<< It isn't really a shortage. Nurses don't want to work for home health
because they don't know what it really involves. Scared of ventilators.
Don't get vent experience in hospitals anymore because of respiratory
therapists. Agencies aren't given any incentive to their nurses. They
require 2 years of vent experience. Where are they going to find the
experience? >>
Dear Kevin, You are right about this. I learned about vents from a client
with ALS. He had a cuff and couldn't speak, so he had to blink to spell out
words. He was always frustrated and very abusive to his nurses, but when it
was a life and death situation , he didn't mess around with expletives. I
learned everything from him.
Do you all know your equipment backwards and forwards? MANY vent clients do
not understand all the nuances of their equipment.
I have thought of starting a vent only agency. (There needs to be a back-up
plan when staffing fails)
I have thought of starting a course to certify vent nurses. ( I only have my
associate degree in nursing)
I have thought of why can't respiratory therapists do home care.( They can't
give medicine and they often balk at assisting with personal ADL's)
Home care involves laundry and pedicures and fixing meals. You are right lots
of nurses don't want to do that.
Many nurses do not have a patient bedside manner, either.
It is very difficult and i think impossible not to get attached to one's
homecare clients. I have shed many tears over my clients when they die or
over their hopeless situation. The medical profession has always givien me
lots of support when that happens saying. "Well, that's what you get for
getting too close with your clients."
It can be a burden when a homecare client grows too dependent on the nurse. (
You feel like you can never leave town or get away) One has to set boundaries
that cannot be crossed.
Sometimes, I get lonely for interaction with other colleagues when i do home
care.
Why do I still like homecare?
I have the time to make my clients comfortable and happy. I have time to
really think about how to make things better. I don't feel as powerless in my
ability to really help them. I have time to go to the bathroom, eat, and read
the newspaper. ( Much of the time, I don't even have time to go to the
restroom while working at the sub-accute facility and I come home from work
totally drained)
Well, there's my two cents worth of perspective.
Cind
y RN