ICU RN to PDN: Is there Glory in Private Duty Nursing?

official02 · Sep 26, 2010

The prestige of being in the hospital especially in a special area is incomparable. The problem is that you don't get enough what you have worked for. You have been fine and it seems that you have done an exemplary nursing experience in your hospital. With your status there, one could only ask for a higher paying job.

I'm a new nurse. Currently, I'm a Private Duty Nurse taking care of an aged CVA patient. If opportunity knocks me for a hospital position, I would surely grab it. Being in the hospital, I would gain a lot of knowledge and skills. But there's none, after doing volunteer works for 6 months, there is just nothing for me there.

I don't get as much as you earn being a PDN, I'm far from having yours. So, you're lucky. And I think it's just fair because you are competent enough and experienced a lot and your patient is more critical than mine. My patient has no contraptions at all, nothing too critical that necessitates much attention. It's a pretty laid back work.

I don't feel the fulfillment being a PDN, my 12 hour duty just commence and end fine. I always will wish being a Staff Nurse in a hospital. Regarding COE, I don't know too, I do think that it is proper too have one from your patient's significant others after. It is still a nursing job.

CastaRN · Sep 26, 2010

The prestige of being in the hospital especially in a special area is incomparable. The problem is that you don't get enough what you have worked for. You have been fine and it seems that you have done an exemplary nursing experience in your hospital. With your status there, one could only ask for a higher paying job.
I'm a new nurse. Currently, I'm a Private Duty Nurse taking care of an aged CVA patient. If opportunity knocks me for a hospital position, I would surely grab it. Being in the hospital, I would gain a lot of knowledge and skills. But there's none, after doing volunteer works for 6 months, there is just nothing for me there.
I don't get as much as you earn being a PDN, I'm far from having yours. So, you're lucky. And I think it's just fair because you are competent enough and experienced a lot and your patient is more critical than mine. My patient has no contraptions at all, nothing too critical that necessitates much attention. It's a pretty laid back work.
I don't feel the fulfillment being a PDN, my 12 hour duty just commence and end fine. I always will wish being a Staff Nurse in a hospital. Regarding COE, I don't know too, I do think that it is proper too have one from your patient's significant others after. It is still a nursing job.

I understand where your coming from. You came from a batch of unprecedented volume when the demand for nurses abroad slowed down. You must really want to go into Staff nursing first before going private duty, but cant.

The risk your taking is enormous. Your work may be laid back now...but what if infection sets in....pulmonary aspiration? Congestion? You must be able to see tell tale signs before it could all be critical. Pls be very careful. Do ur research. Listen to his lung sounds and heart beat on a daily basis. So u'll know something's wrong even if we don't know what crackels sounds like. Or irregular rythm. At least something's a little odd and you could ask one of his doctors. Just a suggestion my brotha. God bless!

CastaRN · Sep 30, 2010

What say you.....staff nurses? Do you look down on PDNs?

FF:R.N. · Dec 11, 2010

PDN is not just so easy as you say if you really know what are your reponsibilities are.??im a newly registered nurse for almost a year and private duty nurse is my first job...no hospital scenario i've been before it's hard to be a PDN. as A PDN you take all the responsibilities of what your patients need from hair to toe. I think in every field of nursing there would be a advantage and disadvantage.example as a PDN, you never get the skill and knowledge you need,but how about the attittude??right but as a PDN you must first improved your attitude first before the skill and knowledge,im proud to be a PDN.cause this is where i fit.

BagwisRN · Dec 14, 2010

Good for you FF:RN!!

I'm a PDN....an "in hospital PDN" in the arguably the best Medical Center here in the Manila. I don't do house cases... I take care of the critically ill patients who needs 1 on 1 monitoring (in addition to the staff provided by the Hosp) or just plainly rich they want a special nurse around. I was an ICU nurse of the same institution too, so all the more easier for me to do the things that iVE been doing since I became a PDN.

NO...they should not look down on PDNs cause to tell you quite frankly...I'm happier as a PDN. Same one on one ratio of patient... lower load, no big bosses, no paper works, no checking of CSS, Pahrmacy, and equipments, bonuses almost everyday from rich patients, meeting famous people, AND THE PAY IS 4-6X the amt I was getting when i was a staff...

....so who's to look down on who again????