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Private duty nurse vs registered nurse

The differences between private duty nurses and registered 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 registered nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, 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 registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Private duty nurse vs registered nurse overview

Private Duty NurseRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$55,518$73,349
Hourly rate$26.69$35.26
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs256,740646,159
Job satisfaction52.75
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a private duty nurse do?

A private duty nurse is responsible for providing quality health care services for a specific patient's medical needs. Private duty nurses work within a large health care institution or in a private household setting, depending on their scope and availability. They assist the medical staff in administering medications for the patients, conducting medical procedures, evaluating the patients' condition, and reporting progress and any updates to the attending physician for immediate attention. A private duty nurse must be highly attentive, especially on supporting the patient's daily activities and self-care needs.

What does a registered nurse do?

The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.

Private duty nurse vs registered nurse salary

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

Private Duty NurseRegistered Nurse
Average salary$55,518$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $74,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CitySpringfield, MASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandCalifornia
Best paying companyHealth FirstNORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industryGovernmentHealth Care

Differences between private duty nurse and registered nurse education

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

Private Duty NurseRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 36%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Private duty nurse vs registered nurse demographics

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

Private Duty NurseRegistered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 9.6% Female, 90.4%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
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, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between private duty nurse and registered 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

Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
  • Show more

Private duty nurse vs registered 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 registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

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