Would love to hear from someone who is a PRIVATE DUTY NURSE please :)

ktwlpn, LPN · Dec 20, 2003

Originally posted by Marie030473
Hi everyone (who reads this)

I have been a Registered Nurse for 8 years. I'm starting to feel really, really burned out lately. Although I still love my job, I am feeling incredibly fatigued/OLD (at 30 years old), with an achy back, frequent headaches (tension/stress) and irritability... not to mention the lack of sleep I get (anxiety? depression?) I'm not really interested in taking an anti-depressant just so I can stay at a job that I don't find fulfilling anymore.

Occasionally I have patients who I adore and who are thankful/grateful for my running my a** off all day for them, but mostly (at this state-run hospital that I work at) I feel unappreciated and just plain ticked off from the time I get to work to the time I leave, practically. Attitude is everything? Well, I'm just wanting to pursue another avenue.

I have ALWAYS loved older people and nooooooooooo... I don't want to go deal with all the B.S. that goes on in a nursing home... been there and done that for 3 years of my career. I'm tired of watching people NOT WORK all day at work (i.e. other nurses, nursing assistants who just HAVE TO talk on the phone about NOTHING to their friends and families all day long and because it's a state-run hospital... they can and DO get away with it).

So... if you have experience as a private duty nurse would you please help give some insight into how to get started in this very unique nursing avenue. I know I could go through an agency but do you know how I could work "solo" and by-pass an agency, given that I will be purchasing nursing insurance (a must!)... please tell me about private duty nursing as much as you can. thanks in advance to whomever responds.

I did it for awhile-at one point I ended up with a team of about 6 nurses and and aide working for me...(we had all been victims of cut backs and layoffs at our small community hospital) I got my first case through word of mouth-he was being seen by our PT dept and had problems with an agency sending him different staff every day-often un-reliable people.The PT mentioned me-called me that evening and I met the family the next day and started working the day after that.From that case I got several clients-friends of the family and family members.I got a few other clients through the discharge planners at the hospital.Some freinds and relatives of co-workers.....If you are good and either well known in your community or get some clients that are your hard work WILL pay off....I ended up turning cases down....BUt it was not always dependable.And unless you are doing cash under the table and :eek:

cheating the government(NOT ME!.:stone ) then you have the tax crap to fool with...So you need to get your name out there....The docs you have been working with can be a great resource for clients for you as can staff at the hospital....Visit your local senior center-see if you can present yourself through them...I would also make pamphlets and posters and deliver them to any local retirement communities...At one point I also "ran errands" for elderly people..I did not get into transporting them because of liability and insurance issues....It is hard to find good dependable help and the elderly and disabled are so easily taken advantage of...You can find yourself a niche and really do well....Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions-I will help if I am able...Good Luck.

nursemelani · Jan 26, 2006

OK, if you define Private Duty as one on one, I do it, but I do work through an agency. It is a pediatric home health agency. I work 8 hour shifts with a regular patient. Only two shifts a week right now, since I am taking classes to get into a LVN to RN bridge program. The pay is less than in a hospital, but not THAT much less, considering that their is no stress.

Of course there are plenty of other options for nurses who don't want the high stress of hospital nursing. I've been hearing a lot of advertisements for laser skin clinics who hire RNs to laser off unwanted hair, zap wrinkles, etc. That sounds pretty cushy!

TexasPediRN · Jan 26, 2006

Like nursemelani- I do Pediatric Private Duty nursing as well. Its one on one with a variety of kids, a lot of trachs and g-buttons, tons of equiptment, and lots of fun being with only one patient! I'm learning sign language in the process with one of my patients!

Mines not an agency, just a peds private duty nursing company that operates in a lot of states. Its wonderful. I choose which days I want to work, and pretty much the hours too. I'm very flexible, and I normally work 5 days a week anywhere between 7a and 7p. I can work anywhere from an 8 hour shift to a 12 hour shift.

Pay wise, for me it was actually 4$ more then I was getting working in a PA hospital- which is great considering home health pay is usually less then hospital pay!

Good luck :)