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If your the RN you can call your State Licensing Board.

I really see no reason why you couldn't but you will not make the money you make as an RN now thru an agency. My daughter is now making 100k ( wound care/administrative). An agency would charge these parents a lot of money for an RN and for two people. CNAs can be up to $30 thru an angency. If parents are going to put that kind of money out for an agency, they might as well pay the RN directly.

You get a Elder Lawyer to write up a contract stating how many hours you will work at the hourly rate you agree to. You should have payroll deductions made. 1. For you to continue putting money into your SS earnings and 2. If they ever need Medicaid, this will prove where their money went.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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I doubt you will get RN pay for a CNA job.
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Reply to MACinCT
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AlvaDeer Dec 14, 2025
That is for sure. I was wondering if this isn't an "RN job" but short of ventilator or some such I cannot imagine what an RN need in home care would be, and it certainly wouldn't be for very long or for very many hours. We aren't given a whole lot of info here, unfortunately.
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I can't really imagine a home health agency doing this, legal or not. Please give us more details as it sounds like you might be talking about caregiving vs. skilled nursing services.
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Reply to MidwestOT
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We do need more info. Are you the patient or the RN. I do know two woman who are retired RNs and do in home care. Their clients probably pay a lot for an RN. I agree that Medicaid funded in home care uses CNAs and an RN would probably have to settle for a CNAs wages.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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I really have no idea. Hopefully others have some idea for you. If this is a real concern I might ask an attorney this question. I really cannot imagine why it WOULD be a concern.
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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“Illegal” could mean ‘against the criminal law’ or it could mean ‘breach of contract’. ‘Breach of contract’ could also be ‘against the criminal law’ if lies and fraud were involved, but apart from that, the chances are that it is not ‘against the criminal law’. ‘Breach of contract’ means that there could be a civil damages suit, or a contractual penalty. That depends on the actual wording of all the documents involved – the contract between the company and the RN, the documents that provide funding to the company etc. That’s tricky and there are two ways to go:
1) Be transparent about what is going on, and deal with any objections. OR
2) Just do it, and wait for a backlash.
You will almost certainly need legal advice if things get sticky.
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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The ? is confusing….. are you working as a RN for a freestanding properly licensed IHHS InHomeHealthcare Service and 1 of their clients actually is your parent?

Imo if there are other RNs available, it might be best to left them deal with your parents. If you know that there are other family members who would tend to be accusatory towards you and blame you for any health decline or death of your parents, letting another RN deal with your folks would be the way to go. My understanding is most IHHS is CNA level of care and if there are RNs the care is more specialized….. like RN do IVs, inserting catheter, sterile wound care.
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Reply to igloo572
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“Types of Home Care Services
Personal home care assistance includes help with basic activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, meal preparation and cleaning. This type of non-medical home care is sometimes referred to as homemaker or companion care, because it does not provide any skilled medical services. Whether part-time or full time, a dedicated care companion provides help at home, keeping a senior safe during the hours you need assistance most.

Home health care is medical in nature. A prescription from a doctor may be required to obtain in-home services that are provided by healthcare professionals such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and physical, occupational and speech-language therapists.

Home health care may also be described as clinical or skilled care. Generally, home health care is intended for short term rehabilitation after discharge from the hospital for recovery from illness or injury.

Home health care includes services like physical therapy, wound care, intravenous or nutrition therapy, and monitoring vital signs. A home health aide (HHA) can administer some skilled home-care services under the direction of a registered nurse or other medical professional.” This from AgingCare


In my experience, RNs and/ or LVNs do the initial assessment of patients for Home HEALTH Care offering intermittent skilled nursing services through Medicare Insurance after a Dr has ordered the skilled nursing. This is for medical care, not custodial care.
Then each week the nurse visits the patient to assess their condition, fill their med planners, take their vitals, tend any wounds etc. A CNA comes a couple of times a week to give the patient a bath. The RN and/or LVN spends less than an hour with the patient on average once a week and then goes to the next patients home.

In my mind it would be the same as if the parents saw their RN daughter at a doctors office. Nothing illegal about it but the Home Health company, being a private business, might have rules regarding treating one’s own family.

Regardless, a nurse that works for a Home Health company can be quite valuable to a home bound or recuperating senior but certainly wouldn’t be able to be a full time caregiver.
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Reply to 97yroldmom
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You probably can but like others have said, RNs make a lot more $ being RNs not CNAs or caregivers with little medical training.
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Reply to Caregiveronce
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