourly, you will have quotas to meet and and perhaps rigid availabilty from 8-5p, that can defeat the flex scheduling.

babynurse73 · May 13, 2015

Oh Libby!

Reading some of these posts bums me out. I am day three into my orientation. This company seems very well organized. Got my laptop today. More computer stuff for the rest of the week, then next week going out for visits withy preceptor. So far I am impressed with the employees and orientation. The company is expanding and it is the largest home Health agency in Connecticut. I found out some other nurses from the hospital have switched over. One of my old nurse buddies from the old days switched to this agency. She said she loves it but she works more now than she ever has!

So I guess wish me luck! I have been reading your posts and they are very encouraging with a lot of helpful advice. Thank you!

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Wendy

PurpleDaisyðŸŒ¸ · May 14, 2015

I have been reading your posts and they are very encouraging with a lot of helpful advice. Thank you!

I have to second this statement. Libby1987 has so much encouragement, here on the home health board. I am guessing she is a wonderful mentor, in her agency.

I hit a wall a few weeks ago, after several months in my new job, when my eyes opened up to JUST HOW MUCH I STILL HAVE TO LEARN! I got a bit panicky, to be honest. But reading all the encouragement here has helped me to push on, knowing that by my one year point, I will be feeling so much more confident.

I will say that I find things are becoming easier and faster, in terms of the charting. Oasis nearly made me cry, the first time (ok, I think I actually did cry). I had no training and was just thrown in. I felt like I must be the biggest moron, for feeling so overwhelmed and being so exceedingly slow in the paperwork. I laugh at that now, because of COURSE it was overwhelming. It was new! I can really get through those oasis questions SO much easier now (partly due to some great advice I have read on this board). I still take longer than the seasoned nurses, but I am telling myself that is ok, and no one at my job has told me otherwise.

To answer the original question posted on this thread, I would say that the unexpected for me was the vast quantity of knowledge that I had to acquire ON MY OWN.

Libby1987 · May 15, 2015

Thanks you guys!

I do love home health. I could do without the charting like everyone else and we all have those days where everything seems to fall apart but I love the patient care, both the hands on and the facilitating aspects. I read so much negativity about patients and caregivers on this board and I'm thinking, Dang! They're my favorite part!" I've met so many inspiring people in home health, they far outshine the few unpleasant ones. And that's what gets me through the tough days, having those moments throughout the week, sometimes the day, where the work is so meaningful. It's worth it to become efficient and competent. There are endless *shortcuts* but they take time to learn and develop. My own first 6 mos back was HARD, I cried a lot out of frustration and guilt (late nights and I'm a single mom), but then things start to click and you start to see your results.

There is a lot to learn, too many little random details to count, but once you've stored enough of them you can draw on them anytime you need without the laborious process of trying to figure out every darn thing for the first time.