Nursing Opportunities

What is Private Duty Nursing?

Private Duty Nursing (PDN) is a branch of nursing care that is provided in the patient’s home. This is one-on-one care! PediCare can provide many types of care given in the hospital, while you and your child enjoy the comfort of your home. The amount of time each day that you will have nursing care depends on your child’s specific needs. Care can last from four to 24 hours a day with our registered nurses and licensed practical nurses focused on providing excellent short-term and long-term clinical care to medically fragile children. Call us to find out more information on what may be available for your child.

Selecting the right in-home 
pediatric provider

Choosing an in-home pediatric provider for your child is a difficult decision. Like most parents you may have been given a list of providers from your child’s healthcare facility at the time of discharge. This may seem like an incredibly impersonal way to extend additional medical services for your child. We would agree, but legally the healthcare facility is not allowed, and should not suggest one provider over another. The reason for this is simple – the facility must remain impartial in order to avoid the perception of “steering patients” – which can be seen as a violation of the federal health care program anti-kickback statute.

Typically your child may qualify for nursing services if:

  • Has a tracheotomy and/or is ventilator-dependent
  • Receives continuous nutritional feeds through a G-tube or NG-tube
  • Receives intravenous nutrition
  • Is oxygen-dependent in conjunction with other medical needs
  • Has complex medical needs such as frequent seizures

So how do you select a pediatric provider you can trust?

We would suggest the best way is by doing your research, talk with the providers about the services they offer, and ask about their experience in caring for children like yours. Approach this process as if you were interviewing candidates. You should be looking for the best fit for your child and your family because your child deserves nothing less.

With that in mind, we invite you to call us anytime day or night to discuss your child’s in-home medical care. We realize, as a parent you are faced with the overwhelming task of selecting a provider. PediCare is here to answer all of your questions and explain your options. We have only one goal, to do everything in our power to ensure that your child receives the best possible in-home medical care. If the care of your child happens to fall outside our specialty or experience, we will help you find the right resource.

When you call PediCare, you are talking directly with licensed and registered pediatric nurses, not a call center. As such, our passion rests solely on meeting the individual medical needs of your child.


Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is Private Duty Nursing?

Private duty nursing is the care of clients by nurses, who may be licensed as RNs (Registered Nurses) or LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses).

Most nurses who provide private duty care work one-on-one with individual patients. 

Private duty may be paid by private pay, private insurance, managed care organizations, or Medicaid. Many private duty nursing cases involve pediatric patients who have long term illnesses such as Cerebral Palsy (CP) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Many patients need care for a Gastrostomy Tube (G-Tube), Tracheostomy (Trach) or Ventilator (Vent). Private duty nursing generally involves more time and skilled nursing than Home Health Care.  

How do I choose my PDN provider

In a typical setting within your hospital you are given information on providers within your state that can support the medical services that are required for your case. You then have the freedom of choice to pick whichever provider you feel most comfortable with. 
 

Do I need a referral to PediCare?

Absolutely not! PediCare is proud to be able to provide our services to those in need. Simply request more information from us here and we'll get in touch with you as soon as we can to determine if we can meet your needs. 

What is the difference in Home Health and Private Duty Nursing?

Generally speaking Home Health care provides services within a limited time period of say 30-60 days and offers services that would be seen in a skilled nursing facility but at home. 

Private duty Nursing (in most of our Pediatric situations) can provide much of the same services but for a greater length of time and detail. PediCare private duty nursing offers our families relief and help and managing many of the critical duties that arise from skilled nursing. 

What are my payment options?

While many of our patients are covered through either Medicaid, Molena, or Magnolia. Sometimes on a case-by-case basis private payer insurance can offer exceptions. These processes can be very difficult to deal with and PediCare takes great pride in being able to walk side-by-side with our patients in helping them gain coverage. 

What level of care does my child need?

This is typically decided by your Physician and Medicaid/Insurance provider and is decided on how severe your childs needs are. 

What activities can my PDN caregiver do with my child?

Our PDN services can be used as long as it part of the patient's daily life activities.

Helpful Links

PediCare
307 East Government Street, Suite A, Brandon, MS 39042
licenselocationsmartphone linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram