What are the Not So Good Things about working Private Duty

Specialties Private Duty

Published

I work private duty and at first I thought it was great! But after awhile I am changing my mind. I have seen and expereinced some unfair things, from clients AND the agency.

I know there is no perfect job, but I thought I would be a little more appreciated in Private Duty.

Am I looking thru rose colored glasses?

So if anyone wants to share the not so good stuff about private duty, please do. Would like to read other opinions and insights.

I have been working on two different cases for just under a year. The thing that drives me crazy is that both families take supplies! We only get so much per month so when it's gone, it's gone. One family takes gloves, luckily my agency reimburses the nurses when we have to buy gloves so we can be safe. The other family takes syringes and the split gauze dressings for the patient's g-tube. It's a pain when I only have 2 syringes and I usually use 5 to do the morning med pass. It's always a toss up for me whether to leave an old dressing on the g-tube site for a couple days till we get more supplies or to leave it with no dressing.

The only thing I like about PDN is being able to make my own schedule. The worse things are not being able to use my nursing skills, dysfunctional families and the boredom. I took a PDN job as a new grad cause I too needed a job. Now I fear I am stuck in a low paying glorified babysitter role forever. I have even considered changing my college major from MSN nursing to something that offers a better future. IDK? I am just so frustrated at this time. I am dissapointed because I loved doing my nursing clinicals in school and was so excited to get my first job. Now I hate nursing and I hate being a nurse :(. I have applied for hundreds of nursing jobs with no luck. Since I have been a nurse for over a year I also no longer qualify for new grad positions.......sigh.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Have you considered perhaps transitioning into Hospice?

Yes I have but unfortunatly here in Spokane all the hospice agencies want a nurse with at least 3 years experience specific to hospice. I applied anyway and got a rejection email from every company :(

Specializes in LTC.
The only thing I like about PDN is being able to make my own schedule. The worse things are not being able to use my nursing skills, dysfunctional families and the boredom. I took a PDN job as a new grad cause I too needed a job. Now I fear I am stuck in a low paying glorified babysitter role forever. I have even considered changing my college major from MSN nursing to something that offers a better future. IDK? I am just so frustrated at this time. I am dissapointed because I loved doing my nursing clinicals in school and was so excited to get my first job. Now I hate nursing and I hate being a nurse :(. I have applied for hundreds of nursing jobs with no luck. Since I have been a nurse for over a year I also no longer qualify for new grad positions.......sigh.

I feel you. I'm also sick of feeling like a babysitter and not using my skills. I want out NOW. I'm getting a more complicated case so I hope that works out better for me. My current case is not the right fit. I'm tired of the legos and video games. I feel guilty for feeling this way but it is the truth. Hopefully we will both get something better soon.

I keep asking for a more complicated case and they just seem to ignore me. Makes me nuts. Maybe I should start calling out once a week and be 15 to 20 min late everyday like the nurses who relieive me do. If I was rich I would quit right now lol

Specializes in LTC.
I keep asking for a more complicated case and they just seem to ignore me. Makes me nuts. Maybe I should start calling out once a week and be 15 to 20 min late everyday like the nurses who relieive me do. If I was rich I would quit right now lol

I hung in there as long as I could until something else came up. For me that was a month ( which thankfully was not long).

My new case starts next week and he has a trach. I never had a client with a trach so I will be trained. This will be great experience to add to my resume, so I'm excited about that.

Overall, peds HH is NOT my thing, but this is something to do until something else that suits me more comes along. I also need to maintain a flexible schedule since I'm still in nursing school. I'm praying that once I become a RN I will have more opportunities. Just keep applying to jobs out there and I'm sure you will find something. ;)

Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.
I keep asking for a more complicated case and they just seem to ignore me. Makes me nuts. Maybe I should start calling out once a week and be 15 to 20 min late everyday like the nurses who relieive me do. If I was rich I would quit right now lol

That really sucks. Can you ask for extra training on anything? (Maybe would make you seem more serious?)

I was just trained on and given my first ventilator patient about two weeks ago. It's been...interesting. Now I can say that I have vent experience on my resume -- not that it will get me anywhere, lol. I graduated with my BSN in May and pretty much assume that I'll end up stuck doing this forever. Put in over a hospital apps but only had one interview...and I didn't get the job. Now most of the hospital positions in the area have closed.

I'm thinking about deleting my FB account. It makes me so depressed to see my peers/friends from nursing school talking about buying brand new cars, going on vacation, etc. with the money that they're making from their ICU premium night hospital-based job. Or getting to put in IVs. Or their first code experience.

I really do like aspects of my job. I love my patients and like most of the families I work with. Unfortunately, I'd love to be doing this job PRN to help augment a hospital-based job.

I feel you. I'm also sick of feeling like a babysitter and not using my skills. I want out NOW. I'm getting a more complicated case so I hope that works out better for me. My current case is not the right fit. I'm tired of the legos and video games. I feel guilty for feeling this way but it is the truth. Hopefully we will both get something better soon.

I know this is super old but...

I had similar thoughts after playing Barney the Dinosaur for the 100th time today.

Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
I have been working on two different cases for just under a year. The thing that drives me crazy is that both families take supplies! We only get so much per month so when it's gone, it's gone. One family takes gloves, luckily my agency reimburses the nurses when we have to buy gloves so we can be safe. The other family takes syringes and the split gauze dressings for the patient's g-tube. It's a pain when I only have 2 syringes and I usually use 5 to do the morning med pass. It's always a toss up for me whether to leave an old dressing on the g-tube site for a couple days till we get more supplies or to leave it with no dressing.

Where I work, each family orders their own supplies from their medical supply company; the nurse does not bring in routine supplies.

Are you throwing away syringes after one use when you give GT meds? We wash them out and reuse them until the plunger starts sticking. They don't have to be sterile. Again, the family should be ordering the number of syringes that they need monthly from their supply company.

Good paper towels can be cut & folded, and used for the GT dressing. It doesn't have to be sterile.

Specializes in LTC & Private Duty Pediatrics.
I know this is super old but...

I had similar thoughts after playing Barney the Dinosaur for the 100th time today.

Same thing with Paw Patrol. Can't stand that show.

I actually record "Thomas the Tank Engine" and "Barney the Dinosaur" episodes

off of YouTube for my clients that do not have Internet or Cable Television.

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