Sadunlap

If I had thouight that kind of wage was do-able and the cost of living was not so hard I would have STAYED in Canada!!!! Alas, I did not stay and when I was there I was not making NEARLY close to that....

I can tell you at my home health agency we offer approx 3 months worth of training. Most of the challenge is the computer documentation system we use. Home Health is so regulated that much time is also spent reviewing that as well. Nursing skills that need extra training will be accomodated... there are a lot of people with limited phlebotomy skills and fortunately because we are affilitated with a hospital we are able to have them do lab draw rounds at the hospital and really beef up their skills there. We have competency checklists for all skills and also yearly skills labs for all clinical staff to maintain those rarely used skills. I think the company invests so much with each nurse because we are so alone out there and don't have the benefit of a complete back up team just a call away.

Ask to be paired with a preceptor / collegue that can mentor you for a full year. Doesn't have to be with you all the time but someone who would agree to be available for you telephonically when questions come up (and believe me they will) If the supervisor felt you could handle the job then that is the best testimony to your capability and hold onto that. Understand that the learning curve for ANYONE staring home health who has never worked it is huge... I used to tell ALL my new hires it would be 3 months before they felt relatively competent and at least a year before they felt proficient. Of course that is including the learning curve for the electronic documentation and all the regulations that accompany HH nursing... Hang in there! Be excited for this opportunity!

That is a tough spot to be in and as a previous single mum I feel your pain! HOwever, I do know that our particular agency we have many mothers who work per diem (if that is an option for you) and will work 6 hour days at a time so they are always home for their kids and then have the days off when the kids have off school. Those who work full time do have the flexibility of scheduling patient visits around the pick up and drop off times. It would be something worth looking into.

Oh that ROBOT Nurse really cracked me up!!! Still... food for thought isn't it? Made me think of my voice navigation system. I could just hear the Robot response to complaints from patients... would be my voice navigation system speaking.. "I'm sorry I did not understand your last command. Please press the talk button and speak a command, for a list of commands please say HELP"... hmm... sounds like a pretty good way to deal with the Chronic complainers.....

You are right.... 7 % is incredible especially these days in this economy!!! We are unionized out here in WA state and felt great to get 2 percent at our contract negotiations 3 years ago.. the company was pushing for pay cuts. It is a bit of a pickle isnt it? Medicare cutting reimbursement.... companies losing money or barely breaking even ... cost of living ever on the increase... little or no movement of salaries to offset the rise in cost of living... it will be interesting to see what happens at this years contract negotiations.

OH wow! Originally Vancouver BC - UBC then UTMB in Galveston Texas Then MLK and Verdugo Hills in Los Angeles CA Then St Josephs in Bellingham WA Now at Evergreen in Kirkland WA

I am a Canadian nurse who relocated to the USA. I actually came to the states licensed first by reciprocity then 8 years after taking my Canadian Boards I had to sit and take the 4 day USA boards as well before obtaining a California license. The monetary focus does put a new light on things but for the most part I have chosen to work in county or community facilities and not the private sector . That perhaps also makes a difference. I would say I worked just as hard in the ICU in Canada as I did in the ICU in the states. I would say however (and I wrote an article on this topic) that there is also a generation difference that perhaps accounts for some of what we are seeing. The Gen X and the Gen Y have different focuses then I certainly came out of nursing school with. The expectations are different. That being said, the team I work with currently is terrific, a multi disciplinary team that supports each other strives for excellent care for the patients, treats patients and families alike wholistically. The pay is excellent the benefits are very competetitive and the job stability is definitely present as well.

"OK ... you are right... nothing wrong with your hand - eye coordination... !"