sjmartin4

I do the same thing as above...look around the room and find something to ask them about. I used to be very shy...that phase is long gone after 18 yrs in home care! Food is a great topic....I have gotten some of my best recipes from patients! Take your cue from the patient, you will be able to dicern if they want to talk or not.

When we, at our agency, have to endure an infested home we take a stethoscope and bp cuff only. Try to remember the vs and record them later. I have already taken a plastic grocery bag with ONLY what I needed for certain visits, particularly if they needed wound care. . I never take my nursing bag into homes that have infestations. I have to defend myself also, I could potentially carry roaches from the home to my car and to my home (YUCK)!! We have an senior apt building we go into daily that had a bed bug infestation, we were on bp cuff and stethoscope only mode there also for several weeks till they felt they had it under control.

I am determined to start this new year off on a better foot! I have been employed by the same agency for 18 yrs, first ft, then pt and now prn. I work 2-3 days/wk, sometimes I work for the main branch though most times for 'my' branch. Occasionally, I case manage, most times though I just float around. I need some help on organizing paperwork. I carry a 3 ring leather binder, but think I need to upgrade to a full fledged notebook. What are your thoughts on organizing Oasis C updates/info, dme company info, agency phone/extension numbers, pt teaching sheets (chf charts, bgt charts)...etc, etc...? I have an accordian folder in my car where I keep extra forms..payroll, time sheets, labs forms etc. Where to keep hospital phone books, extra labs supplies, etc? I try to not go to the office more than 1 time/wk so I try to keep fully stocked, while keeping the car neat at the same time, but the clutter drives me INSANE! Things are changing at a pace that is fast and furious and we get inundated with paper updates and the new Oasis c is challenging to say the least and it is leading to a new stock of folders and papers. I feel like everything needs to stay with me in my car so I have easy access. My bag weighs a ton and has led to some tendonitis issues in my left shoulder, the laptop is too heavy, but I need it in every home. Any ideas for a different bag that is compatable with a laptop, I currently use the Hopkins home care bag, but it is fairly large... Sorry if this sounds scattered, but any help is much appreciated! sjmartin4