Opportunities after Private Duty Nursing?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Specializes in Critical Care.

Hey everyone. I'm a RN-BSN new grad and just started my first job in pediatric private duty nursing. I really like it so far. They started me with a busy but stable child at a home where I'm never alone. I will get to train with more kiddos once I become comfortable with this case.

Even though I like this job, my goals are to get into any sort of critical care/ICU nursing, do travel nursing, then probably go to CRNA school. (Dunno if this will all happen but it's what I'll be aiming for, at least right now).

The little girl I work with has a colostomy bag, G-Tube, needs neb tx, does tube feedings/ meds through tubes, frequent resp assess, O2 @ noc, and various therapies. The other kids that I will eventually train on have central lines, TPN, trachs, need to be monitored for seizures and other problems. I have potential to work with dialysis and vents in the future as well. It sounds like pretty good experience, but it's still not acute care... I plan to get certs like PALS/ACLS, ect, but I'm wondering if this will all be "enough" to get me into a NICU/PICU/ or even a step-down sort of job in a year.

What am I looking at as far as opportunity after private duty nursing? Does it open any doors, or not really?

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Specializes in Lvn to RN, new grad med/surg.

My suggestion after acls/pals would be to look for a critical care class in your area. Definitely get all the hands on you can with the more complicated cases more experience= increased competencies. Add everything to your resume and apply, apply and apply. PDN has a tendency to go stagnant/stable with repetitive scheduling, make sure you are requesting more skills and more complicated cases frequently.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Great suggestions! Thank you for your reply :)

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