Self-sufficient Nurses

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Specializes in Home Health.

At a recent meeting, out management staff asked field staff no to depend on the office for help unless absolutely necessary, since they are too busy. It was also mentioned that in the next year they company will be interested in nurses who are self-sufficient in the field and need no help from the office staff. I guess they will get fax machines for the field staff that can be used in the cars. They are still on paper, so we can look anything up on a laptop. What the heck?!

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They usually have not done much in the office anyway with any agency at any time. So I don't see how you are missing much.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

Wow, that was rude.

Try spending a day or two in the office and see what the office staff does and what kind of BS they put up with. You might be incredibly surprised.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

The lack of managerial and clerical support is one of the stressors that lead to burnout and turnover of the professional staff practicing in the field...especially those who are newer to the work.

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Specializes in Home Health.
Wow, that was rude.

Try spending a day or two in the office and see what the office staff does and what kind of BS they put up with. You might be incredibly surprised.

Thanks KateRN, but I have worked in more than one Home Health office in the past 9 years and what I see happening the most is weight gain. 99% of the office staff is obese. When an office can no longer provide ancillary support to a field nurse, the company is no longer worth working for. I rarely ask for help because in the past I never got the help I asked for. Why waste my time? I think the large amount of requests is coming from field staff that is not properly oriented. Who's to blame? The office, simply. They just can't understand that they can't get something for nothing.

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Wow, that was rude.

Try spending a day or two in the office and see what the office staff does and what kind of BS they put up with. You might be incredibly surprised.

I was not referring to what the people in the office DO all day, I have been in the office and have watched them, I was referring to what they DON'T do for the patients in the field. Only the truth.

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Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

Most of us in the office have been field nurses. Most of the field nurses have not been in the office. I do get very irate with field staff who think that it's a walk in the park to work in the office, that all we do is sit around and eat and chat and make up reasons to bug them. I started to go into a rant about lazy field nurses, but decided that really wasn't going to help matters any. All I can say is that you shouldn't judge until you've done the job.

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And it is not rude to state that I have found that when I do the tasks the office personnel are supposed to do, they get done.

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Specializes in Home Health.
Most of us in the office have been field nurses. Most of the field nurses have not been in the office. I do get very irate with field staff who think that it's a walk in the park to work in the office, that all we do is sit around and eat and chat and make up reasons to bug them. I started to go into a rant about lazy field nurses, but decided that really wasn't going to help matters any. All I can say is that you shouldn't judge until you've done the job.

I can also identify with what you say about 'lazy field nurses'. I've gotten the lame requests to call the doctor and tell them such and such and I refuse to to this, cause 1st hand information is best. Actually the can you call the doc is the greatest number of requests we receive, although my favorite is that I need such an such supplies could you get them and put them on my work station so they will be there when I come in. WTH, do I look like the butler! I guess I am ranting cause I've 99.9% have had it with home health in this heat. Gonna retire early and never look back!

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Wow, that was rude.

Try spending a day or two in the office and see what the office staff does and what kind of BS they put up with. You might be incredibly surprised.

i agree with KateRN1!!!!! i recently came into an office positon after 25yrs in the field, so i think when i say working in the office is not easy i speak the truth.....now i am NOT saying field work is easy, but you do only have "your" patients for the day to manage......in the office we have everyones patients to manage,,,because some nurses don't give a care,,,i am there to support you and help as i can, i am not your secretary because you don't have your patients phone #, i can't read your mind as to who to fax labs to if you don't call and tell me....i can't help if you did your documentation on the wrong form because you didn't have the right one in your car and now you are asked to redo it!, you have been given numerous education on things and yet you still don't get it.

you forget that you work 8-5 and get angry at me when your patient calls and needs to talk to you....you don't check your messages so i have to keep calling you......it really works both ways ladies and gents,,,,just because we work in the office doesn't mean we don't work long and hard.

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