PD is like the armpit of nursing

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Went to a "career fair" recently, which really was just a college recruiting event for RNs. There were, unfortunately, a large number of my graduating cohort there as well. Many of the ones I spoke with were working in Private Duty Home Care as well. However, I was struck by how they said it. Like it was the armpit of nursing and something to be ashamed of. I am proud that I am a private duty RN and I was annoyed when they would get that grimace or you could see the effort to control an eye-roll. The only reason I want a hospital position or any institutional type position is because I need some years of acute care bedside experience in order to be a viable NP. More importantly, I need to try it just to KNOW if I should even invest that much money at 45 to become an NP! Maybe I stop at the BSN and then do specialty. Guess what? I still need X amount of bedside acute care experience to specialize. So, it's a means to an end, but I digress. I don't get it, private duty is the ORIGINAL nursing. Why so much disdain? It just annoys me.

In my area, they LOVE PDN nurses; it takes creativity; thinking on your feet and out the box and successfully wearing many hats-and at least the area hospitals that I have spoke to LOVE that about PDN nurses...

It takes a lot of creativity, critical thinking, and multi-tasking. It really is its own specialty!

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Yes, I agree. I really enjoy it most days. I just can't find enough work right now. Grr. I like that I get such an interesting variation and I get to say "no" to what I don't feel I can handle or care to handle.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

I thought Medical-Surgical was the armpit of nursing? :lol2: (I can say this because I'm PROUD to be one. Well, not an armpit, but a M/S nurse).

You know how nursing is a pecking order. If you don't work ICU, NICU, OR or ED, then you just plain suck in the eyes of the nursing world.:sarcastic: And we wonder why we can't seem to organize the 3 million of ourselves and elevate nursing to what it should be. We can't even play nice in the sandbox and respect other specialties.

Be proud of what you do and PHHHHHHT to everyone else..:yes:

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
It takes a lot of creativity, critical thinking, and multi-tasking. It really is its own specialty!

Yes it is! and I'm not a PD nurse. Again, nurses need to realized that EVERY area is specialty, even med/surg, lol.

I get sooo tired of nurses having to defend what they do, if they aren't in the popular/cool crowd. It is just soo wrong. There is a need for ALL of us!!

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

I've always thought people acted like psych was the armpit and occasionally even the crotch of nursing. Good thing I don't feel that way!

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Wow,i personally think Ltc nurses get pooped on the most!

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I thought Medical-Surgical was the armpit of nursing? :lol2: ( can say this because I'm PROUD to be one. Well, not an armpit, but a M/S nurse).

You know how nursing is a pecking order. If you don't work ICU, NICU, OR or ED, then you just plain suck in the eyes of the nursing world.:sarcastic: And we wonder why we can't seem to organize the 3 million of ourselves and elevate nursing to what it should be. We can't even play nice in the sandbox and respect other specialties.

Be proud of what you do and who you are and PHHHHHHT on everyone else..:yes:

You are so right. I am just learning this about nursing. I came to it from a business background and no healthcare experience. Nursing is weird. One moment you see a bazillion nurses leading a charge for change together, and then you can see those same nurses tearing others nurses down. I guess it's just the human condition.

The only bad thing about PDN is finding enough hours/stability. Otherwise, I have learned a lot. Mostly how many families suffer quietly dealing with diseases most people will never hear about in their lifetime.

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And to all the psych, ltc, and med/surg nurses out there, here crawl in... I've shaved. ;-P

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I think y'all are awesome! Anyone who can give up a significant part of their life to come help out is wonderful in my eyes. :heartbeat:

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I have been asked by another nurse "when are you going to leave pdn and become a REAL nurse?"

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.
I have been asked by another nurse "when are you going to leave pdn and become a REAL nurse?"

i thought about this thread at work yesterday morning

as i pull up to the residence, i see the mother standing in the door

"i'm so glad you're here", she says as i enter the residence

she reports the trach sounds "dry" in spite of lavage x2

Mickey button is protruding more than usually and hasn't peed all noc

so within the first hour of my shift i changed a trach, changed a Mickey

button, placed a straight cath and did an irrigation

what was that slogan - we do more by 9AM than most people do all day

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Specializes in Pediatric.
I have been asked by another nurse "when are you going to leave pdn and become a REAL nurse?"

Ugh, for real? So we are "fake nurses," then?! As if!

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