Working home health care as a new grad?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jun 17, 2012

You will be required to have received your license in order to be hired in home care for RN position. My employer has stopped hiring new grads 9/10 have left home care within 3-6 months of orientation --which is already 3 months long due to unrealistic expectations. Patients homes are their castle and they call the shots ( roach infested, boarded up windows, no heat/running water etc).

If you are not working now, you are eligible to sit for Certified Nursing Assistant exam -many home health agencies will hire you for that role. This would give you income to pay off college bill and get you a foot in the door in healthcare. Agency may possibly then transition you into RN role.

Since several Philadelphia,PA area health systems has adopted BSN only hiring, it has made hiring of qualified candidates even harder.

Best wishes moving forward.

citylights89, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2012

if, for instance, I can not get the CNA certification, is it ok to work as a home health aide to pay off my college bill? I know it will take an even longer time to do so, of course, but considering I've been living off of minimum wage from my student worker job it won;t be that much of a shock.

I considered taking a job at a store but that is nowhere related to healthcare. Maybe I could work home health (even as an aide) and volunteer in the nursing unit at one of the hospitals here, get my name in, pay off my college bill (~$2k) and get a nursing job/internship?

orthonurse55 · Jun 17, 2012

I would not recommend a new grad working as a home health nurse. Your assessment skills have not been used on enough patients on you own yet, and in home health you are responsible for assessing by yourself. I worked homehealth for a while and loved it but the work is tiring, the homes can be gross, and the responsibility is very high. Good luck.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 17, 2012

I also don't recommend that new grads go into home health unless they've have prior nursing experience as a LVN. In home health you are on your own with little to no support. There's no coworkers to help you out, no code team to come swarming in, and no charge nurse or supervisor to step in if you're unsure or overwhelmed: if there's a crisis or emergency it's all on YOU.

Take that, along with the fact that you're still learning everything that a new grad needs to learn (assessment, time management, prioritization) and IMO, it's asking for trouble. A lot of new grads crash in flames in home health. If you were a prior LVN, at least you'd have actual nursing experience to fall back on and wouldn't be starting from scratch.

That being said, there are some agencies that will take on new grads and give them a decent training, and some new grads start in home health, thrive and do very well. Also, in this job market, new grads can't afford to be picky about what jobs do come along. However I would still advise against it because of your inexperience, but that is my opinion.

I'd suggest you try to get hired on now in a hospital as a CNA/tech. That will give you an income and get your foot into the hospital door; however keep in mind that being a CNA is no longer the guarantee of a RN job that it used to be. It can improve your chances though.

Best of luck in the job hunt!

caliotter3 · Jun 17, 2012

You can mitigate not having experience for a home health position by working in extended care rather than a visit position. Extended care cases consist of providing routine care for stable patients. I have seen many nurses walk into this role right out of school and they are able to do well.

citylights89, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

how about working as a home health aide in the mean time for healthcare experience? I know I can try CNA at a hospital but so far i have been hearing other class mates saying that they are getting NO call backs for those positions. Just trying to think of a plan here. Stupid August graduation!

champagnesupeRNova · Jun 18, 2012

I know several people that went into Home Health as new grad RNs because they couldn't find a hospital job and they liked it for the most part. They worked alongside experienced RNs for the first month or two. It all depends on the agency you go to. Some are great and some are sub-par. They complain about disorganization, but they're still working there a couple days a week even though they have now gotten hospital jobs - so it must not be that bad. I'd say go for it - it will boost your resume and gets you into the field.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jun 18, 2012

Certified Nursing Assistant or Certified Home Health Aide certificate is needed to be hired. Most states allow those with nursing education to apply for certification or licensure without taking class or test. Perform an internet search your "state + Certified Home Health Aide Certification" to find requirements. You can private message me if you need further assistance --include state you desire practice.

citylights89, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2012

I don't think Texas requires certification for hone health aides. my mom has been doing it for about half a year now and she isn't certified. she is a medical assistant and phlebotomist, but they still hired her. most of them don't have any additional education at all, according to the home health agencies.

Leonardo Del Toro, RN · Jun 22, 2012

At one point I had this same exact question however I'm now going for any job. Soon enough you'll be an old new grad and let's face it; every time a few NG positions come up there are thousands of applicants, you better off bet on horse races. I'm over looking for nursing job and I think that if you going to have a shot it will be in dialysis, LTC, Rehab, home care and any job that need your RN licence and passes meds. Eventually things will turn and this situation will reverse. Hospitals will be desperate for nurses and they will hire anyone that has a pulse and and a RN licence; my guess is about in 5 years but it could be sooner.

ShantheRN, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2012

Did I miss something? You need to pay off your tuition, which means you won't be sitting for boards any time soon. Why are people suggesting new grad jobs? And what does graduating in August have to do with any of this? :confused: I need more coffee....

You and your classmates probably aren't getting call backs for PCA/CNA work because as soon as HR sees you're an RN graduate, they know you'll be quitting as soon as you pass boards and find an RN position. There's no point in the facility paying for your orientation when you'll be gone soon. If I were you, I'd take any job (health care or not) that will let you pay off that 2 grand by the time you graduate. The sooner you get a license, the sooner you can start looking for jobs. Being a CNA/PCA is NO guarantee that you'll get a job. I know plenty of RNs still working in their PCA positions at hospitals. A new grad is a new grad is a new grad.

If I'm misunderstanding something, my apologies!