Private Duty Nursing

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, geriatrics some neonatal.

Greetings all! First, can I just say how grateful I am for this site?!!!! You are all so very helpful and I will probably be up all night reading the ghost story thread as I am facinated by those things:wink2:.

Anyway, I am currently about as unhappy as one can get in a nursing job I think. I work in geriatrics, which just does not resonate with me. I have applied to 6 different facilities, hospitals and the like with NOT ONE CALL. I have also filled out the applications on line and have gotten no follow up at all. I am hearing over and over again that once someone is in this area of nursing it is like you don't exist in the hospital scene. Never mind the fact that when I was in the hospital I had my CCRN and did ICU/CCU.

I have a friend at work who recently worked a private duty shift and was paid 600.00 for the night. She said the person who paid her has been doing this for a long time and has gotten word of mouth advertising and done very well.

How does one go about doing this? I am so frustrated by the fact that in my setting it is common to have 30-60 patients to care for and medicate which is just not humane on any level. I feel that caring for one patient would be a great change for me at this point, as I am begining my transition out of nursing, hopefully completely out, in two years. I also do holistic consulting and wellness workshops. I am also pursuing writing at this time.

Any input?.....thanks again for your help!

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That figure sounds very inflated. I worked private duty for years and highest I made was $21/hr.

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

I have done private duty nursing (RN level cases) for about 4 years now, and my pay has been $20/hour the entire time. And this is considered better pay in my area. Other nurses I know doing private duty locally get $18 or $19/hr. I do private duty through an agency....I am not independent.

$600 for one night shift? That seems way high! Even if it was a 12 hour shift, that is $50/hr! Whoa! Sometimes private pay cases (not through an agency) can pay generously, but $50/hr seems through the roof!

Sounds like you are tired of higher-stress nursing jobs, and are planning to transition out of nursing all together at some point. Private duty would be a great choice for you in my opinion. Doing it through an agency is always an option. I burned out of hospital nursing, and just wanted an easier and lower-stress nursing job. Private duty works well for me. There are some stress factors unique to private duty, but compared to other nursing jobs the stress is very low!

You may want to look in the private duty forum - it is a subforum under homehealth.

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I worked for a few private duty cases and the highest I was paid was $42/hr. I'm also a new grad. Although this figure seems high (especially for a newbie) you have to figure in how much to take out for taxes. When you work Private Duty you are considered an "Independent Contractor." So taxes don't come out of your paycheck -- you pay for it during tax season if you don't prepare properly. So while $50/hr seems inflated, figure a third of that should be put away to pay taxes at the end of the year.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

i work through an agency and get paid 19.00 /hr and can work up to 60 hours a week. i usually average about 50 hrs weekly and anything over 40 is overtime for me. i am very fortunate to have an excellent case right now. the pt is qualified for 70hrs weekly and i do the 50hrs most weeks!

i too was burned out from the hospital setting and love pdn!

good luck on the job hunt and welcome!!

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, geriatrics some neonatal.

I thought that the figure sounded high too, but I don't know if taxes were taken out or not.

It was in NY, and I am not sure what the rates are there.

Yes, I am very stressed at the current job, of which I have been there for the last almost 4 years and know that I need to get out soon. I currently do full time +, and I am "pool" which means in this facility 36/hr. I am currently filling in as unit manager since I am an RN and can. This job is at least 45 minutes away from my home too, and that is on a good day with no traffic.

I want my work to have more meaning. I have heard of the independent contractor thing and wondered how to do that with regard to private duty nursing. It seems that there are huge pay cuts to do private duty, but it somewhat balances out with less stress?????

Now I have to get ready for another day at work! Have a great day everyone and thanks so much for your support.

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$600.00 per shift... sign me up... LOL... I have done private duty pediatric nursing for 11 years with an agency... It pays $23.00 an hour. I started with them when I was a LPN. Have been a RN since 2005. Pay only went up very little for Lpn-RN, as a lot of LPN's do this and they are most qualified to. I also work in the OR... let me tell you the private duty is SO much less stress. YOU might try it... It makes you feel good and you are able to give such good care one on one. It is very rewarding. But, lower pay and no benefits (for me). But, money isn't everything!!!!! Good luck .... take care and keep us posted.

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600$ for one shift? Was there dancing involved?

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600$ for one shift? Was there dancing involved?

:yeah::yeah::yeah: Hilarious!!!!!!!!:yeah::yeah::yeah:

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
...I want my work to have more meaning. I have heard of the independent contractor thing and wondered how to do that with regard to private duty nursing. It seems that there are huge pay cuts to do private duty, but it somewhat balances out with less stress?????.....

Yes, I took a significant pay cut to do private duty. But the payoff for me was more than worth it! I was so burned out of hospital nursing I was toasty, and was even considering leaving the field of nursing all together. Some suggested things like nursing case management, education, or research jobs to me, but for various reasons I was not interested in positions like those. Comparatively speaking, private duty is VERY low stress. And it is a wonderful feeling to have one patient and be able to give them the care they deserve!! Instead of running around with your head cut off, leaving work late, and still feeling like your patients did not get proper care from you! So, yes, things more than balanced out for me. I lost pay but gained other things.

You'll likely make more money at private duty by doing it independently (instead of through an agency like I do) but remember there are various things you will be responsible for yourself....finding cases, "negotiating" with family, taxes, liability issues, etc. I make less doing it through an agency but I like how they take care of everything for me......

I wish you the best! Good luck!

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Specializes in ER.
600$ for one shift? Was there dancing involved?

Hilllarious!!!!!!!!

I thought it was bordering on tacky. Just IMHO.

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$23/hr for RN? Where are you located and what is name of the agency you work for?

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