In this category find licensed registered nurses or licensed practical nurses who provide private duty care work one-on-one with individual clients. Such care may be provided in the client's home or in an institution, such as a hospital, nursing home or another such facility. Private nurses are self-employed or contractors and work with a select few clients while others are employed through agencies or hospitals. In Zambia most common conditions managed under private nursing include ventilation and tracheotomy care chronic wound care and infection management, checking of blood sugar, clotting times, and/or blood pressure, bowel care, urinary system care, medication set-up and administration.
In this category find licensed registered nurses or licensed practical nurses who provide private duty care work one-on-one with individual clients. Such care may be provided in the client's home or in an institution, such as a hospital, nursing home or another such facility. Private nurses are self-employed or contractors and work with a select few clients while others are employed through agencies or hospitals. In Zambia most common conditions managed under private nursing include ventilation and tracheotomy care chronic wound care and infection management, checking of blood sugar, clotting times, and/or blood pressure, bowel care, urinary system care, medication set-up and administration.
Private nursing in Zambia
Experienced private nurses are knowledgeable in many different areas such as ventilator and tracheostomy care, oxygen therapy, wound care and many others. For pediatric clients, nurses should be knowledgeable of the stages of development and proper psychosocial care of age group they are caring for. Familiarity with long terms pediatric chronic health conditions such as traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, and prematurity is important as well. Because they are very independent, the private nurses should feel comfortable working alone without any direct supervision.
Even if employed through an agency, the nurse still needs to know what to do in case of an emergency, or for any situations where it is not possible for another nurse to be there quickly. Interpersonal skills are vital; having an empathetic, professional and friendly personality without crossing personal boundaries is important.
Duties / Responsibilities
The intent of private duty nursing is to assist the patient with complex direct skilled nursing care, to develop caregiver competencies through training and education, and to optimize patient health status and outcomes. Nurses caring for clients are responsible for:
Private nurses bring versatility to the nursing profession. These highly skilled individuals can offer quality medical care to patients in their homes and other medical facilities other than hospitals. They help patients to regain their good health and restore their health one day at a time.
Private nurses have several goals that include preventing medical complications that could result in facility placement, providing medically necessary nursing care to patients in their homes, providing care for patients transitioning to in-home care, and assessing, providing, and monitoring professional care for patients by the hour.