Please share: likes and dislikes about private duty nursing

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Hello everyone, can you please share why you like or don't like private duty nursing. in other words advantages and disadvantages of being a private duty nurse

thank you in advance!

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Having no agency supervisors can be an advantage, but at the same time having no agency to back you up, assuming your agency supports you, is a big disadvantage. You are truly on your own out there.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Most of the parents act holy that thou as if they are the most perfect parents on the planet when the reality is far from it. They'll want to be taking the child to the ER one moment yetnot taking the child to it's regular scheduled appts the next. One parent did not go to the pulmonary or nutrition appts for her child after she realized her child was doing well and they might remove the GT and Trach and she might lose her free baby sitting service ( err I mean nurses )

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Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

I work with an alert and oriented teen girl w MD. I help her w PM ADL's, monitor her bipap, then do her AM ADL's. She's the coolest kid and we have a great rapport. We talk and joke around, it feels more like I get to hang with a little sister. The family is nice and down-to-earth, and the house is beautiful. The bad part is, I am not using any of my nursing skills. I know bipap must be monitored by a nurse, but I feel like I am working way below my potential. She goes to college this fall so perhaps I'll try and get a client with the works (TF, T/V) to sharpen up my skills again.

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.

It's funny because for me the advantages are also disadvantages..

- I work 1:1 with a patient which leaves time to get to know them and I am not rushed with meds and treatments BUT this also means that when there is no nursing care to be done I am acting as a babysitter

- I have a set schedule which can be very nice if I am trying to plan something ahead of time BUT without other nurses working the case I have no one to switch with if I needed one of my scheduled days off

- I am totally familiar with the medications/treatments/procedures my patients receive BUT I am not learning anything new

- I have no coworkers so there isn't any drama in the workplace or someone continuously looking over my shoulder BUT sometimes I miss having someone to bounce ideas off or just having a normal conversation with someone who isn't 10

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I would agree with Pediloves likes and dislikes. I like the familiarity and the chance to get to know and talk to your patient. After working in hospitals, doctor's offices and clinics the slow pace didn't make me crazy, and I felt sufficiently challenged by the patient being on the ventilator as there is much to learn there that is valuable, especially now that RT takes over many of those tasks in acute care now.

I loved the independence aspect of it! There are the usual political dramas that go on, and supervisors who aren't so great at the job, but you spend a lot less time in direct contact with them. Finally, a responsive office and case manager can make or break your ability to effectively care for a homecare patient. I'm sure all of us have a story from heaven and a story from hell about that.

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I work with an alert and oriented teen girl w MD. I help her w PM ADL's, monitor her bipap, then do her AM ADL's. She's the coolest kid and we have a great rapport. We talk and joke around, it feels more like I get to hang with a little sister. The family is nice and down-to-earth, and the house is beautiful. The bad part is, I am not using any of my nursing skills. I know bipap must be monitored by a nurse, but I feel like I am working way below my potential. She goes to college this fall so perhaps I'll try and get a client with the works (TF, T/V) to sharpen up my skills again.

You are so lucky to have a wonderful case like that!, how about maybe picking up a shift or two at a hospital or LTC with an acute care unit?

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Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty; Camp Nursing.

juzme,

I just got out of that sort of environment four months ago! I'm in no hurry to go back at this time, just enjoying the case now, she'll be going to college far away so I'm sure my skill-sharpening can wait until September! ;D

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

Likes: 1:1 with patient, no rushing to get to another patient, complete care and not needing CNA's, helping client live a more normal life with your help

Dislikes: miss having other co-workers around, client sharing too much information about family and they always want to know your business, working in a less-than-clean house, playing favorites with nurses

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Likes: Working 11-7 PM shift, independence, none of the craziness of acute care, using all my nursingn skills, ability handle personal issues during the day PRN, ability to study when things are quiet.

Dislikes: Working nites causes sleep problems, not having a co-worker to discuss or compare notes, having an agency who is not appreciative of its nurses, having agency personnel who do not do their job, and having nurses on the case who do less than the minimal amount of work.

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