PSA healthcare?

[WannaBNursey]

I saw a position for skilled RN visits through PSA healthcare and decided to give their office a call. I was told they pay $50/admission visit and $35/skilled visit. I was wondering if those were normal rates per visit. I'm also concerned about training through this company. How do they train new grad RN's for skilled visits? Or do they? I've read other things on this company that sound terrible, but those posts were from years ago.

I like the idea of PSA over another agency in my area because it's a national chain while the other is more mom and pop and would only be PDN while PSA is offering skilled visits and PDN. Please share your experience!

[TalarossaRN]

And they hire new grads?

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

And they hire new grads?

Yep. As long as they have an active license & pass their test.

[TalarossaRN]

Whoa!! Really?? Psa is really strict when it comes to experience...how come they are not consistent...

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

Whoa!! Really?? Psa is really strict when it comes to experience...how come they are not consistent...

I don't know. I guess it's hard with such a big company to keep tabs on every office. I haven't worked for them in awhile but the last time I went through orientation there was a new grad with me.

[WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN]

You do realize that PSA is pediatrics only, don't you. I work for PSA and in my state they will not even look at new grads because all of their kids are medically fragile. You need to have some sort of clinical experience to know what to look for when you're assessing these kids; not necessarily pediatric experience but something.

Yes, I realize it's pediatrics, which is why I was considering applying. I loved ped's and NICU during my rotation. That said, I do want to establish myself with a hospital first, go through orientation, become a solid nurse etc... before taking on a per diem job where I'm all on my own. I just wanted some information I figured that Medicaid payout wasn't going to change much even years from now if I do decide to do it.

When I spoke to them and specifically asked about orientation I wasn't given any concrete answers, just to apply and then speak with the Nursing Supervisor. I asked if they hired new grads and the woman on the phone was very enthusiastic and excited that I had my RN. Sounds like a "warm bodies wanted" situation.

[schoolnurse64]

I was offered a group interview with PSA Healthcare in NJ. Test was really easy, hired on the spot. Pay was only $21/hr, but I was a new grad. The other people at the interview seemed to have just as little experience; some weren't even certified in CPR, but were hired on condition they become certified. I turned down the job offer when I found out that there was only a one day orientation before starting your first case. I didn't want to work a job were I wasn't trained and risk losing my hard earned license!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

You do realize that PSA is pediatrics only, don't you. I work for PSA and in my state they will not even look at new grads because all of their kids are medically fragile. You need to have some sort of clinical experience to know what to look for when you're assessing these kids; not necessarily pediatric experience but something.

I worked for PSA as a new grad LPN as my FIRST job after licensure; there was skills testing, etc. I had an NGT (later converted to GT) case overnights. They sent me to a week long vent class before I took a vent case.

That was mine years ago; when I was orienting a new co-worker, she told me they hired her as a new grad...seems as though they still hire new grads....I am in a neighboring state from the OP, and it seems as though they still (occasionally) hire new grads.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Yep. As long as they have an active license & pass their test.

They called me the same day I found out I was a licensed nurse.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

PSA in my area does not do skilled visits, they are PDN only. Skilled visits as a new grad would be, IMO, harder than PDN because the parents are not always competent with the care for their kids. With PDN, at least where I'm from, the parents are expected to be fully competent with their child's care. With skilled patients, sometimes the reason we follow them is because their parents don't give their insulin or their G-tube feedings or their medications or steal their controlled substances. At least that's been my experience. I would not send a new grad out to do a skilled visit for any of the patients on my caseload, period.

[Budra3]

I recentley got hired with PSA (new nurse). they do offer in home orientation with a skilled nurse who knows the case. plus they offer office skills training and certain hospital training when they have specific clients that require special care. They give you as much orientation as you need to feel ready on your own plus they start you off on easy pts with reliable outcomes. Im excited to start working!

[nursearoo]

PSA does both adults and peds at most locations...there are some branches that only do peds.....some branches do home health aide cases as well...it all depends on the location.......I have worked for them for several years, and let me tell you, the location I work for has a very strict skills competency check off.....and they will send people home if they don't pass on the skills check offs....case managers have to sign off the staff before they even work on a case AND the new staff have to have orientation on any case they go on.....it can be an entire shift or several if need be...we also do in office 1 on 1 training for those who feel they need more training....and also if someone is a certain level, they cannot work on a higher level pt ....not even walk through the door of pt without coming in to be signed off on the needed skill.....and the case managers are very strict because they are signing their name off on the staff who is trained. It's not an easy walk in the door & be hired process.....people have been sent home even near the end of the orientation which is an all day thing......I even tell people up front when doing something such as vent class before we even start....that they WILL be sent home if I feel they aren't getting it or are unsafe......end of story... I worked for an agency before ( a different agency) and they had a couple of videos you watched on working for the company,,,,nothing on actual nursing tasks....and then you were hired.....and sent on cases even if you had no experience or never worked on that type of case before......that's scary.....PSA wants only competent safe staff and they ensure that those who get hired are just that. They are a good company to work for. I worked fore them as soon as I graduated & was licensed....yes I was a brand new nurse BUT I had years of experience caring for my own vented/trached/gt child so I wasn't "green" so to speak...even though "technically" I was a brand new nurse. When they want at least 1 year of experience, they mean for nurses who have never done nursing work at all and are fresh out of school. They are actually one of the best, if not THE best home care agencies to work for... :-)

[ButterflyRN90, ASN, RN]

I recentley got hired with PSA (new nurse). they do offer in home orientation with a skilled nurse who knows the case. plus they offer office skills training and certain hospital training when they have specific clients that require special care. They give you as much orientation as you need to feel ready on your own plus they start you off on easy pts with reliable outcomes. Im excited to start working!

Me too! Congrats on the new job! :)