Tell us about you!

Specialties Private Duty

Published

just wondering a few things from my fellow private duty rns. do you work for yourself, the state (what state?), an agency? what kind of hours do you work? how did you find your job? what types of patients do you care for? how do you get paid?

i love my pdn job and just want to talk to others doing the same.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

My private duty case was one that I stumbled into when working for an agency. The mom needed more hours than the insurance company was allowing so she paid several nurses out of pocket to take care of her child while she worked. She had her own CPA do our paychecks and take out all the employment taxes so we were employees and not independent contractors. Very easy. Paid very well. I prefer to work as an employee of agencies and that is how I do it now. The disadvantage is poor pay and long periods of time with no work.

BillyMae

39 Posts

Specializes in private-duty, hospital, LTC, clinic.

I'm an independent RN, certified with the state of WI. Self-employed, vent client's, Medicaid, I work full-time.

I find jobs by networking with other independent nurses, the job board on the professional homecare providers website, hospital websites, check with hospital discharge planners. I bill my own hours online, WI. has a great website, they direct deposit to my checking account :-) Been doing this for >5yrs. and don't plan on ever doing any other kind of nursing again, been there...done that !!

WI_home_RN

73 Posts

Specializes in Private Duty, L&D.

BillyMae, I'm in Wisconsin and we do the exact same thing! I have a vent patient and two peds non-vent cases. I love what I do and have no intentions of leaving PDN any time soon!!

BillyMae

39 Posts

Specializes in private-duty, hospital, LTC, clinic.

KlsgZoo, are you a member of PHP ? If so, are you going to the conference Oct. 14th? How long have you been independent ?

WI_home_RN

73 Posts

Specializes in Private Duty, L&D.
KlsgZoo, are you a member of PHP ? If so, are you going to the conference Oct. 14th? How long have you been independent ?

Yes I am a member of PHP but unfortunately I am not attending the meeting 10/14 although it would be great to! I just can't this year. I've been a member for almost a year now. I started working independently last October (2009) and i just love it! I have one vent pt and two peds DD patients.

fkpecina

12 Posts

I have a question for those of you who are independent PDN's, actually maybe two....

1.) is the pay different? i understand you get paid was medicaid bills? but is there any difference between independent and agency as far as pay?

2.) when you need time off, for whatever reason, is your pt without care? or is there someone else who cares for them in your absence?

I'm just curious. I'm not interested in it (yet) or anything. I was just reading through the thread and had these questions pop in my head.

BillyMae

39 Posts

Specializes in private-duty, hospital, LTC, clinic.

In WI. RN's make $32.69 per hour from the state Medicaid program, LPN's make around $21.00 I'm not sure on the exact amount. We are self-employed. It's the same whether you care for vent-dependent or non-vent clients. With an agency you are their employee and make whatever it is that they pay their nurses. In regard to time off, we plan ahead for vacations. Typically a client doesn't live alone, they live with family that is usually trained in their cares as well. They are the caregivers in the absence of a nurse. Not all clients qualify for 24 hr. care either, some only 8-12 hrs. per day.

fkpecina

12 Posts

thanks for the info! i was just curious b/c I kept seeing questions regarding this topic. good to know for the future!

Wrenslove

1 Post

Specializes in NICU, Pediatric, Clinic.

Billy Mae,

I am not new to nursing, but new to PDN. Hospital nursing have set routines laid out throughout the day for cares and checks. Can you let me know what your routine for a vent case is like-- starting from-- when you walk in the door. I know it sounds silly, but I am super new at this and just want to do well.

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.
Billy Mae,

I am not new to nursing, but new to PDN. Hospital nursing have set routines laid out throughout the day for cares and checks. Can you let me know what your routine for a vent case is like-- starting from-- when you walk in the door. I know it sounds silly, but I am super new at this and just want to do well.

I've only been doing this for about three months but have two non-responsive, vent-dependent cases that I see routinely. I'd imagine that having a responsive vent patient is a lot different. However, I've finally gotten a basic routine down:

go in, take a visual of the patient to make sure he's not blue or anything, check the Sa02 monitor and the vent settings (the vents we use have very touchy PEEP settings and a wrong PEEP setting can seriously mess up your shift.) From there, it's kind of a decision-tree. If the sa02 isn't where I want it, I get that up - repositioning and oral/nasal suctioning before I mess with trach suctioning, cpt, etc - usually while taking report from mom or the evening nurse if there is one. If the Sa02 is fine, than I get report, do a quick lung/heart/diaper assessment and then sit down to read nursing notes and get started on my own notes.

I don't know if this is because I work nights with both these patients or what but both kiddos have pretty specific patterns for how the night will progress. I have one who desats like clock work around 3 am and again around 5 am. (But mornings always produce more secretions so...) The good part about a usual day, even with a vent patient, is that the day is tailored around the patient's needs/behaviors/patterns. The hardest part about pdn is figuring out how those days work.

BillyMae

39 Posts

Specializes in private-duty, hospital, LTC, clinic.

We use a mars, tx's, vent, task and duties sheets. Just like anywhere else, but each home is different as to style and efficiency. You are trained to the individual home/case.

+ Add a Comment