Private Duty Nursing
Private duty nursing (PDN) is continuous, shift-based skilled nursing delivered in the home, typically in blocks of 4 to 24 hours, for patients who need ongoing licensed nursing care. It is paid hourly by Medicaid programs, some commercial insurance, workers' compensation, or families directly. It is a fundamentally different service from Medicare home health, which covers only intermittent skilled visits.
Definition
Private duty nursing (PDN) is continuous, shift-based skilled nursing delivered in the home, typically in blocks of 4 to 24 hours, for patients who need ongoing licensed nursing care. It is paid hourly by Medicaid programs, some commercial insurance, workers' compensation, or families directly. It is a fundamentally different service from Medicare home health, which covers only intermittent skilled visits.
Why it matters
Private Duty Nursing is part of the Payers & Programs vocabulary used across home health operations, documentation, and revenue cycle. Understanding it helps clinicians, QA leads, and administrators stay aligned on care quality and compliance.
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