What does a private duty nurse actually do that a home health aide cannot?
A private duty nurse is a licensed RN or LPN, which means they can perform clinical procedures that a home health aide is not legally permitted to do. That includes administering medications, managing wound care, monitoring IV therapy, operating ventilators or feeding tubes, and conducting clinical assessments to catch changes in condition before they become emergencies.
A home health aide provides essential support, help with bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and daily tasks, but their scope stops at the clinical line. If your parent has a complex medical history, a recent surgery, or a condition like Parkinson's or COPD that requires active monitoring and intervention, a home health aide alone isn't enough. Private duty nursing fills that clinical gap, and in a Hicksville household where the primary caregivers are commuting out for most of the day, having a licensed nurse present isn't optional, it's what keeps the situation safe.