What counts as PDN?

[KateyBug]

PDN, what specifically is it?

[Girlafraid13]

Going to a patient's house and being their nurse for a shift. As opposed to "home health" which is usually 1-2 hour visits every so often. Maybe once a week depending on pts needs

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Private Duty Nursing is doing a whole shift (typically 8-12 hours at a time) in a patient's home, providing NURSING care.

This is different than being a Home Health Aide, who also works a whole shift in the home with the patient, but may only perform basic caregiving skills like bathing, toileting/diapering, meal prep/feeding, but not actual nursing care.

In the USA and most industrialized nations, the title "nurse" is a legally protected term, and you have to have the appropriate education and government-issued license in order to call yourself a nurse.

[MrsICURN14]

I've been wondering this, too. Good to know!

[caliotter3]

Private duty, more specifically, by some, refers to extended care nursing in the home setting that is paid for out of pocket by the client.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Private duty, more specifically, by some, refers to extended care nursing in the home setting that is paid for out of pocket by the client.

NONE of my jobs are private pay, out-of-pocket costs for the client. All of my services are paid for by either private health insurance, paid for by private auto insurance (for patients who were injured in a car accident), or paid for by Medicaid.

I'm sure there are a few such patients in the world, but not many people can afford to pay the full cost of this kind of care out of their own pockets -- only extremely wealthy people can afford that, and there just aren't that many people who are that well-off, at least in my region.

[mluvsgnc]

Brillohead sums it up nicely. I also think of it as patients who aren't acute enough to require hospitalization (until they do), but need medical technology and interventions to survive outside of the hospital (thus the trachs, vents, GTs, etc.).

[caliotter3]

Even people who are wealthy usually have private insurance. Very few who are in that category would pay for something just because they are able. That does not change the fact that I was taught this definition of private duty in my BSN program by a very well qualified instructor. This definition has served me well over the years. I have done private duty. Even though I find working extended care cases for agencies not to be a bed of roses, I do not prefer working private duty. There has always been something rather intimidating about going into the homes of those who have it and know that they do.

[klone, MSN, RN]

My husband works for a company that provides PDN and skilled care, and all of the clients are either self pay or worker's comp. No insurance or Medicare

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

My husband works for a company that provides PDN and skilled care, and all of the clients are either self pay or worker's comp. No insurance or Medicare

Worker's comp is insurance.....