This document defines private duty nursing (PDN) in the home and the conditions under which it would be considered medically necessary. PDN refers to intermittent and temporary, complex skilled nursing care on an hourly basis in the home by a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). PDN care includes assessment, monitoring, skilled nursing care, and caregiver/family training to assist with transition of care from a more acute setting to home.

Note: Please see the following related documents for additional information:

• CG-MED-19 Custodial Care
• CG-MED-23 Home Health
• CG-MED-71 Chronic Wound Care in the Home or Outpatient Setting
• CG-REHAB-07 Skilled Nursing and Skilled Rehabilitation Services (Outpatient)

Note: Benefit language supersedes this document. PDN service is not a covered benefit under all member contracts/certificates. Please see the text in the footnote of this document regarding Federal and State mandates and contract language, as these requirements or documents may specifically address the topic of PDN.

Clinical Indications

Medically Necessary:

Private Duty Nursing

1. Initial private duty nursing services are medically necessary when all of the following intensity of care criteria are demonstrated in the clinical record: 
   1. The services must be skilled and not custodial in nature [See CG-REHAB-07 Skilled Nursing and Skilled Rehabilitation Services (Outpatient) and CG-MED-19 Custodial Care]; and
   2. The attending physician must certify the medical necessity of private duty nursing; and
   3. The attending physician must approve a written treatment plan with short and long term goals specified; and
   4. Services must require the professional proficiency and skills of an RN or LPN/LVN. The decision to use an RN or LPN/LVN is dependent on the type of services required. Private duty nursing performed by an LPN/LVN must be under the supervision of an RN following a plan of care developed by the physician in collaboration with the individual, family/caregiver and private duty nursing; and
   5. Services must be performed on a part-time or intermittent visiting basis, according to the defined treatment plan and under the direction of a physician in order to ensure the safety of the individual and to achieve the medically desired result; and
   6. The service must be appropriate with regard to standards of good medical practice and not solely for convenience; and
   7. Documentation of initial skilled nursing needs meets the following criteria (General Criteria D and either E, F or G) below.
2. Continuation of private duty nursing services are considered medically necessary when the following criteria are met:
   1. A weekly written progress summary with measurable long-term and short-term goals and a plan of care are required to determine if the individual has reached his/her optimal level of recovery and a caregiver has been taught to assume care (the frequency of these updates should be at least monthly, at the discretion of the case manager); and
   2. Documentation of continued skilled nursing needs meets the following criteria (General Criteria D and either E, F or G) below.
3. Private duty nursing is considered medically necessary for caregiver training when the following criteria are met:
   1. Private duty nursing is appropriate for short-term training for caregiver of individual with complex medical needs with the intent of having caregivers assume this role when the individual’s medical condition becomes stable; and
   2. The primary caregiver accepts ongoing 24-hour responsibility for the health and welfare of the member.

General Criteria

4. Private duty nursing is medically necessary for individuals with unstable condition when all the following criteria are met: 
   1. The individual’s condition must be unstable and require frequent nursing assessments and changes in the plan of care. Instability of the individual’s condition means that an individual’s condition changes frequently or rapidly, so that constant monitoring or frequent adjustments of treatment regimens are required. It must be determined that these needs could not be met through a skilled nursing visit, but could be met though private duty nursing; and
   2. The physician has ordered nursing for constant monitoring and evaluation of the individual’s condition on an ongoing basis and makes any necessary adjustment to the treatment regimen; and
   3. The nursing and other adjunctive therapy progress notes indicate that such interventions or adjustments have been made at least monthly and as necessary;
      and
5. Private duty nursing is medically necessary for individuals with respiratory disorder, including but not limited to one of the following:
   1. Dependence on mechanical ventilation; or
   2. Tracheostomy care requiring deep suctioning at least every 4 hours;
      or
6. Private duty nursing is medically necessary for individuals receiving enteral feeding when one of the following is met:
   1. Initial caregiver training for individuals receiving continuous tube feeding (for example, continuous nasogastric (NG), gastrostomy tube (GT), or jejunostomy feedings) until documentation of caregiver competence; or
   2. Enteral feeding (for example, continuous NG, GT, or jejunostomy feedings) complicated by frequent regurgitation, with or without aspiration;
      or
7. Private duty nursing is medically necessary for individuals with a seizure disorder manifested by prolonged seizures, requiring emergent administration of anticonvulsant medication.

Not Medically Necessary:

1. Private duty nursing in the home is considered not medically necessary when it is provided for one or more of the following: 
   1. Solely for convenience;
   2. A stable medical condition;
   3. Services to allow the individual’s family to work or to provide respite for the family;
   4. Custodial care (See CG-MED 19 – Custodial Care).
2. The following are examples of services that do not require the skills of a nurse and therefore are considered to be not medically necessary in the home setting, unless there is documentation of comorbidities and complications that require individual consideration.
   1. Routine services directed toward the prevention of injury or illness.
   2. Administration or set-up of oral (PO) medications or both.
   3. Application of eye drops or ointments and topical medications.
   4. Routine administration of maintenance medications, including insulin. This applies to PO, subcutaneous (SQ), intramuscular (IM) and intravenous (IV) medications.
   5. Routine enteral feedings (for example, continuous or bolus nasogastric (NG), gastrostomy tube (GT) or jejunostomy feedings).
   6. Routine colostomy care.
   7. Ongoing intermittent straight catheterization for chronic conditions.
   8. Custodial care by an LPN/LVN or RN.
   9. Emotional support, counseling or both.
   10. Nasopharyngeal or nasotracheal suctioning.
   11. Any duplication of care which is already provided by supply or infusion companies.