What would you do?

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

Make a list of the pros and cons:

Benefits, insurance etc yes/no

skill set you already have yes/no

potential for advancement yes/no

full-time/part time yes/no

you may add or subtract. can you do both jobs?

Is the nursing home full staffed? or will you have to take 40-50 patients like some NH nurses do?

Is the 7 patient medication management job a drug study with an end date listed-then no job?

Good luck

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

I would snatch that home health job in a skinny minute!

jesuslovesme · Mar 23, 2011

I will be responsible for 20 residents at the skilled nursing facility.

The home health job is a pay per visit job. There is no end date that I know of.

I also have a job (non-nursing), which is less than part-time (about 4 hours per week, 3x's a week) that I have been at for years.

Dalla · Mar 24, 2011

As a new grad, I would stick to just the one job at the SNF for now. Give it a year or two and then reconsider. You'll probably be stressed enough just getting used to practicing bedside. Especially if the patient ratio is huge, like they usually are.

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 24, 2011

and if you are wondering which might get you into a hospital job next in your career, don't. I know a few SNF RNs who thought they'd transition, but all have been repeatedly turned down for hospital. It's changed. Used to be you could start in LTC or SNF and pay dues and then move into hospitals. This is much less so now. Also, used to be nobody should do HH. I also have a few friends that started HH and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. They are so up and giggly happy. (it is truely sickening, LOL). Also........ so many in LTC with no training, even SNF, just thrown in there and told ask if you have questions. Heck. I'd seriously think about the home health. You never know, could be good. Just depends on the company. Ask all questions you can think of.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2011

and if you are wondering which might get you into a hospital job next in your career, don't. I know a few SNF RNs who thought they'd transition, but all have been repeatedly turned down for hospital. It's changed. Used to be you could start in LTC or SNF and pay dues and then move into hospitals. This is much less so now. Also, used to be nobody should do HH. I also have a few friends that started HH and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. They are so up and giggly happy. (it is truely sickening, LOL). Also........ so many in LTC with no training, even SNF, just thrown in there and told ask if you have questions. Heck. I'd seriously think about the home health. You never know, could be good. Just depends on the company. Ask all questions you can think of.

TOTALLY agree.

bubblymom373 · Mar 24, 2011

As a previous post stated weigh out the pros and cons. With the gas prices now please figure in gas cost also! If you can talk with people you know who work in home health and in SNF. This should help to make your decision. By the way congrats on getting 2 job offers!

jesuslovesme · Mar 24, 2011

The skilled nursing facility job was the the only job I could get as a new grad. I applied at the hospitals and they are not hiring new grads. I am concerned that once the economy picks up and I get my year of experience it won't be considered the type of experience hospitals are looking for. I just don't want to put myself out there as a new grad. The home health job description sounds reasonable but as one poster stated the skilled nursing facility job could be overwhelming and I may not want another committment. By the way the skilled nursing facility is offering me 4 weeks of orientation.

jesuslovesme · Mar 24, 2011

bubblymom373

thank you. i graduated october of last year. i had lost hope even as a christian. i had applied to so many places and either got no response or we do not hire new grads. for those still looking, hang in there.

cherryblossom88 · Mar 24, 2011

If I were you I'd take the HH job for sure. I got really really burnt out working at a SNF. Im sure they both have there pros and cons. You'll probably learn a lot of skills in the SNF (they are like mini-hospitals now days it seems like). But I would guess that the HH job would be less stressful.

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Mar 24, 2011

Depends on how much training you will get from both places and how both places are run.

I started out doing pedatric home health, and all I got was 3 hours orientation with a nurse who had not worked with the patient before, because he was a new client. I had many questions that never really got answered. I never felt safe or supported, they then sent me to another client and I was given no orientation with this client, just told to read the nurses notes to get an idea, plus the parents and I did not speak the same language....very scary, but it was the only nursing job that I could get.

I also did a couple of medicare insurance visits where I assesst the living situation of the adult and made reccomedations and that was a pay per visit and when calculating the pay of the visit, plus the time spent, in addtion to the travel time, and the time commpleteting the paper work it penciled out to about $10 and hour, when I did the pedatric home healt, those were shifts in the home and were by the hour

I then finally got hired into a SNF, where they are very supportive and I had more than three hours of orientation, I had 15 days. It is hard work, I have if working the LTC cart 30 residents, on the skilled carts there are around 22-25 residents.

I would see if you could try and do both,but look at how much training and support you will get. With the home health, is there a resource nurse you could call and ask questions? What are your long term goals? I know people that are very happy with home health, or do you want to work into a hospital?