The core of home health care..

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I saw a single patient today, unfamiliar to me in an unfamiliar urban area training a new to home health/new to us nurse.

If I can be coorifice, I *******' love this job!

I've been in home health a long time, in different capacities and I've seen a lot. I've had hellacious days/weeks/months. I've pulled over and cried, I've stood my ground, I've caved, I've walked on air.

But getting to do a single visit, run into unexpected adverse reactions, get the dr on his cell, make essential changes, get the patient set up, throw in some wound care all while teaching a wide eyed new nurse, I love it more than anything.

Nursing has it's challenges but if you are fortunate to love the basics of your job, you can still have those high five moments.

My dream job is training up home health nurses. Teach them everything I know to make this job as doable as possible and hopefully have inspiring moments that give them that walk on air feeling too.

I hope you all that are struggling with the frustrations of charting and your day falling apart etc will stick with it and build skills you can take with you to an ideal working arrangement. It's worth it.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

I always loved those moments too! Finding a patient taking 2 beta blockers and HR in 50's (hmmmm...wonder why??).

Mentally slow patient has 2 bottles of Coumadin and takes one out of each (while each are his actual dose...)

When the CHF patient FINALLY calls the office because of weight gain and you avoid a hospitalization!!!

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I truly loved some aspects of HH, one being the fabulous level of autonomy. Getting wound care orders based solely on what your eyes have seen and watching those wounds progress and heal is so gratifying. Obviously I love wound care, something I just do not get enough of at my current job.

There is much more to love about home health, and my years there helped shape me into a better inpatient nurse. It's amazing to be where the patient is their true self and to be able to help them make choices that are realistic for them and for their lifestyle. I could go on and on. I left a little piece of my heart behind when I left home health. *sniff*

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
I truly loved some aspects of HH, one being the fabulous level of autonomy. Getting wound care orders based solely on what your eyes have seen and watching those wounds progress and heal is so gratifying. Obviously I love wound care, something I just do not get enough of at my current job.

There is much more to love about home health, and my years there helped shape me into a better inpatient nurse. It's amazing to be where the patient is their true self and to be able to help them make choices that are realistic for them and for their lifestyle. I could go on and on. I left a little piece of my heart behind when I left home health. *sniff*

Agree, agree, AGREE! I did Home Health visits for 9 years and it was THE Best, for all the reasons you mentioned above. PLUS you are out-and-about, not confined by walls! I loved the variation. I've been everywhere from the worst see-through 'shacks' to the mansions with marble floors. I have met so many interesting people/families/pets and gained lots and lots of anecdotes! Loved that job, loved the autonomy, loved the creativity of fitting the plan of care to the patient, instead of vice versa. If I wasn't retired, I'd be doing it now!

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Why did you leave, may I ask?

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Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.
Why did you leave, may I ask?

You're probably asking the OP but I'll respond too in case you're mulling over HH and just curious....

I left it after 3 years because I graduated and became a NP so moved over to a clinic.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
Why did you leave, may I ask?

I left, because after 9 years my company was having medicare woes r/t a certain 'Financial Officer" who was trying to 'play' the system and got caught. The whole HH division's caseload was transferred to another company. That's when I switched to PD. The gas prices were out of this world by then and it just wasn't worth all that traveling anymore as mileage pay also took a big dip.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

My experience in HH was not as pleasant. I NEVER had a single patient visit day or anything close. More likely I completed my 6 or 7 visits only to be hounded by the office that the desperately needed me to do this or that before I went home. bah

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Just starting a second job now in Home Health. I'm lurking here, for now.

I didn't know yawl were HH nurses!

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My experience in HH was not as pleasant. I NEVER had a single patient visit day or anything close. More likely I completed my 6 or 7 visits only to be hounded by the office that the desperately needed me to do this or that before I went home. bah

How long did you work in HH, and what type of nursing ya doing now, toomuch?

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That particular day, same as today, I was training a new nurse and we only had the one patient. In the past I oriented while managing my own case load, now I'm doing some dedicated training, from a more supervisory aspect.

My company, specifically my immediate administration,consider 7 visits a huge day and would never ask to do more, they're practically apologizing for the 7. I'm PPV when I'm seeing patients and 7 means well compensated, 8 is mad money and purely voluntary.

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As FFS (yes, they still call it that) the one weekend a month I work, I must do 5. 1 SOC =2.

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