I left private duty nursing a year ago

caliotter3 · Nov 15, 2013

General area? You know which ones to stay away from based on your previous experience.

PerfectlyPlump, ADN, RN · Nov 16, 2013

My agency is quite good, but you don't take PM's. Right?

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Nov 16, 2013

My agency is pretty good, but the health insurance is very expensive.

Blackcat99 · Nov 17, 2013

Any good agencies in Florida? Just curious. I never found a good one in Florida. I will probably stay at my LTC job due to the better pay and medical insurance.

CloudySue · Nov 17, 2013

If you need health insurance, and you are not a full time employee, rather a PRN, check out the ACA website (or call them if you can't get online at this time) and compare plans. If you are not enthusiastic about the ACA, learn more. There's some good to it, and definitely more affordable than COBRA and covers you well.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Nov 17, 2013

I have yet to find an agency with good insurance. I eventually left PDN (for many reasons) & got a job in corrections with good benefits.

PerfectlyPlump, ADN, RN · Nov 17, 2013

If you can handle it, a facility offers more of a 'real' job, with all the obvious benefits and above all, not being canceled. If you can't afford getting cancelled, I hope you don't go back to PDN.

CloudySue · Nov 18, 2013

If an employer-provided "plan" gets cancelled, it wasn't a very good one to begin with. That's why these plans are getting cancelled, they are the medical equivalent of keeping a homeowner's policy for $50,000 when you own a $200,000 house. If your employer will not or cannot provide you with a plan that meets minimum coverage as mandated by the ACA, you are eligible to shop the Marketplace, www.healthcare.gov, (or call the number if you can't log on) to shop for and compare various plans with various copays, deductibles, and premiums, which fit your budget and health status the best. If you are single and make $45,000 or under, you will qualify for a tax rebate. Married is about $95,000 or less for the tax credit. I have browsed the premiums and find that although they are not "cheap", they are less expensive than COBRA wanted to charge us, and infinitely less expensive than paying for, say, an appendectomy out of pocket (which my best friend happens to be doing right now.)

I'm not getting political here. I'm just pointing out the facts, because for the PDN nurse who works less than full time or is forced to stay on PRN status, there are still options that can keep us doing what we do without having to leave our already very real jobs and go work in a facility.

PerfectlyPlump, ADN, RN · Nov 19, 2013

I do think my job is real when I have a case. Some weeks without one, the agency calls me for fill ins. But I get discouraged when they don't use me for a week or so....when I expect ed to be working and savings up for my kid.s tuition, etc.

We can live, cuz my spouse has a steady job, but not every nurse has one.

caddywompus · Nov 23, 2013

Most agencies keep you at prn or temp status even if you work 7days/wk. That keeps most people from being eligible for agency benefits, which in my experience are usually only considered supplemental and are expensive. I'm currently working for Pediatria. I don't know about their benefits because I get mine from my hospital job, but the agency is wonderful.

Blackcat99 · Nov 23, 2013

Yes it was nice when I only had 1 patient. However, it was sure stressful when the child was in the hospital and I didn't have any steady income. I had medical insurance at the agency when I worked PDN but it was crummy insurance and didn't help much at all with the medical bills. So I am hoping to find a job at another facility (hopefully something different then LTC) so I can have a steady income and hopefully some decent medical insurance too. Thanks to all for your comments.