Nursing Home vs Home Care

[ceefde9891]

Hi,

I have a big dilemma and I came here for some advice. Here it goes:

I am an RN for 2 years. It took me some time to find a job but I ended end getting one about 10 months after passing my boards. This was a per-diem home care position. Even with this job I was still actively searching for a different full-time position. About 6 months ago, I was offered a per-diem position at a nursing home. So, for a couple of months, I was working at both this home care agency and at the nursing home. I was then given a full time position at the nursing home, which I took. I tried doing some cases for the home care agency (while working full time at the nursing home), which was extremely difficult. However, I didn't officially resign from the home care place since when I started out at the nursing home full time, I wanted to make sure I liked it. So here is the problem: I can't stand the nursing home. I am the charge nurse for the floor with many patients and no staff. Even with the already minimal staff we are provided with (for such a high census), we often have to work short a CNA which only places a bigger burden on me. Although I officially have 8 hours work days, I never leave before 10 hours; I have even stayed almost 4 hours past my time (I do not get paid for overtime). This is not because I don't know the work and how to do it. It is not because I am a slow worker or lazy. It is because it's nearly impossible to finish all the work they expect of me in my shift. Every day they add on more paperwork and other nonsense that keeps taking up more of my time. In addition, they take off an hour of my pay every day for lunch. Not only have I never taken my hour lunch break; I've never even taken a two minute break. I sometimes can't even go to the bathroom since I am so busy. When I do get a one minute chance to use the bathroom, I am bothered with a knock on the door "nurse, nurse!". The nursing home has in-services almost every day for all staff which I am required to go to. There goes another hour of my time.

So basically, as you can see my description, I would love to find another job, especially at a hospital. It is hard to apply anywhere since I am always working. I come home late and go to bed since I am so tired.

Now, I was offered a full-time position at the home care agency I previously worked for. I am undecided what to do. I really want to leave my current position since it's stressful, demanding, and long hours. But I do think that in the long run it may be better to have as experience on my resume, in terms of getting a hospital job. I am also not thrilled about doing home care but my job at the nursing home is so bad that I feel the home care position will be better for me right now (even though in the long run it may not be.)

Any ideas, thoughts, advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for taking the time to read this really long post!!!

[bookbunny]

If you are unhappy, I'd say, follow your heart - you can't determine now what opportunities may come in the future, even if you believe that staying in a nursing home would fare better on your résumé. I would address your concerns with your administrator or director and tell them why you feel your situation is unfair based on the facts. I'm not yet a nurse, so I may be speaking out of ignorance, but you appear to be quite unhappy, feeling used, overwhelmed, and now searching on. If you are moving on, why not have a candid conversation first, so you know you did all you could? I hope that helps. I wish you the best.

[Career2_BSN, BSN]

I have a girlfriend who works in the HR dept of a large chain of hospitals in San Diego, CA. (A well-known, prestigious chain). According to my girlfriend, they are more likely to hire nurses with Home Health experience than those with LTC experience. Their logic - they want people with acute care experience and in their opinion, you are more likely to encounter that in home health.

When you chat with nurses on AN, you'll learn that there's a lot of acute experience to be gleemed in LTC, but those stinkin' hospital folks don't recognize that fact unless they've worked LTC personally...and recently.

It could be Home Health is the right place for you to be now for various reasons...

Best of luck to you!!

[ceefde9891]

Thank you for the advice.

I have spoken to both my supervisor and director of nursing at the facility regarding my workload and staying late. All my supervisor would say is that she knows it's a lot of work and that she'll help me. While she does help with some of the paperwork, there is still so much to be done. Also, she leaves on time so when all the work from the day piles up, it's still my responsibility, not hers.

I spoke to the Director as well. She didn't quite help me out much either. She said I should delegate some of my responsibilities (being that it is appropriate) to my LPN, which I do already.

So my facility isn't exactly the place that is going to help me make the job easier:(

[miasmom]

Believe e.m I have too much time in Long term care. I still remember before fingersticks. Get out. Find another home health area if needed. Long hours. To much work. Constant interruptions. Sicker patients. Demanding families. No increase in staffing. Easy way to burn out.