tk3100

Maybe, slightlymental_RN. However, it does confirm my belief that nursing does drive a person to drink!

I saw the position you are talking about, I think. I took it as someone that administers the non-skilled waiver programs that the home health agencies staff. The DHS folks make referrals to the home health agencies that do non-skilled waiver services and hold the agencies responsible for following the care plan/ orders and providing the staff.

I just think that that many active patient cases for 485 reviews and oasis review and submit alone is enough to make a person crazy. I am not a certified coder, but I had more home health experience than almost any of the clinicians and supervisors.

I agree with that. I am still reeling over being fired yesterday due to "poor performance". I really do not know what else she wanted from me. She said that there were missing recerts and I should have known this. This follows a state survey that I was not told about until the moment I was fired. Everyone was talking about how well the survey went. How in the world could that be if there were recerts missing? This was apparently not the responsibility of the clinician, their supervisor, the secretary that tracks this, but mine alone. What I would like to know, is that does anyone think that approx 650 active patients to review oasis and submit, plan of treatment reviews, and many other duties is an acceptable load? I never thought of myself as a slacker before, but I am interested to hear the honest opinion of other home health folks. There has been talk of corporate restructuring, and many others have been laid off or fired very recently. I am truly at a loss.

A proud, southern conservative to add to your list:)

I am wondering. How many cases should one person be responsible to review and submit oasis for? Is there a maximum amount? My agency requires that I am responsible for approx 650. We have a relatively new computer system within the last year and many new to home health clinicians. I am also responsible for teaching the new clinicians, safety/ OSHA, compilation of reports, Plan of Treatment reviews, and anything else my boss can dream up for me to do. I also write grants when they ask ( I have done two in the last few months). Does this sound right. I thought that most people who do coding and oasis review do this as a full time position. Any opinions? Is there a resource I can use to cite what can be expected of one person in this position?

Nursing supervisor, just hired, in LTC. I think my salary breaks down to about $21.50 per hour. I live near Fort Smith, Arkansas (second largest city in the state).

I did it with a toddler and a crumbling marriage while working weekends. Very difficult, but it can be done.

Virgo here. Worked ICU, surgery, and home health/hospice.

It sounds like you have been lied to! No, you must do an LPN program to be able to take the nclex(nursing licensure test) and then be licensed in your state as a nurse. I'm so sorry for you.

Well, you would think that curriculum would be the same wherever, but I am told by a couple of people I know that started at UAFS and went to another school afterward that they found a difference. One was in the LPN program and failed a test then went to the LPN school at Ozark. The other left the RN program (not sure if she failed a test or what) so ended up at Carl Albert State College in Poteau, OK. I can say that I believe that some of the instructors were unreasonable in their expectations. That was primarily in the ADN program. I personally cannot say that it is more difficult than any other, as I have not attended any other LPN or ADN programs. As far as the length of time it took to get the ADN after LPN, I did 2 semesters full time for prereqs, one summer for the bridge program, then 2 semesters of the ADN program. Essentially, my LPN certificate replaced semesters 1 and 2 of the ADN.

I did both the LPN and ADN programs there. Yes, the curriculum is tough. The pass rate is high for nclex as compared to other schools statewide. I don't really know the instructors there now, as I finished my ADN in 1997. I can say that I got much more clinical time in my LPN program, but I think that is commonplace. Probably 90% of clinical practice is learned after graduation at the bedside, but I felt that I had a good foundation to build on. I would definately reccomend those programs. I started the online BSN there, but transferred to Oklahoma Wesleyan University because it was the first year for UAFS to offer the program and the bugs weren't quite worked out yet. Best of luck in whatever you choose!

Not sure where this number comes from, but I pay less than $275/mo for insurance for my family of four. This is with a $2500 deductable, but as you well know that is the equivalent of 15 min in the ER. After the deductable all is paid at 80%. All I had to do was pick up the phone and talk to my insurance agent. My son had a $3700 ER visit in January, so everything after that was covered at 80%. Since I had insurance to bill, I was allowed to pay out my balance. Dental is included in this plan. I would never go back to employer sponsered insurance, ever.

Thank you for your responses! I tried to do the research online for myself, but I didn't understand what I was reading. You've been a big help.

Anyone know GS of BSN with 16 yrs total nsg experience? I am interested in VA nsg, but wondering what kind of pay.:heartbeat

I address them by their first names.

Not sure why you were terminated for this. It was a matter of routine to have several things connected to pump/tubing when I worked in ICU. As long as you weren't running something concurrently in the tubing with the blood except NS...... what is the issue?

Reciprocity?

Of course I am not from Florida, but I have never heard of such a law. My HH agency has a non-compete agreement they want you to sign upon employment. But I am not so sure than your DON hasn't told a complete untruth on this matter.

Best of luck in your endeavors, as they richly deserve it. Administration seems to care only for the bottom line. While I realize that not all admin is this way, I have not yet met one that isn't willing to throw patients and staff under the bus in favor of the almighty dollar.

My aunt was told by one of her instructors that she would never be a decent nurse, so she just needed to drop out. She has been a nurse now for over 20 years and is the director of an ambulatory surgery center. Hmmmmmmmmmm......

An issue such as this came up last night for me. My neighbor calls me at home and says her mother in law's cath is leaking and her home health agency has discharged due to refusal of care. She didn't come right out and say "please drive the 30" trip over to mil's facility and change her cath", but I knew that was what she wanted. Liability. No way I would do this. I told her that she needed to go to a walk in clinic or ER to have it changed if the facility would not (she is in ALF).

Also, I spend between 30 min to an hour in most homes, some longer depending on why I am there. Home health is pretty autonomous, and in part that is why I like it. Lots of critical thinking and judgement calls. Now is the time that you get to use all the experience you have worked for to make decisions. Another thing I love is the avoidance of office/hospital politics. Just me an my talk radio while I drive. Nice.

My agency doesn't have a protocol,per se, but I list my paramaters on the 485 and call the doctor if they are outside parameters.

I do. What is your question about them?