Heart on the Doorstep: Ohio Community College & Home Health Agency Ride-Along to Grow the Workforce

What really happens when a nurse walks through a patient’s front door instead of a hospital doorway? In this episode of Home Health Revealed, host Hannah Vale heads into the field with home health nurses in snowy Northeast Ohio and then sits down with leaders from Lorain County Community College and the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice to unpack what she witnessed firsthand.

You’ll hear from:

Christopher Hirschler, Dean of the Health and Wellness Science Division at Lorain County Community College

Lisa Von Lemden, Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice

Hannah DiVencenzo, Program Developer at Lorain County Community College

Cynthia Kushner, Director of School, Workforce and Community partnerships

Abigail Farabaugh, Career and Academic Advisement Professional

Together, they share powerful stories from recent ride‑alongs: organizing overflowing baskets of medications, navigating homes transformed into care spaces, and supporting families through heartbreaking seasons with remarkable resilience. You’ll also hear about those “oh no” moments—like expired blood tubes in the trunk—and how strong team backup turns solo visits into a true network of care.

Listen in to learn:

Why being invited into a patient’s home is “sacred” work and how it reveals social determinants of health in real time, from housing quality to family support to mental health.

How home health nurses flex between roles—clinician, educator, advocate, problem‑solver, even “therapist”—often in the same visit.

What schedule flexibility, point‑based pay models, and documentation from home actually look like in a real nurse’s day (including coffee breaks between visits).

How AI and technology are changing preparation for visits, decision‑making, and mentorship for newer nurses entering home health. 

Why home care can be a smart career move for nurses who want autonomy, meaningful one‑on‑one time with patients, and strong earning potential—without punching a time clock.

The episode also highlights new workforce and education partnerships, including a $2 million Department of Higher Education investment into the Center for Community Based Care to grow and support the next generation of home health and hospice clinicians across Ohio. Lorain County Community College shares how it is exposing students to home health early—through ride‑alongs, pathways content, and mentorship—so they can discover if this deeply relational kind of nursing is the right fit.

If you’re:

A nursing student wondering what’s beyond the ICU or med‑surg,

A nurse craving more control over your time and deeper patient relationships, or

An educator or leader trying to build stronger home health pathways…

…this episode will challenge your assumptions about what nursing “has” to look like and show you what’s possible when care comes to the couch instead of the bedside.

Learn more & get connected:

Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice / Center for Community Based Care: visit www.ochch.org and use the Contact Us form to inquire about tuition support, grants, and workforce opportunities across Ohio.

Interested in educational pathways at Lorain County Community College? Explore Health and Wellness programs and ask about home health and hospice opportunities through their advising and pathways teams.

If you know a home health nurse, share this episode with them—and buy them a coffee. They’re probably on their way to the next visit!

#HomeHealthRevealed #HomeHealthNursing #HospiceCare #NurseLife #LorainCountyCommunityCollege #OhioCouncilForHomeCare #CenterForCommunityBasedCare #NursingCareer #AgingInPlace