LorettaKinat

Jut relocated back to the suburbs of Chicago after being gone for almost a decade. I have over 15 years as an RN. I'm not looking for bashing, just good advice. I am seriously thinking about going the private duty route but before I decide, I want to work agency or registry at a few hospitals in the burbs to get a sense of the working conditions, politics, attitudes, etc. I don't need benefits since my husband has those but I do need to work. Any recommendations of good hospitals to work at in the north/northwest/west suburbs? Any good nurse agencies? Does anyone know the going rates around here? I am strong in med surge and ICU - I can work any shift - kids are grown. And I wouldn't mind a really good long term care facility if they had a lot of skilled beds. Again, I'm not looking for bashing but if there are situations or facilities I should avoid, let me know. My email is [email protected] if you want to keep your comments private. Thanks.

I am seriously considering becoming a private duty nurse after years of working in a hospital environment. I don't know who to ask these questions to without sounding like a "loafer" or someone who has lived under a rock. I understand the medical attention and care and charting and doctor's orders and meds for Private Duty. What I don't know is how does one blend into the family during the shift? I do NOT want to be a live in, I want an 8 or 12 hour shift private duty nurse case - I am not interested in home health/intemittent visits. I realize that some of these will be the patient/family preference but what is typical? Are these normal questions to ask the family or the agency that sends me? Here are my questions: Scrubs or street clothes? Bring my own food or eat with the family? If I bring my own food, can I use the kitchen to prepare (micorwave)? Do I stay in the patient's room all the time? Is it ok to bring a book to read or knitting, etc? If it is the NOC shift, is it ok to dose off in a chair in the patient's room (as long as I can hear the vent alarms, etc.) Is it ok to watch TV during a patient's nap? Do I communicate with the doctor daily? Is there charting? Who do I report to if there is a medical crisis? If the patient needs 24 hour care, what are shift changes like with the other nurse? How much authority do I have? If I disagree with a doctor's assessment, do I tell the doctor or the family or the patient? Do I bring my own infection control supplies? Gloves, masks, goggles? Finally, is there more "security" or "protection" if I go through a nurse agency or is it better to find a patient on my own? And how do I do that? Again, I know that most of this will be up to the family but I have no idea how to ask these questions if the family does not bring it up? I am a very hard working nurse and I do not expect private duty nursing to be easy but I just wonder what does one do with one's self during naps, etc. Any insight of the day to day (night to night) reality of a private duty case is greatly appreciated.