Private duty nurse jobs: what the role is and who pays

A private duty nurse gives continuous, one-to-one nursing care to a patient who needs more attention than a visiting nurse can provide. The nurse is a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN), licensed by the state. Whether private duty nursing is paid for depends on the patient's payer and the state.

BLS has no occupation called private duty nurse. The work falls under registered nurses and licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses. See home health RN and LPN for those profiles.

What private duty nursing is

The federal Medicaid rule, 42 CFR 440.80, defines private duty nursing services as nursing services for beneficiaries who require more individual and continuous care than is available from a visiting nurse. The rule says they are:

• given by a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse;
• provided under the direction of the beneficiary's physician;
• given, at the State's option, in the beneficiary's home, a hospital or a skilled nursing facility.

That is the federal definition of the service. It is a Medicaid state option, so each state decides whether to cover it, for whom and for how many hours. Carevo does not summarize state programs. Ask your state Medicaid agency.

What private duty nurses do

Beyond the federal definition, Carevo has not found a federal description of day-to-day private duty nursing tasks, so it does not list them. BLS describes what RNs do (assess patients, administer medicines and treatments, explain home care) and what LPNs do (monitor vital signs, provide basic care, document care, under supervision of RNs and doctors). A private duty nurse does the work allowed by their license and the physician's orders.

Who pays

The payer shapes the job. Three points from the federal sources:

• Medicaid. Covers private duty nursing only where the state has chosen to, under the definition above.
• Medicare. Medicare.gov says home health covers medically necessary part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care for people who are homebound, and does not cover 24-hour-a-day care at home.
• Private pay and insurance. Families who need more hours than a program covers may pay privately. Browse private duty nursing providers to see who operates in your state.

Where private duty nurses work

The Medicaid rule lists the home, a hospital or a skilled nursing facility. Agencies that provide home health and private duty nursing employ nurses. Ask any employer whether you would be an employee or a contractor.

Training and licensing

There is no separate private duty nursing license in the federal sources Carevo read. You need the license for your level.

• RN. BLS says RNs usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. They must be licensed in the state where they work, which requires graduating from an approved program and passing a qualifying exam.
• LPN. BLS says LPNs and LVNs must complete a state-approved educational program, which typically takes about 1 year, and pass an exam to become licensed.

States add their own rules. State boards of nursing set licensing, scope of practice and any extra training. Carevo does not guess at those. Contact your state board of nursing.

Private duty nurse pay

BLS publishes national wage estimates for registered nurses (SOC 29-1141) and for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (SOC 29-2061), both with a May 2025 reference period. Carevo does not type the figures here so they cannot go out of date. See the BLS pages for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. BLS does not publish a private duty figure, and wages vary by license, state and payer.

How to find private duty nursing jobs

Browse private duty nursing and home health providers in your state, then contact the ones near you. Ask whether they are the employer, which payers they bill, how shifts are set and what training they expect for complex care. For family caregivers who want to be paid for care at home, see paid family caregiver programs.

Carevo is a connection platform. It is not an employer and it does not place workers.

Caregiver registration is coming to Carevo

Carevo is a connection platform. It is not an employer, it does not place workers and it does not guarantee work. Registration for caregivers is not open yet. If you want to hear when it is, email [email protected].