Question regarding paperwork

[Jolly]

Am very interested in knowing the amount of paperwork hospice nurses are confronted with in comparison to homecare nursing (Oasis forms, insurance papers and authorizations, documentation of necessity of services such as HHAs and medical equipment).

My reason for asking this is as follows:

I love homecare nursing, but absolutely despise the paperwork - the amount of time I spent on paperwork was probably 3 times the amount I did actual caring for my patients - 3, 4, 5 hours at home every night, and on weekends - and this was utilizing a laptop!. Needless to say, I left homecare because of this. I am in the line of research nursing now, and I am so very much missing the patient interaction and nursing skills that this position lacks. I am considering hospice, but, quite frankly, if the paperwork is anywhere near the amount as homecare, I will have to look elsewhere.

Please tell my about your paper workload. Thanks so much.

Laurie

[renerian, BSN, RN]

Much less. Did both. Hospice has less paperwork but horrible on call hours. JMHO.

renerian

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

I cannot speak for homecare because I have never done it, but from what I understand, it is much much less. It doesn't seem burdensome to me. Assessment for each visit, care plan every other week, home health aide evaluation every other week, death notes, that's about it except for odds and ends along the way. We are paid per diem by medicare, medicaid, and private insurances, so there is no need to file documentation to them of evidence of need for every single thing we provide to the patient. Private insurance companies usually just require documentation every 2 weeks showing the need to continue hospice services, and usually the assessment is enough for that.

[Jolly]

Thanks so much for your responses - they are very encouraging.

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

I worked inpt hospice. Really, there was far less paper-work involved in that job than any other nursing job I've had.