Any experience of the cost of hiring a private nurse?

oxcat1

Having been in hospital for nine weeks (!), everyone was planning for me to be discharged on Tuesday, with carers and nurses from the Intermediate Care Team coming in to administer intravenous medication.

However, at about 3pm today (Friday, of course) the nurses suddenly telephoned and said that they couldn't cope with the time required or the doses required of my medication, so I would need to get treated under the Continuing Healthcare system.

Which of course will take days - if not weeks - to organise.

I can't stay in hospital any longer. I need to get home so desperately. My condition is considered life-limited, so although I hope not in the terminal phase, every moment at home is precious.

Does anybody have any ballpark figures of how much it might cost to get a private nurse to stay with me and do the drugs required? The infusions take about 1.5 hours, three times a day.

Any experience or numbers I could work with?

Steve-o

I think you'd possibly have to go through an agency, which would not be cheap. I would imagine £20 per hour, possibly more, due to the agency fees.

brook2jack

The average pay will be 35 to 65 an hour plus agency fees and possibly travel. Look up nursing agencies for your area. The other thing you will have to factor in is the hospital being happy with who is giving the treatment. They may well want to check the nurse is competent and go through the procedure with them and will want to make sure it's the same person each time.

Dumyat

there are specialist agencies for this kind of care. I'd imagine it would be very expensive considering you are needing treatment three times per day.

Outer_Limits

Is there a charity organisation linked to your condition?

Even if it's not full-blown like McMillan nurses they might be able to give you advice, or even help.

Good luck.

Teresa_Green

oxcat1 wrote: »

Having been in hospital for nine weeks (!), everyone was planning for me to be discharged on Tuesday, with carers and nurses from the Intermediate Care Team coming in to administer intravenous medication.

However, at about 3pm today (Friday, of course) the nurses suddenly telephoned and said that they couldn't cope with the time required or the doses required of my medication, so I would need to get treated under the Continuing Healthcare system.

Which of course will take days - if not weeks - to organise.

I can't stay in hospital any longer. I need to get home so desperately. My condition is considered life-limited, so although I hope not in the terminal phase, every moment at home is precious.

Does anybody have any ballpark figures of how much it might cost to get a private nurse to stay with me and do the drugs required? The infusions take about 1.5 hours, three times a day.

Any experience or numbers I could work with?

Where do you live, i.e. rural or city and is there anyone living at home with you, do you have transport?

What type of infusion is it? Is there any possibility you could be taught to do this yourself or someone else at home with you or nearby who could?

How near are you to your GP Surgery?

hardpressed

Marie curie or Macmillian would be able to give you advise.