Ya'll cross your fingers for me

annaedRN, RN · Sep 29, 2009

I've done both and of course there is pros and cons to both. I am currently with a VNA doing home health but did private duty for a few years. I love the variety and challenges to each day with doing visits, I love the teaching aspect especially. It is often a 8-4 schedule with being on call at night/weekends at times. But if you are looking for more flexibility and less stress then private duty is the best way to go. Often the biggest obstacle is the patient's family ( can we say often dysfunctional!!) Either way the one on one is very rewarding. Good luck to you!!

caliotter3 · Sep 30, 2009

Extended care. One patient, one nurses note. Typically routine care for stable patient. No driving all over creation trying to get X amount of visits done during the day, then going home to do hours more of paperwork. No "productivity quotas". Paid your rate of pay for the hours you are on shift. You can work shifts from 4 to 16 hours, one to five (or seven) days a week. Your shift hours can be adjusted to suit you and the client. Just better all the way around for someone who is looking to destress. However, I must warn you about Maxim. If you have other agencies in the area, you should investigate them before you go with Maxim. Hope you like hh.

mustlovepoodles, RN · Sep 30, 2009

Extended care. One patient, one nurses note. Typically routine care for stable patient. No driving all over creation trying to get X amount of visits done during the day, then going home to do hours more of paperwork. No "productivity quotas". Paid your rate of pay for the hours you are on shift. You can work shifts from 4 to 16 hours, one to five (or seven) days a week. Your shift hours can be adjusted to suit you and the client. Just better all the way around for someone who is looking to destress. However, I must warn you about Maxim. If you have other agencies in the area, you should investigate them before you go with Maxim. Hope you like hh.

Thanks for your concise description. I haven't interviewed with any other hh companies. I talked with someone at PSA, but I really wasnt impressed with them. At this point I don't know whether I'll sign on or not. I'm kinda on a fact-finding mission for now.

caliotter3 · Sep 30, 2009

PSA is in the same category as Maxim. If you do some reading in the home health forum you will find a lot of negative comments about Amedysis also. Those are about the three to avoid if at all possible.

RNRutRO · Sep 30, 2009

PoodleLover-

When you interview with Maxim, ask to speak to some of the field nurses for their imput. I worked for them for many years. Staffing/and Supervisory. My office had multiple problems. I stayed because I loved the kids and families. I got to the point I didn't want to meet the "new recruiter" because by the time they learned my name, they'd be fired/gone down the road. But, if you get on a case and LOVE the family, then it's a win/win. In Tx, the pay for RN's was not competitive with other options. And I got tired of the same stories and problems. Which makes me think it's a company problem. If you'd like more details, good and bad, go to indeed.com and read what people have said there.

I work Home Health per visit now. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the job. (NOT WITH MAXIM ANYMORE EITHER) The patients are usually great (some stories, but isn't that everywhere), pay great, and the flexibilty awesome. OASIS is the spawn of the devil, but hopefully when we get up on computers in the ext few weeks, it will be better. Maybe you'd like to make a great leap and take care of elderly patients instead of kids. With your history, I'm sure you can perk up some old people with your HS stories.

Good luck and I hope you get exactly what you are looking for! I find that having a job, making a difference to patients helps with depression. Hope you do too.

Keep us posted!

stacey685 · Sep 30, 2009

To mustlovepoodles: I've done homecare for 16yrs and love the flexibility and the immense appreciation from patients and families. There aren't very many homecare peds nurses in our area, the one I knew did private duty cases when not working intermittent. She liked having the same cases (private duty) so you get to know the pt and family as opposed to intermittent, doing only a few hours a week you may see different pts each day you work depending on case population. Either way, I hope you love homecare!

Have you gone out with one of the nurses to see what it's like? We do that, if someone is considering a switch to homecare, going out with someone to observe a few visits can give you a better idea of what you face in the home as opposed to the hospital setting. I'm glad you are feeling better. Depression is the pits, those who haven't been there just don't know, congratulations on your recovery in that area and good luck with homecare. I pray you find the rewarding appreciation you are seeking.