Timetochange08

a tiny bit of icy hot or bengay can make a vein more visible for IV starts!

I usually see my first patient around 9:00am. I get up between 6:30 and 7:00, get my son on the bus, then head out. We use electronic charting, home care home base and it's awesome! I give my patients a 1-2 hour window, depending on if I am doing an admit that might require extra time or I anticipate more time needed at any particular patients home in which case I give 2 hours. Our office is extremely organized, I do very little case managment. I am responsible for case managing my patients but because everything flows so smoothly, I spend little time case managing. Good luck to you!

25 is definitely reasonable in my opinion! I've been doing home health for several years now and can see 5 patients in about 5 hours, maybe less. Granted, I only drive a few miles between patients. Remember though, an admission is usually considered 2 visits (but pays more) and where I work, an ROC or recert is 1.5 visits. Hope this helps...good luck on your new adventure!

Agree with ProBeeRN. Where I work, we have about 30 nurses employed but only 3 are full time. The 3 full time have benefits and they must be fully staffed first. Then, visits go out to PRN nurses. We can pick and chose the areas we want to work in and turn down any visit they call you for. Once you accept a patient, you do all the visits and follow the patient to dishcharge. There have been times when I was doing 20-25 visits a week. Here lately, I'm averaging 7-10 and haven't done an admission in over 3 weeks! Sign up with more than one agency, that helps but your salary will vary from week to week.

Love, love, love home care home base. I have been using it for about a year now and have nothing but good things to say. I use the stylus for having my patients sign my PDA and checking boxes and things but yes, it does write as well. I find I don't need to write anything, just check the boxes on the oasis that are appropriate. I like that I can see a calender of visits, what disciplines are involved, when they are seeing the patient, current orders, meds, everything! Our office has no problems with this software!

Today I was offered a DON position (applied for PRN field nurse) which pays really well. I'm feeling nervous, I have lots of field experience but not supervisory experience. I know oasis in and out from a field perspective but I also know there are LOTS of things I don't know from a DON perspective. I have about 10 years home health experience. Just super nervous because I have always worked in the field. Has anyone made this transition and have any advice to offer?

Thanks so much carwin! Your tips put my worries to rest!

Does anyone use kinnser software for documenting their visits? I work in home health currently but we use home based home care and I love it! I just interviewed for another agency using kinnser and was wondering if it is user friendly...anyone?

thanks rnmich, it's nice to hear from someone from a hiring perspective! Your thoughts are appreciated!

Does anyone work PRN for two different agencies? I currently work PRN for one agency that I absolutely love. We use home base home care and I find it so easy, the back up staff in the office is wonderful, I am never on call and I don't want to leave this job. However, it is usually slow. I haven't done an admission in almost 3 weeks. I do maybe 10 visits a week and would like to be doing twice that. I am thinking of working PRN for another agency and it seems manageable. I prefer PRN because my dad lives with me, has end stage COPD and needs daily assistance with some things so I try to make myself available. Does anyone work for more than one agency and have any advice to offer? Benefits is not an issue, I have 401K and medical through my hubby...

Doc want so quickly diuresis patient. Doesn't want to give PO lasix. I was just concerned because I have never given those dose but I do understand that if renal failure is severe enough, it won't have a huge effect anyway. Just worried about my patient's blood pressure bottoming out when I am not there to assess her. Maybe I am overly concerned...

Hello everyone, Ok, I am not new to home health, been doing this for quite a few years. Today I have been asked to administer 100mg Furosemide IM to a patient in the home setting. Patient has history of heart transplant, on the list for kidney transplant, HTN, DM. I feel very uncomfortable doing this. MD says "patient has had lasix in the hospital before". Ok, maybe so, but 100 mg at a time. I also work in a hospital and have never administered more than 80 mg at a time IV push. Patients BP is usually 150's over 70's. BP can sustain this kind of dose but still, it concerns me. Any thoughts or advice?

Hello everyone! This is my first post here so go easy on me! I have been a nurse for 12 years, mostly med/surg and home health. I currently only work weekends to allow me to stay home with my son and elderly father. I was thinking of doing some flu clinics in the evening a day or two a week to make some extra money for Christmas. Does anyone have any experience to speak of doing this? Any advice would be appreciated!