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Private duty nurse vs head nurse

The differences between private duty nurses and head nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a private duty nurse and a head nurse. Additionally, a head nurse has an average salary of $80,173, which is higher than the $55,518 average annual salary of a private duty nurse.

The top three skills for a private duty nurse include home health, patients and medication administration. The most important skills for a head nurse are patients, BLS, and compassion.

Private duty nurse vs head nurse overview

Private Duty NurseHead Nurse
Yearly salary$55,518$80,173
Hourly rate$26.69$38.54
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs256,740649,127
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

Private duty nurse vs head nurse salary

Private duty nurses and head nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Private Duty NurseHead Nurse
Average salary$55,518$80,173
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $74,000Between $48,000 And $132,000
Highest paying CitySpringfield, MAMinneapolis, MN
Highest paying stateRhode IslandCalifornia
Best paying companyHealth FirstAstraZeneca
Best paying industryGovernmentEducation

Differences between private duty nurse and head nurse education

There are a few differences between a private duty nurse and a head nurse in terms of educational background:

Private Duty NurseHead Nurse
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Private duty nurse vs head nurse demographics

Here are the differences between private duty nurses' and head nurses' demographics:

Private Duty NurseHead Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 9.6% Female, 90.4%Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between private duty nurse and head nurse duties and responsibilities

Private duty nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage Ventriculostomies and interpret ICP and CVP readings.
  • Manage patient care monitoring vital signs, performing physical assessment, checking patients medications for effectiveness.
  • Communicate with medicaid, and insurance companies to ensure patients receive appropriate care and payment of procedures and medication.
  • Provide daily assessments, ADL's medication management and any necessary medical treatments.
  • Monitor ventilator and oxygen saturation regularly; offer medication, treatments, and tracheostomy care.
  • Provide care to home bound individuals with tracheostomy, ventilator assistance patients, administration of medications, referrals
  • Show more

Head nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Receive intensive training for critical care skill development upon transferring to the medical ICU.
  • Perform advanced nursing care to acute/chronic medical/surgical, cardiac, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic and oncology/ hematology patients.
  • Certify staff in CPR and blood glucose monitoring.
  • Develop and implement an intensive care class for the staff; implement ACLS class for all staff.
  • Develop process improvement plan with bundles for sedation and ventilation.
  • Show more

Private duty nurse vs head nurse skills

Common private duty nurse skills
  • Home Health, 34%
  • Patients, 31%
  • Medication Administration, 3%
  • Hospice Care, 3%
  • Vital Signs, 3%
  • Trach Care, 3%
Common head nurse skills
  • Patients, 31%
  • BLS, 9%
  • Compassion, 6%
  • Acute Care, 6%
  • Acls, 4%
  • CPR, 3%

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