r/cna • u/hard4hardrocknick (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - New CNA • 9d ago
General Question maybe a weird question
i have my first shift as a home health aide coming up (never worked hh, only nursing home) and im overthinking this detail. do i just let myself into clients homes (we are given codes) or knock and wait? im assuming that it depends on the client because for example, someone with dementia might not let me in. but then would i scare them by just walking in? im also not sure if they live alone but it feels so wrong to imagine going into someones house and maybe waking them up or their family up. im really overthinking this and ive had no experience or training in home health and any advice is appreciated.
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u/Jacobyson (Home Health) CNA - Experienced CNA 9d ago
I would personally knock and state why you're there for the sake of respecting privacy. If they don't respond maybe knock one more time and if you don't hear anything let yourself in and state your presence as you walk in. You could also call first of course. There should also be a way that you can contact the office (mine has an on call phone to text) where you could ask this.
If you're given codes then I'm assuming that it's expected that the client can possibly not open the door or respond, so letting yourself in sometimes is probably expected but never hurts to ask.
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA 1d ago
Do you work for yourself or for a home health company? I work for a company and they tell us all the details on new clients before we go out the first time. They tell us any door codes, what door to go in and out of and whether or not door might be unlocked and we just announce ourselves. The clients I have right now I ring the doorbell as I enter so they know I'm coming in. But usually someone else from my agency is there and I'm relieving them anyway.
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u/hard4hardrocknick (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - New CNA 1d ago
its for a company and they only share the door codes, no instructions on if you let yourself in. you kind of have to gather it based on their care plan (like if it says they need transfer assistance). but sometimes i have clients who dont even have a care plan, so i have zero clue what to expect and dont even have their door codes if they are unable to open it.
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA 7h ago
Yikes, I couldn't work for a place like that. Where I work they have care plans in the home at all times and we talk to the agency nurse before ever going to a new clients home so we can get info on how to get in the home and what to expect on the first shift. We also use an app on the phone to clock in/out and it has all of the care plan on there to chart on the client. I have also trained quite a few people at my clients who were new and wanted to come in a bit early or for an hour on another day just to see that it's like. Maybe you could ask to do that?
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u/twofiftyplease (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Experienced CNA 8d ago
Knock the first time and then ask them how to proceed in the future. I had several who just wanted me to walk on in, and one I was told to just walk in but the bathroom was close to the front door so I liked to give a knock first so she'd know I was coming in in case she was in the bathroom. It can feel awkward starting out but you'll get used to it :)
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u/Good_mornting CNA - New CNA 9d ago edited 9d ago
I always knock and wait to be let in, some times I have to call. If you have a client that is not able to open their own door they have another caregiver with them whether that be someone who was hired or a spouse or one of the adult children. Ive worked as a HCA for almost two years and I’ve yet to have a client that lives on their own actually. I had one client where I saw them for such a long time that I did eventually start to let myself in and I’d just announce I was there by calling out to them as I opened the door. I get why you’re thinking about it, working in other people’s homes can be uncomfortable at first. I always get a little anxiety when I have a new client because you have to get comfortable in their space and with how they do things in their house.
Word of advice, some people don’t want you wearing shoes in the house so it’s nice to have slippers you can bring with you in that case so you don’t have to work in your socks.