A Private Duty Nurse Provides An Appreciated Service

By Marci Glover


In the hospital, mainly with the elderly but also with younger patients, special help is needed that can not be accomplished by the current staff. The family members can be helpful but, as they have jobs and other tasks, they are hard pressed to have a lot of time for this. A private duty nurse can be hired to help out in this case and saves everyone a lot of work or trouble scheduling this important time.

What these nurses are able to do in the hospital is take all of the readings and monitor all of the devices the regular staff can not do easily. Readings for blood pressure and heart rate monitoring are just a few They can perform the vital tasks of intake and outflow measurements and documenting same. This will be in preparation for the doctors analyzing them for adjustments to care.

The home is a much more scary place for a patient in need of this critical care because family members are not as prepared to perform the many tasks to keep them comfortable. The nurse will accomplish this and also train the family in how it is done. Most people have no idea how difficult it is to bathe someone who can not even be helped to the bathtub or shower.

All private nurses must complete a certain amount of college course and extra work to become certified. They will take health basics and nursing courses to enable them to understand all that is involved in their trade. Four year college courses are part and parcel for many of these professionals as they will moving into a specialty down the line.

Taking readings and recording the results is one very good way to monitor the patients well being. That, combined with understanding the patients moods and ways of talking and acting, will help these professionals make proper reports to the doctors. This personal way of dealing with patients is very important as not all tests or machines have that intrinsic value for the medical professionals follow up.

Many of the activities and care efforts they must be well versed in will include diabetes and traumatic brain injury care. They must be able to deal with tracheotomies, tube feedings and catastrophic injury care. Dealing with ventilators, medication and insulin pumps as well as spinal cord injuries and seizures control methods.

The correct private nurse for your family member should be certified and come from a reputable agency. That agency should provide the back up to all of their nurses and references should be checked. The knowledge base of the particular nurse they will assign to your case should include all tasks that will be needed and recommended by your doctor. There should also be a willingness to feed the patient as well as any other personal chores you are unable to provide.

Getting this type of help for your family member is important. This is the case whether he or she is in a care facility, the hospital or at home. Checking with the insurance company for possible payment of this is important. However, no one can place a price on the peace of mind you will have when your loved one is taken care as well as possible.




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