Excerpts
What is Your Perfect Job? Defining Your Perfect Job
Where Do I Belong? What Are My Options? Choosing the Area for Your Perfect Job
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Where Do I Belong? What Are My Options? Choosing the Area for Your Perfect Job
Almost 50 areas of nursing are described in Section Two. The areas of nursing are divided into; Direct Patient Care, In Hospital and Out of Hospital, and Indirect Patient Care, In Hospital and Out of Hospital. Here is an example of the description of Private Duty Nursing:
Private duty nurses may care for patients in their home, Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility, or in the hospital. A private duty patient may range in age from newborn to geriatric, and have diagnosis including Cerebral Palsy, stroke, paralysis, dementia, or any other condition requiring skilled care.
Hospital or LTC patients usually need private duty nurses for reasons such as agitation or extreme confusion, necessitating one-to-one supervision and nursing care. Family members may feel more comfortable with the one-to-one attention a private duty nurse provides, even if this is not medically necessary.
Private duty patients in the home are usually in stable condition. The private duty nurse may provide relief for family members who care for these patients needing constant monitoring, or the nurse may be needed because family members are unable or unwilling to care for the patient. S/he may also provide any skilled care necessary.
(See Home Health for more information about caring for a patient in his or her home.)
Pros:- Just one patient to care for!
- Chance to develop a close relationship with the patient.
- You usually get to choose the days and shifts you work, and may not have to work full eight hour shifts, allowing you to meet your needs and the needs of your family.
- Patients are usually medically stable, although their condition may change at any time.
- Pay is comparable to, or higher than, hospital pay.
- Chance to feel good about your job, seeing the difference you can make in a patient’s life.
Cons:- Some nurses find that working with just one patient is less stimulating or challenging.
- No other nurses, doctors, emergency medications, crash carts, etc., immediately available in case of emergency.
- Scheduled shifts will be cancelled if the patient goes into the hospital, and with some patients this happens very frequently and with little advance notice.
- Death of a patient can be hard to take after spending time together
This area may be for you if:- You like to work with patients and their families.
- You can provide good patient care while being flexible with your routine, so patient and family needs can be met.
- You enjoy working with just one patient.
- You like to work independently.
This area may not be for you if:- You like to work with more than one patient at a time.
- You are uncomfortable working in a home, without immediate medical back-up available.
- You prefer the excitement of working in a hospital.
- You need to work a guaranteed number of hours each week.
Other Information to Consider
The private duty and his or her family are usually very knowledgeable about the patient’s condition, medications, treatments, etc.
You may find private duty assignments through your local hospital, or by applying with a private duty agency. The employer will offer you assignments in your geographical and nursing specialty area. You may arrange your own schedule based on the needs of the patient and family. You may decide to work mainly with one family, or see a different patient each day of the week, depending on the number of patients in your geographical area.
Skills Needed
Technical skills vary according to patient needs and may include; respiratory treatments, tube feedings, IV fluids or medications; the patient may be on a ventilator, using oxygen, or monitored by an oximeter or apnea monitor.
Good interpersonal skills to work with a patient and his or her family.
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