Wanting to broaden my horizons

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · Jan 3, 2011

Bridge over to RN and then work in a more acute setting?

Davey Do · Jan 3, 2011

pat8585:

I'm really surprised to hear that someone in Home Health feels as though they are not using all their skills. Well, at least a majorty of them.

I say surprised because of my own history. I worked as an LPN in Psych, OR, and Substance Abuse. As an RN, I also worked in Med/Surg, and ER before getting into Home Health. I remember commenting to a Peer, about a year after working in Home Health, that I felt as though I had learned more in that year than ten years in a Hospital setting. The direct Patient care was so vast and various.

Perhaps you're working Cases? Consider doing Visits. They're never thae same and always interesting. From my viewpoint, anyway.

The best to you.

Dave

systoly · Jan 3, 2011

First, I want to commend you on your desire for acquiring knowledge and learning new skills. Second, please allow me to define home health nursing. A home health nurse visits many different patients at their home to deliver skilled care and education. A usual day in my area consists of visiting about 6 to 8 patients. This job is held by RNs (in my area). As an LPN. I provide private duty nursing, which means I have a very small number of patients, but spend a whole shift with one patient. I believe you probably provide private duty nursing and that's why you don't seem to come across a lot of new challenges. My suggestion is to take every opportunity/contact with other health care providers to milk them for knowledge. Over the past two years, I had the opportunity to work closely with PT,OT and ST, many of whom are holding masters degrees in their discipline and are eager and excited to educate, share knowledge and even learn from nursing. It may be an overlap of disciplines, but I can assure you, I learned more about A&P, ROM, fascilitating swallowing and speech, and many more, than I did in school or even while working on an ortho floor. Learning new stuff is always more fun in a group, so if your patients don't see other health care professionals, perhaps you could try and find other, like minded nurses through your employer and set up weekly meetings for learning projects. Knowledge and skills are like jobs, they don't come to you, you gotta go after them. I wish you the very best in your quest.

pat8585 · Jan 3, 2011

thanks to all for responding.

Example of some skills i do not use at this time....i do not take blood pressures, i do not give injections,

I do not do cathethers, i do not do wound care.

I guess I do not feel always challenged at my job.