I'm considering changing to home health from hospital bedside nursing. I'm a newer nurse with 1.5 yrs exp and older (2nd career), currently in cardiac critical care, but the stress is real. What advice or pitfalls do I need to be aware of? Thanks!!
When applying for a home health job be aware that some agencies pay a salary and others pay per visit. If you are paid per visit you generally do not get paid to attend meetings. If you are paid per visit make sure you know what your territory will be and how far apart the visits are. An agency that requires 24 visits a week is easy Peasy if all your visits are in a couple of assisted living facilities in which case you may finish by 3 pm, however if your territory is rural you may not finish the same amount of visits until 6 pm. It’s a live and learn experience. Well worth it. You just have to manage your time and be willing to switch to a different agency if you’re not being treated fairly.
The only draw back I see is the money. You will have way less stress and be way happier doing home health if you can live with the pay cut. You will never want to work in a hospital again.
Home health is extremely rewarding and I love it so much. I wish I had done it straight out of school 43 years ago however it comes with its drawbacks. Plan on going home after seeing patients and documenting on your own time (you do not get paid extra for the hours you spend on your laptop or computer, putting in your notes which are extensive and doing your wound worksheets, etc.) Also, make sure you’re prepared to deal with emergencies once you get into a home and that set your schedule back. On the upside, I love working on my own with my patience and establishing that nurse patient relationship having them be able to trust me and know that I am there to help them live their best life. Hope this helps.
Go for it lady, they need a lot of nurses for home health or geriatrics(the future of nursing marked my word)
signing and locking pages because appointments can be unpredictable
I am a retired RN. My last position was as VP Nursing Services for a major home care company. I love home health however it is not for everyone. You have to be comfortable with entering someone else's domain. Remember many people don't live like you. When I was in the field a standing joke was look for the worst home on the block and that was where I was going. (lol) Also another major complaint was the amount of paperwork. It can be overwhelming. Many nurses left due to the paperwork. Having said that it can be very rewarding. Good luck on your journey.
