Who works in home health?

Published

Hi all,

:o I'd love to know what your typical day looks like...I'd appreciate any tips:rolleyes: if you are a LPN who does home visits...wound care, ostomies, picc lines... (intermittent nurse)

Thanks so much!:heartbeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There is an ongoing thread in the home health forum you would be interested in. You should check out the hh forum.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi caliotter3, yes, I am aware of the thread. I wanted to hear something from a LPN's perspective...not primarily RN's.

Thanks!

:redpinkhe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

I'm in HH. I've held two HH jobs. The first I made visits all day long. I started my day giving a patient her insulin, then went and assessed and got vitals on others, I did dressing changes and sometimes (even though it wasn't in my job description) I had to do admissions. My HH job now is more like private duty, though I'm assigned here through an agency. I do GT feedings, trach and gt care, suction, monitor 02 sats, clean equipment, administer meds, ect... It can get lonely, I'm the only one awake (NOC shifts...), but it beats LTC any day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks Raekay,

That's what I was hoping to find out...the day in the life of a hh nurse. I appreciate your help. I can imagine it gets lonely but it's not the worst job, right? I understand that the driving can get to you during visits. It probably helps to have a comfortable car and a gps! As a visiting nurse, did you take care of a lot of the same patients for a period of time? I too, got very tired and frustrated with LTC. I always felt like a pill pusher. I couldn't devote any quality time with my patients. I am looking forward to this new adventure. I hope you do find enjoyment in your job!

Do you work on the weekends?

Thanks again! Have a great weekend:redpinkhe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
Thanks Raekay,

That's what I was hoping to find out...the day in the life of a hh nurse. I appreciate your help. I can imagine it gets lonely but it's not the worst job, right? I understand that the driving can get to you during visits. It probably helps to have a comfortable car and a gps! As a visiting nurse, did you take care of a lot of the same patients for a period of time? I too, got very tired and frustrated with LTC. I always felt like a pill pusher. I couldn't devote any quality time with my patients. I am looking forward to this new adventure. I hope you do find enjoyment in your job!

Do you work on the weekends?

Thanks again! Have a great weekend:redpinkhe

When I was a visiting nurse, the car is where I spent most of my time. A GPS is a must!! Depending on the area you work in, the driving probably isn't that bad. I lived in North Orange County, and my area was South Orange County. I drove all over the place. Plus, LA/OC traffic can get bad. You learn the quick ways around it though. I had the same main patients. The ones who needed weekly/bi-weekly/tri-weekly visits. Some patients I had for a few weeks... depended on the need for nursing visits. But once I was assigned a patient, it was my patient until the case was closed. I do work weekends. My schedule is Wed-Sat nights. But, the beauty about HH is that you make your own schedule. When I was a visiting nurse, I didn't work weekends. Mon-Fri. It was wonderful. I'm sure you'll love it! :)

Let me know if you have any more questions!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

aww, the city of angels? well, that sounds like a big area. I like your hours...you have 3 days off in a roll? great! Do you work in peds, then? Thanks for the encouraging words! You are an angel!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
aww, the city of angels? well, that sounds like a big area. I like your hours...you have 3 days off in a roll? great! Do you work in peds, then? Thanks for the encouraging words! You are an angel!

I'm up in Northern California now, but working down south was an adventure for sure! I love my hours! Having 3 days off in a row is wonderful. I catch up on all my sleep then haha. I do work in peds. I like kid patients better than adult patients. They're just more fun. My patient is a 10 year old little boy who is adorable! I was blessed to get this assignment... the family is great too!

Do you know what kind of patients you'll be having?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

adults...but, I envy you with the kids -- I forgot to ask, what do you mean by you make your own schedule? Thx-

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

For example... with my job now, I fill out an availability calendar every month with the hours and days I can work. If I need a weekend off, I don't have to fight for time off. I just say I can't work and thats that. With the other HH job I had, I'd have my set amount of patients for the week. You're very independent as a hh nurse, so there is no set start time. You make your first visit when you decide to, and work as late as you want to. With consideration for the patients time of course. My DON told me when I started that I should call my patients that I was gonna see that day in the morning, and let them know what time I'd be there. She also told me to be considerate to their schedules, but if I let them dictate the times consistently, that they'd begin to gain control over my schedule. There were days back then I had a harder time getting out of bed or I'd be sick, and I'd choose not to visit patients that day. I'd make up the visits the following day I usually started around 8:30am and was done with 6-8 visits by 3pm. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm glad you told me that (pt's dictating time). I will surely use that information when I start...I would love to to be able to start at 8:30 and stop at 3. You must have been very organized to handle 6-8 in that time period! I suppose the drive between patients has a lot to do with that too. I've heard stories that some nurses drive 1-1.5 hours between patients. I hope I get some flexibility with my schedule too. I will be working M-F, my hours from 8-5 or 40 hrs. week. :redpinkhe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
I'm glad you told me that (pt's dictating time). I will surely use that information when I start...I would love to to be able to start at 8:30 and stop at 3. You must have been very organized to handle 6-8 in that time period! I suppose the drive between patients has a lot to do with that too. I've heard stories that some nurses drive 1-1.5 hours between patients. I hope I get some flexibility with my schedule too. I will be working M-F, my hours from 8-5 or 40 hrs. week. :redpinkhe

1-1.5 hours?! Thats insane! I'd schedule my cases based on traffic and distance. I usually started at the farthest location and ended at the one closest to home. I had one patient that hated this. She was my worst patient. Her house was about 30 min from my apartment. I'd call her and she'd tell me that 2pm was too early, she didn't sleep at night so I needed to come at 5pm. I told her many times that I wasn't able to because of traffic. She was awful though. Yelled at me a lot. And very non-compliant.

Yes... you are the boss of your schedule... not your patients! All these hh patients are not critical. I found that the average visit length was about 15-20 minutes. 85% of my patients were quick check-in, vitals, discuss important items, check out. Simple as that. My longest visits were the wound care ones, those lasted 30-45min.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion