L&D nurse doing home visits as a second job.....

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I was just curious if anyone had had any experiences with L&D nurses doing home visits (pre-delivery or post partum)? I absolutely LOVE my job as an L&D nurse but not getting my hours due to low patient census. I would love to be able to do open up a service for "home visit care and/or education". Maybe work under an OBGYN or a service that our hospital could start offering, but I would like to try and run it as my own "business" rather than "work under" a doctor or facility. I don't want to work my "booty" off so "others pockets" can get even fuller (as I do in my primary job). It would be nice to be able to keep that money in our own pockets - may be even hire other L&D nurses to work for me. Would health insurance companies cover it as a "home health care well visit" maybe? I am unsure of even the legalities of it all. Any advice on this subject would be greatly appreciated..... :)

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

How about marketing yourself as a postpartum doula?

I just accepted a part-time/PRN position working as a "baby nurse" for wealthy people. Basically I'll be taking care of their baby(s) while they sleep at night. I'm excited!

FWIW, I was required to get as a "postpartum care provider" and it was only $65/year.

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klone, how much do you charge hourly for being an overnight baby nurse? i've also considered this. Sunnyyazgirl, this is what postpartum doulas do, no, its not covered by insurance for your clients. Good luck! I'm in the same situation, depending on where you are located, there may be more of a demand for a baby nurse than for a postpartum doula...

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jkat276 - I have been informed that many insurance companies (even state funded insurance companies) do indeed cover antepartum and post partum home visits as they feel it assists in good teaching and preventative care. I have no interest in being a doula as I have my own family to take care of at home. I am more interested in planned home care/education visits.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

A postpartum doula is a lot different than a labor doula. A postpartum doula comes to the home after the mother is home from the hospital (if she went to the hospital), does a lot of patient teaching on self-care and infant care, helps with breastfeeding, and basically makes sure the mother is comfortable and has what she needs. It wouldn't impinge on your schedule the way being a labor doula would, because you could come to her house somewhat on your own schedule, and you don't have to stay for many hours (or days).

http://www.dona.org/mothers/faqs_postpartum.php

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Wow that sounds like a great idea. Me and the girls on the floor were talking about that just recently.....I wish you the best. We nurses work just as hard and should be compensated too

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This is amazing! I partnered up with another nurse from our Childbirth unit and we are doing the same thing. We are trying to find. out if 3rd party insurance will cover our services (we are in Ontario, Canada) Does anyone know??

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery, ICU.

I am interested in this business as well!! How did it go??

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