private duty and new LPN in WI?

[clearblue3]

Hi!

I am coming to the half way point in my RN program and will be eligible to take the LPN boards. I currently work as a private duty caregiver, and was wondering if anyone has any advice for doing that as an LPN and more specifically in WI. I have read on here that experience as an RN is highly enouraged before doing private duty, but what about as an LPN? As an LPN I won't be able to get hospital experience and with the way jobs are going around here-the Madison area, I don't forsee getting an LPN job in LTC etc with having no healthcare experience. So does anyone have any advice about getting a PDN job as an new LPN? I know I have read about professional homecare providers...how easy is it to actually use their boards to get a job? I have seen the same jobs on there for quite a while. I would just like something that pays a little more while I finish school since I will have my LPN, and I love the private duty job I have now so I was hoping that doing another private duty job would be a good option. Thanks in advance for any advice!!

[SDALPN]

Too risky with no nursing experience. What are you going to do when your patient starts going downhill? If its peds, they will go downhill faster than adults most of the time. You won't have any back up support with you like you would in a facility. Training consists of orienting on a case for a few hours and then you are on your own.

Most agencies won't hire a nurse without at least a year of experience.

[SDALPN]

Oh yeah, LTC is not hard to get in to without experience. Plus you have back up support from other experienced nurses if you run in to trouble (if they aren't feeling like backstabbing you that day).

If you do want to go in to private duty I would suggest finding a LTC facility that has trachs and vents. Get experience with trachs and vents for a year and then look at going in to private duty. Most of the LTC facilities with trachs and vents have a respiratory therapist which would also be a great resource to learn from first.

[caliotter3]

If you are working through a home health agency, then they will most likely be able to place you as an LPN and should be willing to provide you the orientation that you require. If you are doing private duty, it should not be difficult to get extended care cases with an agency if your private duty employer is willing to act as a reference to help you get the position with the agency.

[clearblue3]

Thanks for your thoughts!! I agree that experience first would be a good idea. I am just trying to check out all of my options...especially when jobs are so difficult to come by. Caliotter, I am not working for a home health agency. I found this job privately, but it is paid for by medicare...I am really not sure how all of that works.

I know that professional homecare providers offers vent and trach classes, but I am thinking that LTC with vents and trachs may be hard to come by? All the LTC here that I know of may have the occasional vent/trach, but I don't know of any facilities that specialize in that type of care, but maybe I am just unaware. Even LTC jobs are difficult to get here...I have no prior healthcare experience as this is a second degree for me, and I decided pretty quickly to go back for nursing (so I didn't get a chance to work as a CNA anywhere). I just wasn't sure if PDN cases for LPN's tended to be "easier" or require less experience than an RN case would. I have read a few posts on AN that say that as along as you have good support and are trained well, that it would be fine to do new grad PDN, but I personally know that I would not be comfortable having a case that I didn't feel experienced enough for.

I am also thinking that the CNA PDN case I am on will be an LPN/RN job here at some point as the client has later stage muscular dystrophy. I would love transition as an LPN for this case, but I am not sure how that works in WI. I think I will make a post about that and see if any other WI PDN's have any thoughts :-) Thanks!!