Private practice nurses can earn a great deal. It really depends on the agency they are employed with and the geographical area where they work. A well known fact, of nursing, is that sometimes nurses with the same experience and the same degrees make completely different paychecks just due to working in certain areas.
Private care nurses can make as much as $30+ an hour. Again, this is dependent on the agency. Some agencies will require nurses to travel or the private nurses can take one case and be with the patient until the patient no longer needs a nurse.
Some nurses are hired privately, without an agency, in order to provide in home care to a loved one. This can be a wonderful working relationship for a nurse. The nurse may have days off, but unless the family pays for health care or the nurse purchases his/her own insurance, such a scenario can turn disastrous for the nurse. If there are no back-up plans in place, if the nurse becomes ill, there is no one to provide care for the patient.
Another problem is when a patient no longer needs the nurse. They may get better, be moved to a nursing home, or pass away. In these situations the nurse is often left without employment and will need to find another job in order to pay their bills. In the worst cases the nurse was hired to live in and will also need to find a new home and a new job at the same time.
Back up plans are always a priority. If you are a private care nurse or in home nurse, a savings account is your best friend in the event of needing a new job or home. While your earnings potential can be immense, a savings account can be drained quickly if you must live on it for an extended period of time.
Sometimes the best option is to have your name on an agency list. Even if you do not work with the agency for some time, you may be able to let them know you need a job in the event that your patient no longer needs you and have new work in a short period of time. This can be a boon if you are in immediate need.
The day to day stress of private care nursing can be just as much as an emergency room ‘gig’ or a slow paced drone. No matter what – a nursing job is what you make of it!
Tags: Nurse, Nurses, Staffing Agency
