plenty of RN, PD work available in your area?? It is here!!!

Specialties Private Duty

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

I am the wrong person in the wrong situation! I almost feel guilty with the economy like it is, and with some nurses getting laid off, having difficulty finding a job at all, or simply needing extra hours. I switched to being prn/perdiem in April, instead of working one private duty case consistently. I told my agency that I was taking a break and not working for a few weeks when I made the switch to prn/perdiem. Well, they still called me regularly asking me to work during my break. This week (the last week of my break) they called me THREE times pleading with me to work even though I told them in no uncertain terms that I absolutely could not work this week in particular because I have final exams/papers. (I am working on a masters degree, but not in nursing.)

My personal break is up and I want to start working some again, and I am already signed up to work 2 shifts next week. I could be working full-time plus hours...

Is this unusual??? Just a fluke in my area??? I am in the southeast. And I am a RN as well, not a LPN. I only mention that because I have frequently heard it said that private duty cases are mostly for LPN's, and less common for RN's. Yet, as a RN, I have never in over 4 years had difficulty finding private duty RN cases.

In my area, I was told that with medicaid (and most cases seem to be medicaid), a private duty case must either be a RN case or a LPN case. RN's and LPN's can NOT be mixed on the same case. It is one or the other. Some type of medicaid rule, which may be specific to my state?

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

nope sometimes we need to take care of us! don't feel guilty about working prn, if you can than more power to you.

here in the deep south there are alot of pdn positions posted. i have seen both lpn's and rn's work the same cases, not sure about the medicare rules.

the only other thing i have noticed is that some agencies will post the same case just about every 3 months, raises a red flag with me.

anyways glad to hear you able to be flexible with work now.

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I've seen both RNs and LVNs on the same case all the time. When it is designated an LVN level case that means that the agency will typically pay LVN wages because they are being reimbursed at the LVN rate of pay. For that matter, there are RN level hours listed on the case most of the time in excess of the supervisory visits. I would imagine they pay RNs the RN level of pay in these instances. But then, maybe not.

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

Quote: "The only other thing I have noticed is that some agencies will post the same case just about every 3 months, raises a red flag with me."

Yea, would with me too!! Whats the problem if they can't keep staff??!! I should have left the case I was last on sooner, but the "office guys" gave me a terrible run-a-round. Then when I finally talked to a nurse supervisor, she told me the office guys were likely giving me a run-a-round to keep me on the case because they knew my position would be hard to fill. This case was staffed by multiple part-timers and prns. I don't think anyone could tolerate the mom if they were around her full-time. The mom is a piece of work! I was on the case for 1 and 1/2 years, and there were many new nurses on and off the case during that time. Lots of turnover. I actually somehow tolerated the mom just fine for a long time, and then I suddenly had enough! There is a reason some cases have openings so frequently!!! Beware! :eek:

I am hoping that by working prn on different cases I can avoid some of the "issues" with some of these cases. I'll just be in and out...

Like said, there seems to be PLENTY of private duty work around here!!! Nurses who really need work or extra hours should consider private duty.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

but like other areas of nursing....some just aren't cut out for pdn! maybe one day i might consider going back to pdn, but for now i am going to work for a very realible hospice company.

those recruiters at the agency not all of them,were something else. that would be a whole other topic!!

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
but like other areas of nursing....some just aren't cut out for pdn! maybe one day i might consider going back to pdn, but for now i am going to work for a very realible hospice company.

those recruiters at the agency not all of them,were something else. that would be a whole other topic!!

oh yea, i was just speaking generally about all the pd work available. i seem to hear of a lot of nurses needing work lately. even my husband's giant teaching hospital has shut down a unit, and some nurses have lost jobs. it does take a certain type of nurse for private duty. i myself have "had it" with various things about private duty too! hmmm...maybe that is why there is so much work available! haha! i hope being prn and working different cases will help me avoid some of the issues/drama! if not, i may be looking for new work too! i hope hospice goes well for you! you deserve it!:loveya:

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I am moving to nc and was wondering if there was a lot of pdn work. I have posted several times on the nc forum but have gotten 0 responses. Are the pay rates the same as they are in the hospitals? Also is private duty nursing funded differently in every state? They also probably go by different rules too because I have never heard of rn and lpn cases. I've seen them work on the same cases. I'm in the northeast. Esp wondering about bayada,maxim, and psa as I've worked for all of them and still am with maxim and bayada

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
I am moving to nc and was wondering if there was a lot of pdn work. I have posted several times on the nc forum but have gotten 0 responses. Are the pay rates the same as they are in the hospitals? Also is private duty nursing funded differently in every state? They also probably go by different rules too because I have never heard of rn and lpn cases. I've seen them work on the same cases. I'm in the northeast. Esp wondering about bayada,maxim, and psa as I've worked for all of them and still am with maxim and bayada

Well, I don't know about NC, but I'm in a nextdoor state and there is much PDN work available. Why not just give a phone call to the agencies in the area you are moving too??? Tell them you are moving and you wondered if much PDN was available. They should be willing to talk to you.

Are the pay rates the same as they are in the hospitals? Sorry but this made me chuckle. PDN is not known for good pay. I took a 40% pay cut from the hospital. I'm a RN though. Maybe pay difference is not so great for LPN's.

There are various ways for PDN cases to be funded - private insurance, private pay, and medicaid for example. All the cases I have worked have been medicaid. I am no expert on how medicaid funding works. But I was specifically told by both my agencies that RN's and LPN's can not be mixed on the same case. I have never seen RN's and LPN's mixed on the same case in my over 4 years of doing private duty. This must be specific to my state, because no one else has heard of this! I think this may be about $$$. I think the reimbursement rate for RN's is a lot greater than for LPN's. So the agencies make a lot more $$ having RN's.

I have heard nightmare things about PSA. I have mixed feelings about Maxim. No exp with Bayada. Best agency I ever worked for was a "mom and pop" agency. unfortunately, they retired and sold to a national company.

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Has anyone worked for Excella Home Care before? If so, any comments about the work it? I have an interview with them later today.

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I am an rn. And the pay rate around here is $28 from maxim and $30 from bayada. Ltc and hospitals pay $30 to $34. So there is no big pay cut. Calling the agencies backfired on me because I was just inquiring about cases in another state(I was not thinking of moving there) and called about cases. The next day my office called me and said "we heard you are moving to deleware". I told them I wasn't then they said "well we did you call them then? They have not been calling me for cases since.

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Anything and everything can backfire when it comes to employers and employment. When only inquiring one should never give out their name and for that matter, make certain their phone number ID is blocked when calling. If they refuse to give info because you won't identify yourself, then they are not worth your consideration.

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.
I am an rn. And the pay rate around here is $28 from maxim and $30 from bayada. Ltc and hospitals pay $30 to $34. So there is no big pay cut. Calling the agencies backfired on me because I was just inquiring about cases in another state(I was not thinking of moving there) and called about cases. The next day my office called me and said "we heard you are moving to deleware". I told them I wasn't then they said "well we did you call them then? They have not been calling me for cases since.

Wow! Be thankful for the great PDN pay you make. Typical RN pay around here is $18-20/hour. The medicaid reimbursement rates must be really good in your location. Here they are not.

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