Starting new job on Monday - need advice.

nursesearl, BSN, RN · Jan 21, 2006

Best thing to do is ride with a HH nurse BEFORE you accept a position. HH is not easy. That's the only advice I could give you now.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jan 21, 2006

read these 2 articles prior to starting job.

nurse week: nw0701: getting started in home care

i ask all my new staff to read this one!

nursing spectrum: ce109d: for nurses new to home care

then read

understanding medicare homecare regulations

check out the other stickies at top of forum too!

weetziebat · Jan 22, 2006

:) thanks so much for your answers, lsearl and karen. i really appreciate your help. will read all the info today, so i am more prepared. :)

melrina75 · Jan 22, 2006

i worked pedi hh for about a yr and stayed with one charge for the entire day. didn't do house to house visits (rn recerts and new admits did go house to house). i was in a foster home and there was 4-6 nurses. we all came in dressed in scrubs and tried to stay professional with the family, but was difficult at times to keep the professional boundaries the company states time and time again! some nurses(including myself) would get so comfortable in the home professional boundaries went out the window!! my advice would be know the rules and regulations of your state regarding hh nursing and the rules of your hh agency. families of your pt's like to think of the nurse as their personal servant and forget they are not your supervisor!! yes, you abide by the family's rules, but they do not govern you job duties!!

good luck;god bless!!

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jan 22, 2006

Hi Weetziebat -

I am also starting a new job tomorrow. It's in NICU, not HH. And unlike yours, my nursing career is just beginning. But I wanted to wish you the best of luck. I have a good feeling that tomorrow is going to be a great day for both of us.

Eric

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jan 22, 2006

I wish you all the best Weetzers. :kiss

Once yuou've been in it awhile, let me know what you think. Have considered this myself for some time now. I know I'm not going to be able to do dialysis for the next 10-15 years, so I'm open to options.

Keep us posted ! :)

weetziebat · Jan 22, 2006

melrina, those are good points - i'll be sure to remember them. thanks :)

eric, thanks so much for the good wishes. i used to work in nicu, and absolutely loved it - hope you do too! :icon_hug: best of luck in this, the beginning of your nursing career.

jnette, thank you, sweetie. will do - let's hope i like this area of nursing. :rolleyes: hey, what happened to the pigs? i was kind of getting attached to them : - )

DDRN4me · Jan 23, 2006

Weetzie, congratulations on t he new job! I have done home health for years and love it!!... some advice....it depends on your agency whether you wear street clothes or scrubs, most vna nurses i know wear "business casual" not too dressy cuz ya might get messy! :rolleyes: be aware of your surroundings at all times, look for anything suspicious in the area before you get out of your car! I always remeber that i am a guest in the home and try to respect that their lifestyle may be different from my own...see Leslie's threads regarding her hospice pts... :eek: you will probably love the variety of it, and it never gets boring! good luck and let us know how it goes! mary

weetziebat · Jan 23, 2006

mary, thanks :)

you raise more great points, which i will remember. i am sure hoping i like it - think i can handle the paperwork, especially since we can do it at home, and the variety is something i'm looking forward to.

DianeS, RN · Jan 23, 2006

weetzie,

congrats!:w00t:

i don't have any advice for you. but i wish you the best of luck. :kiss

suzy253, RN · Jan 23, 2006

Hiya Weetzie. Just wanted to wish you all the best in the start of your new job today (it is today, isn't it??? ). Let me know how it works out. Maybe that's something I should consider as well.