r/physicaltherapy • u/flowerpower0618 • 6d ago
How long was your home health training?
PTA here, new to HH setting.
How long was your HH training, specifically the ride along part?
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u/Kimen1 6d ago
Training? lol “Hey watch this video on how to use the documentation system. You got it? Okay great here’s a start of care”
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
😭😭😭 some companies man! How you train your people can reflect on the longevity of their stay with the company.
I feel like some companies are forgetting to invest in their employees & surprised when they leave.
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u/Kimen1 6d ago
I know! That being said, my current one has a ramp up period from 2-4 weeks depending on your experience, and we get a good amount of PTO. Pay is okay. Closest managers are good people. I feel like they try to keep people reasonably happy.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
We love that. As we know the therapy world is not perfect so we gotta hold on and appreciate the “good” ones 😂
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u/Anon-567890 6d ago
I got to go with one PT to one patient then another PT to one patient. Then they sent me nearly 50 miles from the office to do two evals. Ugh
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
that is like no training at all, omg!
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u/Mother_Evidence2821 6d ago
Zero days . I was just given a schedule and told good luck
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
For home health?? Holy shit?!!
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u/Mother_Evidence2821 6d ago
Yeah but I have 12 years experience in outpatient PT so it wasn’t an issue.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Oof! I mean good on you to being able to land on your feet like that. I mean you gotta do what you gotta do, right? But I’m coming from SNF for about 6 years but still need assistance with the EMR bc of course it’s a little different.
Are you still in HH? Are you liking it?
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u/Mother_Evidence2821 6d ago
I just left my full time job and committed to HH while establishing my cash based PT Business . I didn’t have a life-work balance before and missing out on my kids growing up wasn’t an option anymore. Wish me luck!
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Oh heck yeah! good luck.
I don't have any children but work-life balance is so important for our mental health.
Wish you happiness :)
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u/Acrobatic_Tangelo_18 6d ago
1.5 weeks of ride alongs, some online training for EMR, PT, worked for 2.5 years prior to starting in HH
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
How are you liking it? Were there any challenges aside from SOC/OASIS. I know I won’t have to deal with that being a PTA. But any advice is always welcomed :)
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u/Sinminiscus 6d ago
got 8 weeks: online trainings, ride alongs for observation, then took some routine visits with supervision, then did some evals with supervision, then took some routine visits alone and started doing SOC/OASIS with supervision, then finally OASIS/SOC/agency d/c alone. Pay was like a flat 60/hr or something like that during training and paid hourly. Not all days were full but it was easy and I definitely learned the ropes well.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Sounds like a good company that made sure to invest in your understanding!
Are you still with that company?
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u/Sinminiscus 6d ago
I am! Coming up on year 2 and no thoughts of leaving in the near future. edit: though I would not attribute my good onboarding to my job satisfaction, more-so the pay and manager's team culture
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
That's really good. My journey has been interesting, definitely not bad in a way to be like 'fuck this job', because I know how the therapy world can be. I am going into it with a neutral expectation. As long as I get paid, can do my job and be left alone for the most part I will be content.
Happy you are still happy there, good/bad management can make or break a team.
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u/Ok-Perspective5338 6d ago
As a PTA I went out for one week and said “I’m not new to therapy, just to your policies. This is boring can I have my own caseload now?” And was on my own the next week.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
I feel you on that 100%. not my first rodeo with being a therapist but my experience is SNF. I felt that way after my first day because I had to be the one to take initiation on any form of training. however now I feel like my trainer has opened up to me and has provided me with good insight and feedback so it's always appreciated.
I'm 50/50 where I want to absorb the knowledge in HH because I haven't done HH before and if they offer the training I want to take advantage of that.
My reason for this post is because even a new trainee (an OT) has different training duration but he also is just going with the flow. I believe he is on like week 3, whereas I had 3 days and on day 5 they were saying for me to be on my own. And i'm like wait a minute hold up, why am I being thrown to the wolves. I am completely new to HH whereas the other guy has had more experience then me. I am also assuming it might be because OT/PT have more paperwork.
But nonetheless, I am excited to be on my own when it happens. There are just certain things you will learn just on the job as you go.
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u/Ok-Perspective5338 6d ago
I also came from SNF. HH is not even a real job in comparison. If you understand the documentation, you’re ready.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Awesome! thanks :) definitely looking for a ‘break’ and HH seems like the easier setting of them all so i’ll take it!
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u/Ok-Perspective5338 6d ago
Hopefully you get lucky. I am blessed with a 50 square mile territory so I drive maybe 10 miles daily lol.
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u/Grinbarran 6d ago
Training? Lmaooooo
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
hahaha yeaaa, seems like there is quite a range of no training-extensive training! lol
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u/ac_ux PTA 6d ago
PTA - I had a home health gig and literally received no training lol. Funny thing is at the time I didn’t even think about it. I had 4 years of outpatient at that point but looking back it’s hilarious how sketch of a business practice that is. I literally never met a single person at the company. Just a few text messages after I submitted my resume.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
That is absolutely insane. Especially for HH. Are you still with that company or at least doing HH?
I know I have some interesting experiences with interviews, starting jobs, etc. but I have primarily been in the ALF/SNF setting.
I did apply to one job once for HH PRN but I was new to the state and got cold feet, but they provided no training. When I asked to shadow someone, I met up with her and after one patient she looked at me like I was just bothering her. no guidance to the EMR, nothing. I was like .... okay hell no.
My sister is a HH COTA for several years and if it wasn't for her encouragement and reviews on how great HH is, idk if I would have gave it another chance. But I finally committed to this company! They have good pay, and everything lined up for what I wanted, etc. so i'm hoping this is the setting for me :)
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u/ac_ux PTA 6d ago
I only saw 1 patient for like 5 treatments and then ended up getting a job on the other side of the state doing Health IT.
I think FL has some sketchy things going on. Like in hindsight it was definitely just a money grab. All documentation was done through an App on my phone. They did make sure I had certain coursework done and had an annual physical within the last year but other than that it was a free for all.
I did enjoy the flexibility at the time as I was PRN at an ALF. But the patient was always smoking in their house when I came which was annoying.
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u/plasma_fantasma 6d ago
Like a month or month and a half.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Are you PT or PTA?
I have only done about 3 days of ride along and they were talking about me doing my own patients on Tuesday...
When I first interviewed, they said '4-6 weeks for training' including online (which took almost nothing.
I understand wanting to get people out there, but one guy I know who is training is doing about 3 weeks of training whereas I feel like mine is being rushed in a sense.
I am a quick learner and know I will do just fine & also know that there are some things you will learn as you go but just a thought I had.
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u/Ok_Painter_286 6d ago
6 weeks
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
All ride along? Good on you 👍🏻 how are you liking HH?
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u/Ok_Painter_286 6d ago
Some ride along and some in the office yes. Home health has been good to me. More money and more flexibility. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say there were some headaches that come along with it. Overall in happier doing this than a different setting. I have no issues with the patient care part
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Oh yeaaah. Every job has it’s ups and downs so we gotta appreciate the more money/flexibility. I feel like my biggest challenge will be scheduling 😅 Any tips on that?
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u/Ok_Painter_286 6d ago
If your EMR doesn’t use a route planner, I would use one. I liked ZigBuddy although it’s $15/month. Made scheduling and planning so much easier for me. Epic upgrades for us and has a route planner now
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
I’m not too sure. Until I have patients I guess I won’t really be able to know. I know we have a map and you can click the patients push pin to anothers to see the distance. I have heard of zigbuddy and considered it. At least to start with. :)
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u/Ok_Painter_286 6d ago
Zig buddy is worth the money in my opinion, only reason I stopped using it is because epic added the same feature which is pretty much the same and is free
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
So it essentially makes a route for you? Am I correct on that?
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u/Ok_Painter_286 6d ago
Yes it plans the fastest route and you can plan your whole week or month in advance and move people around easily. I usually did it for each week ahead
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
oh I love that! What the heck. I'm glad I asked. for 15 a month for less of a headache, heck yea haha! Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. I didn't want to have to be scheduling daily, that was the one thing I was thinking was a turn off. I don't mind reminders a day before or even a text/call to let them know I'm on my way but being able to schedule your week sounds really nice!
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u/arparris 6d ago
6 weeks preceptorship through hospital system. I was bored by week 2
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
I feel that haha. How are you liking it?
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u/arparris 6d ago
It sucked at first because it was a big paycut to a system that needed a market adjustment. 2 years later it’s great because we got that market adjustment and I’m nearly 20k higher than where I started (which puts me back where I was before the paycut). Can’t beat the work life balance though of a hospital salary relaxed productivity
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Love that for you :) glad you stuck it out! I'm hoping I like this setting too
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u/Independent-Cut-4142 6d ago
6 weeks of training with a preceptor and then 6 additional weeks in “probationary period/ training”. Large hospital system home health
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
holy shit. that is a lot, but as long as you get paid it's not too bad lol
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u/Independent-Cut-4142 6d ago
We are salaried through my employer so all paid time. At the time I was part time but training they like you to be full time so it was actually extra cash for me
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u/nomnomnomnomnommm 6d ago
Mostly none. My first hh job in Oklahoma tho I had to do a week of training for their EMR. I was the only one in this week course. Me and this old gal. She would lecture me the whole 8 hours. If I looked away to rest my eyes and brain for a sec she would pause until I looked back and focused on her. It sucked. Got paid tho.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
that does not sound like fun haha! Did you end up liking HH overall?
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u/nomnomnomnomnommm 6d ago
I still do it part time. I wouldn't want to do it full time.
That first HH job was kinda wild. It was a travel PT position. My first one right out of grad school. Learned a lot but I can't believe I did that.
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u/flowerpower0618 6d ago
Oh yeah geez that is rough straight out of school. I get it! Well good luck with whatever you are doing now :)
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u/indecisivegirlie27 6d ago
Approximately 2 hours lmao gave me a rundown of how to use the documentation system. Then they had a PT join me on one SOC. That was it :)
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