Have you ever had to go anywhere scary? - Nursing Voices Forum – Meet other nurses, share your nursing knowledge and experiences

geenaRN · #1 06-28-2007, 01:34 PM

The only home health that I was exposed to in nursing school was to tag along with the home health nurse. I think some of my classmates had to go to homes alone. I would have been terrified.

I guess I like the relative predictability of a hospital environment.

So, home health nurses... describe your scary/un-nerving home visiting experiences. Or tell me that there aren't any!

Julie · #2 06-29-2007, 03:45 PM

In the UK we call 'home nursing' district nursing and I have been a district nurse (still on the register as one, but not practicing at present). I have been met at the door by men dressed in just a towel, I have had to climb over boxes, newspapers and other debris to get to the sink to wash my hands, but luckily have not been attacked or come close to it. Visiting a strange house on a dark winter's night can be a bit scary though!

Kaliki · #3 06-30-2007, 01:01 PM

Hi, Y'all, I am a hospice nurse so I have to go wherever they send me, and I have been in some scary places. We actually have a policy about where to put your nursing bag if the house is overrun with roaches. Sometimes they are dropping from the ceiling. And then we have to go to "The Projects", where I have never been actually threatened, but there are lots of intimidating young men hanging out everwhere. And the houses where there are holes in the walls you can see daylight through. I have been in houses where the people smoke so much I can't breathe. One house literally had drifts of dirt in every corner, dog poop on the floor everywhere, and so much junk you could barly thread your way around the house. I jusst makes me thankful for what I have.

Nurse Stella · #4 07-02-2007, 06:54 AM

I've been in homes so filthy and cluttered it defies imagination, but so far I've never felt 'unsafe'. As for the smoking, our agency has written in to our treatment agreement that if anyone in the home smokes, they not do so when our staff is present. If someone continues to smoke after being asked to stop, we can leave. ( The agency doesn't want to be responsible down the road for second hand smoke claims.) The patients know that up front. It still doens't stop the smell from permeating your clothing. I usually try to schedule my smokers as the last stop of the day.

B.

Julie · #5 07-02-2007, 02:07 PM

The smell of smoke, even if no one smokes while you are there is one of the most unpleasant things for me. I always found that it was when I got back into my car that I could smell it most, and often I would be driving down the road in the middle of winter with the windows open!

geenaRN · #6 07-02-2007, 06:20 PM

The smell of smoke would really bother me, but I have to say - roaches are a deal-breaker. Absolutely NO WAY. And thus you have all witnessed any chance of me becoming a home health nurse wither and fade away.

KimRN · #7 07-04-2007, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geenaRN

The smell of smoke would really bother me, but I have to say - roaches are a deal-breaker. Absolutely NO WAY. And thus you have all witnessed any chance of me becoming a home health nurse wither and fade away.

I second that emotion!

And kudos to those who do it - it's funny, to me ER is the easiest thing in the world, but home health always scared me a little - and not because of roaches!

I think it was the independence - would I have enough knowledge to handle things out in "the world".

Kaliki · #8 07-06-2007, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KimRN

I second that emotion!

And kudos to those who do it - it's funny, to me ER is the easiest thing in the world, but home health always scared me a little - and not because of roaches!

I think it was the independence - would I have enough knowledge to handle things out in "the world".

That's funny, Kim. What I like about home health (actually hospice) is the independence. I never have to call a doctor at 2:00 am for a tylenol for somebody (and get screamed at). We have a medical director who trusts us and will countersign for anything within the normal. I can call up a doctor and say I think somebody needs so much oxycontin and so much dexamethasone and he will say OK every time. I can invent things that people need (like a y connector to two draining fistula bags hooked up to a single suction unit). To me, ER in the scariest thing because of all the adrenaline and the kids coming in. I admire you with all my heart.

KimRN · #9 07-13-2007, 08:42 AM

I get to pick what I want to do for my community nursing clinical. I have to do 40 hours with the county public health system, which leaves 74 hours for me to pick and choose. I think I'll use some of that to shadow a home health nurse...

geenaRN · #10 07-13-2007, 10:32 AM

Kim, do schools count towards your community clinical? I loooooved going to the elementary schools. We "manned" the nurse's office (I think they had a nurse come in a couple times a week; we were there when she wasn't, believe it or not) and the kids came in and were sooo cute. They would come in because their tummy hurt, or because they got a knee scraped on the playground.

I have an idea for a little project if you go that route!

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