Is the nurse being taken advantage of, and by whom..

DSkelton711 · Nov 4, 2012

I've done "sitter services" where the patient requested a sitter that was an RN. I got paid 23.00 per hour (have been a nurse for over 20 years). I didn't do housework, except for laundering sheets and emptying trash--things I'd kinda do even in a hospital setting. We also helped with PT exercises. I accompanied on outings and was a chaffeur, so to speak. The hard part about being in the home is roles do get blurred. Only you can really know if the job is worth staying. No benefits and only 20.00 per hour for night shift seems a little low. I'm surprised you would get to do private duty without experience first, though. Good luck to you.

Fiona59 · Nov 4, 2012

They aren't looking for a nurse but a dogsbody.

We have a family locally that is always advertising for a home LPN. G-Feed, vent, personal care, get ready for bed, laundry, activities, etc. This is for 4pm to 10pm. To me it feels like things the family should be doing but chose not to do. The mother works to "get out of the house", the father is a well established local professional.

The job is posted at least twice a year and they are always "open to new grads". For the simple fact that experienced nurses won't do it. One LPN I met had worked for the family and put it down to they wanted servants to care for the child who is now a young woman.

OP: you wanted days but took nights. Simply tell your agency the hours aren't working for you and resign. Why did you take a night job?

StinkMomBomb · Nov 4, 2012

WOW, I was so happy to see a response to me so guickly, thanks! I was scared that it would sound like I was whining already. First, I never wanted home care, I wanted experience in a facility but I'm on unemployment and the agency found me on a job sight so I had accept the interview to keep unemployment. I was very clear of my uncertainty but was told to just do the family interview to test it out. I nailed the interview. Then the hours came up. I put in writing to the mother that I could only work until 7p. She said thats not acceptable. I was nervous, really I froze. I start training with the RN tomorrow and thats when the agency will be open for me to call. At least I'll get paid for tomorrow and see how involved the case really is. Thanks for the input ladies and I welcome more!!!

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Nov 5, 2012

If they are wanting someone the hours that you are not available to work, then in fact, this is not the job for you. I get that you are on unemployment, however, the job just will not work for you. The best thing the family could do is to say that it is not a good fit, because it is not. Homecare as I understand it has to "answer" to a lot to get paid for the work that you do. This is done in the documentation, that you would be responsible for. For a new grad LPN this is not a bad hourly wage. And it seemingly is a private caregiving position, which can entail meals, laundry....the whole 9. Other agencies would have a nurse there for a set number of hours, an aide for another set number of hours, housework helpers, etc. I wonder if the agency is actually billing the insurance for nurse, aide, laundry, ect. as they get paid a set amount for each of these DIFFERENT things. I am not sure I would get too involved in this, as if it is 7pm, and no one is there to releive you, guess what? You are obligated to stay. Or you are abandoning your patient. See what the agency has to say, but it often is the seniority of the workers that sets the hours. Good Luck!!

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Nov 5, 2012

PT, OT, ST regimes are all nursing duties. As is anything you would normally have a CNA for in a facility. Laundry, meal prep, and cleaning are all parts of maintaing a healthy environment. So by definition these things are not out of the realm of nursing duties. It's all in how a particular client wants it done. Here is my policy.Laundry- clients laundry only no exceptionsCleaning- wiping surfaces, and vacuuming of clients room, or messes I makeMeal prep- clients meal only, clients dishes only. It's really up to you if your being taken advantage of. Also you can ask for day hours but be prepared not to get them, new grads are not first pick for day positions.

StinkMomBomb · Nov 6, 2012

I did go to training and it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Yes I was tired, yes my back hurt, but i did not feel taken advantage of. I was worried I wouldn't feel like a nurse doing bed baths and brief changes but I did them and also learned new things. There were plenty of nursing responsibilities also, so all in all, I am happy.

Fiona59 · Nov 8, 2012

Why on earth do you feel that bed baths and brief changes wouldn't let you feel like a nurse?

How else would you do a total skin assessment? You can assess their mobility, range of motion, skin, ability to follow instruction, etc while doing the simplest of tasks.

I work in acute care and do all of these things. My unit doesn't have NAs. It's total patient care, wash, feed, toilet, medicate, chart, wound care.