Very unexpected job opportunity - need feedback please

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this - I know they will move it if it is inappropriate here. I just need some feedback on a very unexpected job opportunity that fell into my lap a few days ago.

Background - I graduated with ADN April '08. Started on L&D, 6 weeks' orientation on days, then went to nights (I was hired for nights). Crashed and burned after realizing I could not sleep during the day no matter what I did or how exhausted I was. Forced to leave my dream job. Started working PRN in an Endo unit at a GI practice, post-anesthesia/recovery nurse, still doing that. Also picked up PRN jobs at 2 family practices. As other PRNs know, it is feast or famine. The zero benes work out okay as I am on my husband's through his job. I enjoy doing all jobs, though the fam practices pay little (one pays 16/hr, one 14 - not much). The Endo pays $20.

Saw an acquaintance Thurs night - she is the executive director of a home health agency here in town. It is a nationally owned franchise. She mentioned that she was in serious need of an RN supervisor to do "sup visits" 16 to 20 hours a week and couldn't find anyone because everyone she interviewed wanted full-time. I do NOT want full-time as I need some flexibility for kids appts, etc.

The job pays $23 an hour (more than I made bedside in L&D and obviously more than the other jobs). No benes. The hours are totally flexible - I can work when I want, no weekends or holidays - so long as I get my sup visits in and get the paperwork in. I can work 2 8-hr days a week or any combination of hours/days I choose to, so long as it is 16-20 hours (I can choose how many). The job would entail visiting pt homes and "overseeing" the CNA or Nurse, checking the plan of care and determining if it is being followed, having the CNA or Nurse do one demonstration of care for me (accu check, in & out cath, G-tube feed, etc), speaking with the client about whether they feel they are getting appropriate care, then moving on to the next home. I would have up to 10 pts to visit in one day but the visits average 15-20 mins each. Then back to the office to enter the documentation into a computer, file paperwork, etc. Oh, and .45 cents per mile reimbursement. She kept calling it a "cream puff" job. Does anyone have actual experience with this kind of job? I would do patient visits one of the 2 days, then paperwork in the office the other day. For the 3rd day (half-day) I could visit any pts I didn't get to see the 1st day or finish paperwork.

It would entail very little (almost no) hands-on nursing work or skills. I could (and would) choose to participate in all their in-service training sessions for vent/trach, wound care, G tube, PICC flush, etc. Though I wouldn't be actually using these skills very often if ever. I learned early on that bedside nursing isn't my ultimate goal, so I feel that this could be a great opportunity to learn case management, which I'd like to do full-time eventually, once the kids are older. Am I skipping a necessary step here in not working med-surg first? Or would this be a good move seeing as case management is what I plan to do anyway? Have I mentioned I hate the hospital and would rather never work in one again?

I guess I'd just like to hear what other nurses' thoughts are about something like this, and also, I would love to hear from home health nurses who have experience either doing this, or dealing with RN supervisors in the home health setting.

Thanks so much in advance.

C Fitz

ETA that I love being out "in the field" and enjoy driving a lot, especially when it is only 1 day or 1 and a half days a week.

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It sounds like a great job, but I'm wondering why these jobs seem to be paying so little hourly.

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

Because of the area of the country in which I live... sadly.

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Specializes in Tele.

I would take the opportunity of the supervisor. As long as you follow the rules of the company practices, you should be fine.

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Specializes in Army Medic.

Supervisor's going to look good on a resume in the future, should you ever want to go full time or find a different job.

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

Who pays for your gas? If you're visiting up to 10 homes in one day, the costs could start stacking up if there is no allowance for your miles.

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be sure it don't entail filling in if someone call in sick ect.. sometimes being a supervisor means cover if no one else can.

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I work home health care and it is pretty simple to only do sup visits. It is really easy money. The down side...not all homes are clean and appropriate. There is often little that can be done about that. You do fall in love with some of your clients while becoming frustrated with others. It is a good job and I dont regret leaving a poorly managed med/surg floor for hhc.

Shannon

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I can guess which company this is. The pay offered is too low. In other parts of the country they offer their supervisors $28 to $30 an hour. That is only one dollar an hour more than they were paying RNs to do shift care out of my old office. I think it is too low pay, but if you are comfortable with it. If it really is the company that I am thinking of, I cannot recommend that you work for them.

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Could you keep your PRN jobs for a bit while you start this home health supervisor gig? That way, if the home health job ends up not being a good fit for you, you could quit and essentially just be back in the position you are now with your PRN jobs. Another thought is that if you like the home health job, maybe you could work PRN every once in awhile on a med/surg unit to keep your skills up if that is concerning to you.

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Specializes in Medical surgical.

I have worked in home health for years, vents, the works, one pt., not bad, but i had a good many yrs. in med. surg., etc. , and you really need some med. surg exp., and be competent in assessments to do visiting nurse service, that is the job your friend is talking , about. Even case management, you need some kind of med. surg., to make those critical decisions, my 2 cents.

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
Who pays for your gas? If you're visiting up to 10 homes in one day, the costs could start stacking up if there is no allowance for your miles.

They reimburse .45 per mile - only one day (or one and a half days) is visiting patients. If I didn't love being out and about so much, that part would probably bother me. As it is, I look forward to it. :)

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