Mommytracknurse

I've been working per diem since December- and I love home health- the only problem is that the pay is unstable- one week I'll work 20+ units- two weeks in a row I had one unit-and there's not another agency within my driving zone that I could easily...

Are you ever scared of going to a patients house by yourself for the first time? What are safety precautions that you take daily? I'm working in a rural area where there is rarely cell phone service and I'm just worried! Call me chicken- but it do...

So for three days now I've been playing phone tag with a drs office for a pt who is just going to be o&a- but needs a pt eval and pt/inr orders- other than a new med- there's no true nursing skilled service to provide.. When I call for the nurse...

So this week I'm going to start seeing patients on my own- and I'm freaking out!! There are skills I've yet to do- for example- I've never seen a patient get set up with at home IV meds- or how to do them- the company that supplies most of our patien...

Whoa- I can only imagine the tension you must've felt going back into that home!! Wow- you are brave!! That could've been a dangerous situation for you:( glad things turned out ok!!

So far all of the patients and their families have been receptive to having me there- just kinda nerve wracking to be out there on my own!! Thanks for everybody's suggestions and support!!

Thanks calliotter3- those are super helpful suggestions!! :). There are so many things that didn't worry me before- when I was with my preceptor but now I'm on my own!! And I kinda have some anxiety about being out there all alone!!

Thanks for all of the suggestions!! I faxed the order- and rec'd it back:). Just way different than hospital where everything has to be done immediately- or ten minutes ago- lol!!

Thank you callieotter3- that's a great way to think of it!! The manager hasn't mentioned that I refused on-call but I'm sure it'll come up eventually!! I had a really great day today- sweet kind patients that truly needed me to be there- in 12 degree...

Thank you!! To top it off- my manager sent me a message that they wanted to know what day I could cover on call this weekend and coming week-What!!! I'm not able to do a lot of the skills bc I just haven't seen them- like trach care, supra-pubic cath...

How do you handle difficult families? What's your strategy? What's your game plan? Just wanted to pick everybody's brains:) thanks!!

I was riding with an awesome preceptor- she was really showing me the ropes and she's a great teacher- loves home health and was really going over skills well- and I thought I'd be with her throughout this week- seeing patients under her guidance- do...

Thank you for your post!! I feel like I've lost a lot of confidence in having been off for a few years- some skills have definitely returned with ease- I forgot I'm actually pretty good with starting IV's and lab draws- woohoo:). But some things you ...

I was with my preceptor that day- and all she said was welcome to home health- that the family is sometimes harder to deal with than the patient!! So just thought i'd ask for other suggestions!! Lol:). Some families seem awesome and helpful- but othe...

Thank you for your post!! :).

Sorry!! Just remember-You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time- but you can never please all of the people all of the time!! I'm sure you're a great nurse- Facebook sucks!! And people who use it to trash ...

Funny article!! Used to work in a pain clinic- meth heads are not as scary as people on bath salts- they seriously might be zombies- super strong- and psychopathically crazy!!

This is awful!! Nursing is a field where you definitely are like a fine wine- better with age!! The experience and confidence of seasoned nurses is priceless to any facility an it blows my mind that they'd be willing to lose one of their most valuabl...

Very well written! Sometimes families just aren't ready or able to put their loved ones wishes above their own- revoking DNR's at the last minute- it's very sad that a persons suffering is prolonged at the end. I do think sometimes it's the termin...

Such as standing over your shoulder during wound care- telling you that you'd better take really good care of their mother because they aren't above suing!! Or a patients daughter that openly admits in front of her mother that she wishes she were sic...

Wow! Such emotion in such few words-very well written- I feel that hospice staff are truly called to do what they do day in and day out!! Thank you for your care during such an emotionally charged time!!

My orientation is 3 days a week bc I'm prn and that's all I'm able to do- but even at that- the first day was kind of a meet and greet- hr stuff-brought birth certificate- met office staff- pay roll- MCP QA- that kinda stuff- and the computer modules...

No way!! I'm not a new nurse- but new to home health- and I've had four weeks of orientation- with one week just hr stuff- before I could even go out to see patients with another nurse!! I have probably another 4 weeks before I'll be off on my own- a...

Oh!! How awful- sneaky sneaky cat!! You're right- if there's no clinicians to see patients bc they've been hurt on the job then that won't help patients!! I feel like the other nurses do minimize the risk factor- they all just seem to keep on walki...

So I'm new to home health-I've done the mommy track for the last 3 years just picking up prn work in a local drs office when their nurse needed off. I was recruited by a local home health agency for prn work. I was feeling fairly confident in being...