I have been a private duty lpn for almost 2 yrs. Love the job!  Any private duty lpn's out there?  Would love to hear about your experiences. Good or bad. Thanks!

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Julianne

I have in the past, but because so many families have pets (and I am allergic), I do it only on very rare occasions, since most of the time, private duty nursing is home care here.

I prefer private duty - and have done lots of it in my 30+ year career. Makes you feel like you can effectively make a difference. There is not enough ot it available, unfortunately.

After years in LTC, trying correntional nursing and then getting into home health, I have to say I prefer home health by leaps and bounds.  I started my own company and do my own thing.  I get my own clients and love being able to set my own schedule, set my own pay scale,and can treat "my" clients like I think an elderly patient ought to be treated.  With dignity, respect and love.  I have other clients who are not elderly- a quadriplegic, a woman who can't drive that needs to go to Johns Hopkins grequently-  This is definately what I am going to do until I retire, ,which will be within the next 5 yrs.  I am 50 yrs old.  Nursing has been very good to me.  I will give back to the community once I have retired.  :)

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"Do what you like. Like what you do"

I have been doing PDN for 3 years and LOVE IT!  It has been so rewarding!  So much more than eny other job I've had as an LPN.  I'm glad to hear that you love it too.  I do PDN for pediatrics on ventilators.  It was a slow process but once I took the leap to learn about them I realized that this was the perfect job for me.  I love the kids and they make it all worth while to see them grow and learn.  People are mistaken when they think that just beause a child is on life support and at home that they are not capable of learning.  It is the most rewarding experience I've had.. I only wish that then had medical insurance for Private duty nurses.  I work 40+ hours a week and have no medical.  But....this is the only job I've ever loved and don't want to change.

 I'd love to hear about your experiences also.  Thanks!

Teri,

I would love to get into private duty. I love working with older adults and also want to find a way to use my love of cooking to help  them out....................any advice on how I can........... Home care agencies don't seem to think I am a good candidate since I haven't worked in critical care for a few years when I went to culinary school, but I miss the patients and what to make a difference in their lives...... HELP!

Kathleen

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Kathleen.

i just moved toAtl. Ga. where they don't pay their LPN much compare to what i made in phildaelphia pa.

How did you you start your own company and get your clients? i'm very much interseted in started my own company as well.

thanks.

HI i HAVE BEEN DOING PRIVATE DUTY FOR A LONG TIME AFTER I LEFT THE HOSPITALS. IT IS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO FIND A PRIVATE DUTY JOB PRIVATELY INSTEAD OF WORKING FOR A AGENCY. WHICH I HAVE DONE IN MESA AZ. CAN ANY ONE GIVE ME SOME SUGESTIONS I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT WAYS . I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW. I AM A LPN IN GOOD STANDING. . I  DO HAVE A LOT OF REFFERENCES. DON'T KNOW  IF I SHOULD PUT A AD IN THE NEWS PAPER ?  I DID ALOT OF JOBS IN WIS AND SOCIAL WORKER WOOD CALL ME AFTER NURSE WOULD RECOMMEND ME.

i started out in 1975 in a hospitol with med surg background. had a back injury on the job in 1984 but continued to work.then was 12 years with hemodialysis. when it was time to slow down due to my back, i did private duty for many years. i loved home cases and worked on one for 10 years. when she died, i grieved like a relative. in the hospitols here in n.j. they changed all the rules. we used to give patients their pain med after surgery. they decided we did not know enough about medicine to give it. the floor nurses had no time to look up any med, and were giving not even knowing what is was for.people who enjoyed the TLC a private duty nurse can bring, no longer stays in the hospitol for a few days. and with the pain pump and bad vibes from floor nurses, we are all but extinct.homes are fun but do not get too attached to the patient. rival nurses see this and blackball you off cases.

Hi Julie,

I've worked private duty nursing for 4 years now. I love it. Worked in the hospital for 1 year after getting out of nursing school. too stressful. I like having one on one with my patients. And I like working with the families.  The only thing is you don't get to utilize all of your nursing skills as you would in the hospitals. I don't want to lose what I've learned. Also the flexability in home health is great. If you contract your self out to companies you can work when you want.  Nursing also allows you to do other things on the side.Thanks...

 

 

I DID PRIVATE DUTY FROM 1991 TILL 2003. GOOD AND BAD POINTS. I HAD A CASE FOR 10 YRS. IN A PRIVATE HOME. PATIENT LOVED TO GO OUT FOR RIDES, EAT IN RESTAURANTS, AND COULD BE GENEROUS IF SHE GOT HER WAY. BUT IF I SAID "NO" DUE TO BAD WEATHER, SHE WAS A REAL "PIP".I ALSO WORKED PRIVATE DUTY AT AN AREA HOSPITOL. EVERY STATE HAS DIFFERENT RULES. IN N.J. THEY MADE A DECISION THAT LPN WAS NO LONGER TO GIVE MEDS OR CHART WHICH THAT IS WHAT WE WERE DOING. PATIENTS LOVE ONE ON ONE WHERE WE ARE AT THEIR CALL FOR THEIR MEDICATIONS.NOW WITH THE PUMPS TO GIVE MEDS, IT IS VERY HARD TO DO PRIVATE DUTY IN HOSPITOL. THE STAFF NURSES REALLY TOLD THE PATIENTS WE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING SO WHY PAY US. IT DROPPED OFF. MY LADY FOR 10 YRS. PASSED WITH ME AT HER SIDE OCT. 27TH 2001.WE KNEW IT WAS COMING AND THE PATIENT HAD NO IMMEDIATE FAMILY JUST 2 STEPDAUGHTERS WHICH WANTED MONEY, NO SOUVENIORS.I TOOK IT DEEPLY HORRIBLE, AND WOULD NEVER LIKE A LONG TERM CASE LIKE THAT.GOOD LUCK THOU WITH WHAT YOU LIKE

[I am a new grad living in the metro Atlanta, GA area and finding it difficult to find a LPN position (private duty, hospital or otherwise). Any advice??

Hey Joy.Put yourself on carererbuilder.com and try to get some outside skills,EKG,phlebotomy etc.It reallly is not about what you know it is who you know and impress.So,hit the doctors offices in your area hard.Good place to work and learn before you start making the LPN bill money.That's what I call the money we make after we stay in a long time and start making bills where we can't go back to RN school.If you can't become employed in a couple of months,go back to school for your RN.Good luck:))

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V.B.

That is careerbuilder.com.:))

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V.B.

Hi I do pvt duty too I really enjoy the one on one .