I want to share some things I wish I had known when starting out as a home health SLP. I'm sharing practical tips for organizing and managing your caseload, storing materials, making the most of toys, and managing your time.
The world of home health SLP can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to staying organized.
Create a Schedule: I'm going to be 100% real with you- your schedule is going to change. Schedule Tetris is real, and so are cancellations. When it comes to home health, the biggest advice I can give you when it comes to planning out your schedule is to write out the addresses of your patients and use a map. Do your best to lay out the sessions, so you're not crossing all over the place or backtracking yourself throughout the day. This can be tricky when building a caseload, so it won't be perfect at first, but it needs to be the end goal.
To help you maintain organization and structure, offer parents a window of time on certain days and work together to create a schedule that works for everyone.
Keep a copy of the speech therapy goals in your car. I know what you're thinking- what about HIPPA? There are a few ways to go about this (all of which are legal)
When you're working in home health, being efficient with your materials is vital. Cars can become chaotic very quickly.
Find a bag! I've been through many tote bags in my 10+ years in the speech therapy world. The key to a good bag, especially for early intervention- is size and durability. I know several people using reusable bags from places like TJ Maxx and other stores- but for me, I've found 4 bags that have been worth their weight in gold. They've withstood the test of time and can hold a bunch of stuff.
My go-to's for therapy bags have been the LL Bean boat tote, My Speech Bag from Help Me Grow Speech, Deluxe Utility totes from 31 bags, and diaper bag backpacks.
You also want to choose toys and tools that can be used for multiple purposes. (check out this blog post for my list of the best toys for speech therapy!) Maximizing the use of your therapy materials is efficient and keeps the chaos in your car manageable.
Priority 4: Time Management
Balancing a busy caseload requires good time management skills. Unless you thrive on chaos, in which case- let's be friends! When I made the switch to home health, it took me a few months to really get into the swing of things. Give yourself some grace.
Prioritize Tasks: At the start of every day (or every week) run through your schedule. Determine when you're going to complete daily notes and what therapy materials you'll need.
Set Boundaries: I touched on this in a podcast episode; setting boundaries professionally is important. This also applies to setting your schedule and building a caseload.
Build in Breaks: As you get into the routine of the home health SLP world, you'll learn which places have the best bathrooms and nice places to park in the shade. Schedule your lunch break and take it. SLP home health can be exhausting and is taxing on your body. Stay as hydrated as possible, refuel your body, and take a rest when possible.
Reflect and Adjust: At the end of each week, review what went well and what could be improved!
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