independent contractor- where to get orders?

[Marley7]

Hello all, I am interested in becoming an independent contractor doing home health nursing and iv therapy. Where would I get orders for medications, oxygen, supplies, etc? Would it be from the pt's PCP? If the family was using me in addition to a home health company to cover the gaps for when their insurance doesn't pay, could I follow the same orders written for the home health company? Also, I do not believe I would be under a regulatory agency if they are private pay so would you just keep all of your charting locked away at home? Thank you for your time.

[caliotter3]

In a private duty situation as described, I was told that "technically" I was not privy to the home chart of the agency, but it was deliberately left where I could access the plan of care for reference. Officially, the patient's family member communicated the orders to the private duty nurses. The primary nurse worked both private duty and for the agency. As primary nurse, she was most likely the one who got the orders from the PCP anyway. So she made certain that everyone was on the same page. The private duty nurses kept narrative notes in a notebook, much like the communication book notebooks used by many agencies for shift to shift info.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

No you can't work under the orders/care plan of the agency when you are independent. You can't accept verbal orders from a family member. You need written physician orders. You would fall under Medicare/Medicaid if you bill them and must meet those standards