Newbie Needs Help

Hello,

I graduate from an ADN program in 26 days and will get my RN. I have an interview next wek for a home health position. I don't know much about Home health and need to know the good and bad. Would you recomend it for a new nurse? I am green as grass you know. Is Med/Surg a better place to start? I'll take all the advise I can get.

MedicGA

One more thing, can you give me some ideas for really tough questions to ask at my interview?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

If you can get a job on a med-surg floor straight out of school..do it! Home care requires many different skills, especially assessment and time management skills and I think it would be very difficult to handle it as a new grad.

Home care is not recommended for someone fresh out of school. New grads do not have the assessment skills necessary to work home health; you would be on your own with very little resources if you're in a situation and not sure how to handle it.

Thanks for your suggestions. I also have the possibility of working in LTC as a charge nurse. Maybe that is the better route right now.

MedicGA

Um......I dont mean to sound unsupportive, but new grad and charge nurse are not usually synonymous........

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Um......I dont mean to sound unsupportive, but new grad and charge nurse are not usually synonymous........

When I was a new grad and got hired to work in a hospital on 3-11, I walked onto the floor and was informed by the evening supervisor that I was the charge nurse for the evening. "But," I stammered, "this is my first shift ever working in a hospital!" "You're the RN," she said and left me there. No one died and everything got done but, you're right, you really need a smidge of experience at least before being a charge nurse anywhere.

[jmgrn65, RN]

home health is definetly not for new grads. You wouldn't like it either as there is absouletly no support.

Hey,:welcome:

I am one month into home health. I had a year in a step down unit and then icu- I would strongly suggest at least a good year on the floor. You are totally independent in the home, which is good, but also can be trying for someone as "new" as me. You are it. Home health is a great field-one that is often overlooked by others. However, experience is the only "true" teacher of nursing. School is your foundation-expand on your foundation and then come on into home health. It is a wonderful field when you are ready.