transition to home care

annaedRN, RN · Jan 9, 2009

Read through the threads here - you'll see why most of us love HH and what the pet peeves are. I work Mon-Fri 8-430 (banker's hours!!) There are plenty of days I am home by 1-2pm...still have some phone calls and charting to finish up...but I am home. Able to walk the dog, get the kids of the bus, throw a load of laundry in, etc. And, I have been able to run errands through the day ( bank, gas, pharmacy...) We have weekend RNs but we do have to take turns for overnight weekend call but only about every 6 weeks or so. We also have a FT on-call night nurse which works well for her and her little ones. I love the one-on-one, the time to teach, the rewards. I feel that I do not lose any skills - we do IVs, lots of wounds, catheters, trachs, etc.

The biggest challenge is learning the paperwork and staying organized. Learn to chart as much as possible in patient's home so you do not bring too much home with you. Make sure what you do bring home..you finish that day or you will soon be WAY behind. It's easy to put it off when you get home because there is so much else to do there.

So, while there is no such thing as a perfect job...I really enjoy mine (a non-profit agency which does make a HUGE difference) and it is very kid-friendly job to boot! Good luck with your decision.

annaedRN, RN · Jan 9, 2009

Oh...and we do case management too. Salary is about what I would make in the local hospital without all the overtime :)

7starbuck7 · Jan 9, 2009

So, with the case management, are you assigned x number of pts? What would be a normal case load?

I am going to have to go for a few interviews to check out the salary. I made over 70K last year, but that is on weekend option plus one. I don't know if I can take the pay cut plus the driving.

Thanks!

annaedRN, RN · Jan 10, 2009

We have our entire territory divided into smaller territories to help minimize excess travel. So typically the patients admitted in "my" territory are on my case load. It can be anywhere from 10-25 at any given time. I am responsible for the scheduling and follow through with the plan of care. Making sure that all disciplines (HHA, PT, OT, MSW) are all on the same page. If it is a high tech/more complicated case I make sure I or another RN see them. We also have LPNs that work with us to help see the patients. A normal day is 5-6 patients. We get reimbursed for mileage. The IRS rate is 50.5 cents/mile, so if you don't receive reimbursement you can claim it on taxes. It all depends on your area, but I average around 30-40 miles a day....can be as low as 10 and occasionally 85-90. Some people in rural areas drive that distance just to get to work without getting reimbursed...just depends on where you live.

As fas as salary, most HH nurses don't make quite as much as in other areas, but the job itself is worth it IMO. I guess it's a matter of deciding if you can live on a smaller salary and have the benefits of a better schedule and a more family friendly job. It's fairly normal to simply schedule your or your kids appointments as needed and you can arrange you day/patients around it....something that does not happen easily in a hospital. Today, I saw 2 patients then went to the grocery store, went home for unloading groceries, walking the dog and ate lunch then saw my other 2 patients. Finished up visits and charting by 4:30 and now can enjoy the weekend! Just another day as a HH nurse. Some days are crazy, some are slow..but each is different and usually :) rewarding.