What is PDN?
Private duty nursing (PDN) is a specialized form of home healthcare that provides skilled nursing services to individuals who require more comprehensive, one-on-one care.
Comprehensive Care for Medically Complex Patients—Right at Home
Registered nurses (RNs) or licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) are the ones who work in private duty nursing, bringing hospital-grade medical skills into the comfort of the patient’s home. PDN is especially beneficial for those with complex medical conditions, especially those requiring advanced, personalized care for longer periods of time. It differs from skilled nursing as the care offered is more frequent with longer shifts and overall care.
A study finds that “patients receiving home visits, care coordination, chronic care‑management, and continuity across settings had fewer preventable hospitalizations”. At Strive, that’s exactly our goal—to keep patients safe, stable, and progressing at home. With PDN, we can support healing, prevent hospital readmissions, and ease the burden on family caregivers.
What Do Private Duty Nurses Do?
Below are some of the types of situations that PDN handles:
- Post-surgical care: After surgery comes recovery. Private duty nurses offer the necessary support and care to ensure a smooth recovery process. They monitor the patient’s progress, assist with daily living tasks, manage pain, and perform with mobility and rehabilitation exercises.
- Medication management: Private duty nurses are responsible for administering medications, ensuring proper dosage and timing, and monitoring for any side effects.
- Ventilator and tracheostomy care: For patients who cannot breathe on their own, they have a mechanical ventilation or a tracheostomy. Private duty nurses are trained to monitor and maintain the equipment, as well as provide regular tracheostomy care and suctioning.
- G-tube feeding and care: Private duty nurses are skilled in managing gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes). Patients with a G-tube rely on it for their nutrients. Private duty nurses administer feedings, maintain the tube, and monitor for any complications or signs of infection.
- Vital monitoring: Private duty nurses track vital signs and watch closely for changes in health, especially for those who can’t communicate their needs easily. They monitor heart rate, blood pressure, breathing patterns, oxygen saturation, glucose levels, and seizure activity.
- Seizure monitoring and intervention: For individuals with seizure disorders, private duty nurses can recognize the warning signs, provide appropriate interventions, and administer emergency medications as prescribed.
- 24/7 care: Private duty nursing offers the option of round-the-clock care, ensuring that your loved one receives the necessary support and monitoring at all times. This is particularly important for patients with complex medical needs or those who require constant supervision, day and/or night.
- Support with Daily Living: Many patients, especially children with developmental delays or disabilities, need help with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). PDNs assist with bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, managing nutrition, mobility, and range-of-motion exercises.
More Than Just Medical Help for the Patient
Along with caring for the patient, the PDN also cares for the family, becoming the mediator between families and the broader medical team through the involvement and nature of their work. They communicate the patient’s needs and report on behalf of the patient, while coordinating and documenting the necessary information to ensure the patient’s journey is kept smooth. As a result, families feel more informed, more empowered, and less overwhelmed in the day-to-day management of one’s complex medical needs.
If you have a loved one that needs immense support in their medically complex situation, PDN may be the service you’re looking for. Speak with us and/or your physician, and we would love to explore how PDN may be the perfect fit for you.
