So overwhelmed..any advice?

Specialties Home Health

Published

Does anyone else feel as though they are working almost 24/7 doing HH? I started doing HH about 1 1/2 years ago long story short our agency is short staffed we are seeing 7-9 pts daily 5 days a week. I am salaried to see 5 pt's daily but lately haven't felt like I've had no other choice to see more because I want my pt's to be seen. I am feeling like all I do is see pt's and come home and finish up charting and phone calls until bed time. Has any one else ran into this issue? I have spoke to my manager about it but she just blows it off with the same response "We are thinking about hiring another nurse" . How many pt's do most of you see? And is that is that enough or do you feel overwhelmed too?

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Specializes in oncology, trauma, home health.

Are you working for Amedisys? Sounds like it.

You poor thing. Time for a new agency. I see 4-6 pt's a day. I am hourly. I feel more relaxed than at any other job I've had.

I am usually done by 3 pm.

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Have been in home health for 5 years. I used to see 5 a day, but last year the boss demanded all f.t to see 6, or the equivalent of. Travel also has been extending out. Our homecare company is not large, and they keep trying to put the squeeze on everyone. Moral is in the toilet. Six a day is do-able, as long as your not driving 100 miles a day.

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Specializes in LTC/hospital, home health (VNA).

I have seen 7 in a day...but only once in a blue moon. And they were all stable, routine follow-up CV checks or wound care. They are busy days...doable, but busy. We average 5-6 in a day ( or equivalent of). I feel that gives us enough time to actually spend the needed time with the patient without feeling too rushed. I usually have some charting to finish up at home...usually done by 3-4pm. 8 or 9 visits in a day...no way!!! Might as well have stayed in the hospital :( Hope things get better for you!

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Thank for the input... I Havent been wanting to give up on this HH agency but am considering it now. I just dont feel like I can give my pt's very good care when I am so over loaded and the managment dosent even care. It's nice too see how everyone else views a "full day" and the amount of pt's you can give care to while still being able to enjoy your jobs and take good care of the pt's.

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Been doing HH 13 years, have seen 18 in a day, our nurses average 10 daily visits

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How could you see 18 a day?!?! There is not enough hours in a day! I would be so gone....

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Specializes in Home Health, MS, Oncology, Case Manageme.

18 in a day? Is that a typo?

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I manage my workload because I don't do visits, only shift work. I limit my number of days per week and number of hours per day and number of patients to what I feel comfortable with at the time for whatever reason. I have worked 121 hours in one week, and was averaging 96 to 108 hours for quite awhile. But when I wanted to cut back, I cut back. I work anywhere from 4 to 16 hour shifts, but usually average 8 hour shifts. If the agency wants too much from me, I just say no. I worked myself into the hospital a few years back, and no employer is going to make me do that again. As simple as that. It is easier to manage your workload when you do shifts instead of visits.

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RAchelks-

you are being taken advantage of! And guess what, it's YOU that allows that. Because we have good hearts and want to help other's is why we went into nursing. But it's also the reason we get taken advantage of! Are you being paid for the extra visits?

If your boss allows you to be taken advantage of like this, they will think nothing of selling you out too. A good boss has your patient's BEST interest along with THEIR nurses!

While reading your post, I was thinking...Are you working for Amedisys? then I read the next post...I laughed so hard! I was on call every other weekend, and it was work. The weekends had become two more days to work, because they didn't have the staff to do what the two RN's could do all week. So, every other weekend, my friend and I were doing two more days of work. When she accidently charted on the wrong patient, they first told her "we understand. You are so overworked, it could happen to anyone" Well guess what, once they got two other nurses in there, all of the sudden, she went against company policy, and was FIRED. This after seeing at least 10 patients a day. (I live in the 5th largest city, so that's a lot of drive time too)

Luckily, I was gone from there and found an AWESOME place to work. The other day I was commenting on having to do 9 OASIS in one pay period. My two bosses at different times asked, do you have too much right now? What can we do? Point is, there are WONDERFUL people out there that appreciate you. Your job does not sound like one of those places. You still need a LIFE. My friend and I both found great places to work. The other day we were eating lunch and were talking aobut how we were taken advantage of. We both agree, WE ALLOWED IT! Guess what, we both found jobs that we are appreciated in, AND better pay. Yeah, I miss my old patients, but they are the same ones at different agencies. I miss the old staff too---we had some of the BEST therapist ever. But I can still call them, go have lunch and the new ones are new to me, but they are pretty good too.

I say it's time to jump ship. Find a job that appreciates your talents. Good luck.

FYI--My highest number of visits was 14--one day. But that was before a hurricane, and my main concern was did they all have supplies, shelter, meds....So not the typical day.

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My agency is currently "asking politely" that nurses see 6-7 pt minimum in a day, no matter what. And SOCs, recerts, or ROCs are NOT considered more than one visit. You have an agency-wide meeting that runs two hours? too bad, you still need to see at least 6 patients. 6-7 is fine, but there's NO top cap, so heaven forbid your area explodes and you get 3 admissions a day for a week, because you're SOL. We have people stuck seeing 10-12 patients on occasion with no relief. If I was per diem I'm be loving the hell out of the situation, but I'm staff and my company is NOT paying overtime right now. I'm going to be hitting up job fairs pretty soon.

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Well, my thoughts on that are:: What about your mental health? You work like that, then you will burn out--eventually. It always happens. Will they be there for your "mental health days" then:smokin:? "No!" Then they will move on to the other poor soul that is willing to do it. AND if they are not paying you more $, why stay?

But mostly, I'm sorry, seeing that many patients day in and day out, with RCTS, ADMITS, SOC, etc, mistakes are bound to happen. Labs getting missed, Someone not seen, etc. Patient safety FIRST.

Bottom line, if you are willing to do that, then they will continue to abuse you. I know it's a tight economy, but for the most part, I think you can find something else. Believe me, I'm not judging. I was there too. It's just that there are people out there that really do care and would NEVER ask that of you. And why stop at 7 or 8? I mean, that's easy to do---just do the paperwork at home then you can do 9 or 10.:icon_roll

Just my two cents....:twocents:

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