Will working in a Home Health Agency guarantee you stable P/T or F/T job?

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Hello all,

I am currently an LVN. I am working for one home health agency with a f/t position in the evenings. However, I've heard from some nurses that at times one can go w/o work for weeks, possibly months. I've also heard from other nurses that their agencies have provided them with continuous amounts of patients, leaving them w/ work everyday. I know many nurses whom also work for more than 2 home health agencies as well.

I am currently working in a laboratory (stable & f/t in the am with health care benefits) , but it is outside my job criteria as far as being an LVN. I am also not getting paid enough as if I were to work as an LVN. I want to work P/T or F/T in the mornings possibly for another home health agency.

Should I risk working for another home health agency or do you all think it is safer to be where I am at now...

Please advise. Thank you all for your time & opinions. God Bless! ;)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Home health is not very dependable in my opinion, but that is the case where I am. Might not be that way everywhere. Your work depends on cases assigned to the specific agency. If there are no cases, you have no work. If the patient you are with is hospitalized, or dies, or gets transferred or re-brokered, you are out of work. If you make good money where you are and have fulltime work, I would hold on to that.

But that's just me, and my observations from the HH agency I work for...

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

It sounds like you are working private duty shift work in patient's homes. In that case, unless you are contracted for a specific number of hours the answer would be no.

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Specializes in Orthopedics, and Home care.

I would for sure hold in to your f/t time, w benefits, I agree with the other posts, home care, is so inconsistent . I work for a home care agency, but I too have another job in my back pocket.. It's up to you to apply w another agency.. Working for home care is either feast or famine .. You need to do what's best for you and pay the bills

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Specializes in Home health, OBGYN, pediatrics.

Home health can be very unpredictable. I worked for an agency, but honestly it wasnt steady. As others have said, it depends on the case load and amount of nurses they have employed. It can be steady if you get a long term case (far and few between). The agency I worked for sent me consistently to one 8 hr case, and the parent wanted me to be their sole provider for her child, but the agency continued to send other nurses. This was probably done to ensure the continued employment of others nurses, however I feel patient/client satisfaction should take precedent (esp when the agency had plenty of other cases). But in an agency thats how it works..you do what they say! For that reason I went independent, although not an easy process and still no guarantee of work, I'm my own boss and I make my schedule (its also nice to get the full payment for the visit instead of the agency getting over 60% of it). Thankfully I found a full-time case that Ive been on for almost 6 yrs now. Either way around it, home health can be rewarding and financially beneficial...IF you have work. In this economy keep any full time job you possess, slowly work into home health and see what happens. That full time case could just appear...but you always need a backup.

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Thank you all for responding to my thread. I have more of an open view upon this matter & shall take all of your advise into consideration. For now, yes I believe keeping my 2 jobs, lab & home health, is safe within my territory of comfort. We'll see where the home health I currently work for now will take me down the road.

I originally thought I should keep the jobs that I have now instead of weaning towards to 2 home health jobs, but kept questioning myself whether it is the best decision to pursue forward with. And so, my gut instinct was indeed correct.

Thank you all once again for your opinions.

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