vbgniner

I have gotten a job offer for a home care case manager position. I am interested in the job, and also the day hours. However, I am nervous about the time at home charting in the evening, as I have a little one and a husband who works in the evening. I am currently working d/e in the ICU, and while I am content there, getting out of shift work may be a better fit for our home life and daycare situation. I am just not sure about how I will feel if I truly end up working 10 hour days with extra charting at home every night. My friend who works there says she usually has everything done by 5pm, but a handful of other people I have talked to say they do 1-2 hours of charting at night. I guess it all comes down to individual time management and style. I keep flip flopping about what I should do...knowing that if I don't try I won't really know, but then I am giving up a good union position that I may be hard to get back into if I hate home health/potentially long days. The company gives you 80 minutes per patient (regular visits) and that covers the visit, drive time, charting, and case management time. They do try to keep you in a territory so hopefully driving time isn't too bad. I am just wondering if anyone can offer some advice about how difficult it might be to truly get everything done in this amt of time..maybe one friend is a super nurse and everyone else is the norm? I like to think I am organized, but its hard to know how everything is going to go. Thanks!

Hi everyone. I am wondering if any of you could shed some insight for me about my current job dilemma. I work 8 hrs d/e in an ICU, but am really wanting straight days. My husband works 5p-3am varied days, and we are having challenges to finding an affordable day care situation (family is watching her currently). I have trying to think of jobs I'd like that would give me days/flexibility, minimal weekends/no holidays. I am currently interviewing for a home care case manager position. My concern is bringing tons of paperwork home with me. Besides clinic nursing (which may be too big a paycut), I can't think of anything else that would work. Its too hard to get say an occupational health job with no experience in that. I have been working in the hospital for 7 yrs now. I'd just like some thoughts on a job that has good hours and work/life balance. This home care thing may be alright, but I still have a lot of questions for the management when I have a face to face interview (and hope they are honest). Thanks!

Yeah, its hard to say how it will be. This is the largest home care company in the metro, they do 5-6 regular visits per day or up to 2 admissions only. I just wish I knew how long the paperwork actually took, and if its reasonable to think I can get it done between visits. I don't think I'd mind occasionally getting caught up in the evening, but not for hours! Thanks for your input!

Hi, I am looking for some advice as I am considering making a switch to become a Home care case manager RN. I am currently working in the ICU, and have been in the hospital for 7 years. I have a 1 1/2 year old, and both my husband and I are working shift work. My mother in law watches my daughter when we both work, but I am wanting more consistency in my schedule, like straight days, where I can have the option of finding a day care, even part time. I have asked a few people who work for this company (its a large health care organization) about the hours and nature of the work. I am hearing a lot on this thread about spending hours at home charting. How often/likely is it that I will bring home more than just a few loose ends to tie up? I'd like to think I have good time managment, but I am a realist and know how things go now at the hospital...things just happen and then you are stuck late dealing with them. I just want to feel like I won't have to bring work home with me very often. I would hate to leave my job just to be disappointed by how I really didn't understand what I was getting myself into with home care. I want the flexible schedule, more teaching/prevention, and day hours...but I don't want to feel like I am always bringing work home with me. Any thoughts are appreciated!

Hi, I was wondering if I could get some advice on what is like to work in postpartum. I recently applied to a peds/postpartum family center unit at the hospital, and at the interview was told it is mostly postpartum...it sounds like they are phasing out the peds. I am currently working in peds somewhere else, and in grad school for PNP, and while I like peds, I am WAY stressed out with the high acuity environment I am in now. I see some good learning opportunities and ways I can apply what I learn in postpartum towards my career. However, I'd really appreciate an "insider's" view about what I can expect if I make the switch. Thanks!

I am currently in a PNP program, and wondering what job opportunities are out there besides primary care/working in the hospital? What I have noticed is that there are not many jobs posted online, and my instructors have said that most jobs are found by networking and that they help us at graduation to find a job with their connections. I am getting burnt out doing bedside nursing, and am worried that I will get burnt out of pt care as a PNP also in a few years..so what other options would I have? Is it common to switch from being a PCP into say a consulting/public health role? I'd just like some input from those of you with experience so I can feel like I have a good, accurate picture of what I am getting into. Thanks!