- Ask for each nurse's license type and number, and check it on the state's DCA License Search, which shows whether it is current and any discipline (California BRN).
- If a licensed vocational nurse covers hours, ask which RN or doctor directs the care: LVNs typically work under that supervision (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
- Diagnosis and the choice of medicines stay with the physician; the nurse observes, reports and gives ordered medicines (California BRN).
- Medicare.gov lists private-duty nursing as not covered (Medicare.gov; CMS): get the rate, minimum hours and what is billed separately in writing. See Does Medicare Cover Private-Duty Nursing at Home?
- Caregivers who are not nurses: California requires aides of licensed home care organizations to be registered, trained and background-checked (CDSS).
In this article
- What should you ask about licenses?
- Who is in charge of the care?
- What should you ask about the care plan and the doctor?
- What should you ask about medicines?
- What should you ask about nights, weekends and emergencies?
- What should you ask about cost and billing?
- Which answers are red flags?
- Is there a checklist to bring to the call?
- Where can Orange County and Los Angeles families check and get help?
- How does WholeHealth Concierge fit in?
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
What should you ask about licenses?
Ask which license each nurse holds, registered nurse (RN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN), and the license number, then look it up yourself.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says registered nurses must have a license from the state where they work (BLS, updated October 29, 2026). California licenses RNs through the Board of Registered Nursing and vocational nurses through the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, and both appear on the state's DCA License Search. The Board of Registered Nursing says a lookup shows whether a license is current and any discipline (BRN). Our page on private duty nursing in Orange County explains how RN and LVN hours are usually arranged.
Who is in charge of the care?
Ask which registered nurse or doctor directs the care, especially for hours covered by a licensed vocational nurse, and how you reach that person.
BLS says LPNs and LVNs provide basic medical care and typically work under the supervision of registered nurses and doctors (BLS, updated September 14, 2026). The Board of Registered Nursing's explanation of RN practice (NPR-B-03, revised 2011) includes delegating and supervising care that others give. A clear answer names the person, their license and how often they review the care.
What should you ask about the care plan and the doctor?
Ask what goes in writing, who updates it, and how changes reach your loved one's physicians.
The Board of Registered Nursing describes the core of RN practice as observing signs and symptoms, judging whether they are abnormal, and reporting, referring or starting emergency procedures, and explains that the Medical Practice Act authorizes physicians to diagnose and to use drugs in treatment (BRN, NPR-B-03). So the useful questions are about reporting: who calls the doctor when something changes, how quickly, and what the family is told.
- Is there a written plan, and who writes and updates it?
- How does the nurse report a change to the doctor, and how will you hear about it?
- Which doctor or office is the main contact if there are several?
What should you ask about medicines?
Ask which medicines the nurse will give, how doses are recorded, and who keeps the one list of everything your loved one takes.
The Board of Registered Nursing lists giving medicines and therapeutic agents ordered by a physician or other authorized prescriber as part of RN practice (BRN). Medicare's discharge planning checklist asks families to list every prescription, over-the-counter drug, vitamin and supplement. Ask the provider to check that list against the bottles at home and the doctor's orders, and to say what it will flag to the prescriber.
What should you ask about nights, weekends and emergencies?
Ask who answers the phone at night and on weekends, who covers if the scheduled nurse is sick, and what the nurse does in an emergency.
- Who answers after hours, and is that person a nurse?
- Who covers a shift if the regular nurse cannot come, and how are you told?
- What does the nurse do first in an emergency, is it written down, and who calls the family?
The Board of Registered Nursing includes starting emergency procedures among the things an RN does after judging that signs or symptoms are abnormal (BRN).
What should you ask about cost and billing?
Ask for the hourly or visit rate, the minimum hours, what is billed separately and the cancellation terms, all in writing. Medicare.gov lists private-duty nursing as not covered.
Medicare.gov lists "Private-duty nursing" under services Medicare doesn't cover (Medicare.gov), and the CMS manual says "The services of a private-duty nurse or other private-duty attendant are not covered" (CMS, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 1, section 20).
- What is the rate for an RN and for an LVN, and for a caregiver if one is offered?
- Is there a minimum number of hours per shift or per week?
- What is billed separately, such as supplies or travel?
- How much notice do you need to change or cancel a shift?
Which answers are red flags?
Be cautious when a license cannot be found, when no one can say who supervises, or when nothing is put in writing.
Answers that should make you pause
Sources: California DCA, License Search; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses; California Department of Social Services, Licensed Versus Unlicensed Home Care Services (April 2022); Medicare.gov, Inpatient Hospital Care Coverage; CMS, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 1.
Is there a checklist to bring to the call?
Yes. Copy these questions and write the answers down, so you can compare providers side by side.
First-call checklist
Our checklist, built from the sources on this page. It is general guidance; the right questions depend on the care your loved one needs.
Where can Orange County and Los Angeles families check and get help?
Use the state's license search for any nurse, and your county's free information line for in-home help and caregiver support.
- License lookup: the DCA License Search for registered and vocational nurses.
- Caregivers and aides: the Department of Social Services' licensed home care fact sheet.
- Orange County: the OC Office on Aging Information and Assistance line, (714) 480-6450.
- Los Angeles County: the Aging and Disabilities Department Information and Assistance hotline, 1 (800) 510-2020.
How does WholeHealth Concierge fit in?
WholeHealth Concierge is a private-pay concierge nursing practice serving families across Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. It does not bill Medicare.
Our founder, Meagan Williams, holds California RN license 95328380. You can look it up on the state's license search. Bring this checklist to our call too.
Every plan starts with a free 15-minute phone consultation. Read more about private duty nursing in Orange County and how to hire a private duty nurse in Orange County, or call (213) 298-3288.
Frequently asked questions
What does an in-home nurse do?
An in-home nurse who is a registered nurse observes signs and symptoms, judges whether they are abnormal, reports or refers them, starts emergency procedures when needed, and gives the medicines and treatments a physician ordered, as the California Board of Registered Nursing explains RN practice. Diagnosis and the choice of medicines stay with the physician.
Can an in-home nurse give medicines?
Yes, when they are ordered. The Board of Registered Nursing lists giving medicines and therapeutic agents ordered by a physician or other authorized prescriber as part of RN practice. Ask the provider which of your loved one's medicines the nurse will give and which the family will give.
Does Medicare pay for private in-home nursing?
Medicare.gov lists private-duty nursing under services Medicare doesn't cover, and the CMS manual says the services of a private-duty nurse are not covered. Ask any provider for its rates and minimum hours in writing.
How do I check a caregiver who is not a nurse?
Ask who employs the caregiver and which tasks they may do. California's Department of Social Services says home care aides who work for licensed home care organizations must be registered with the department, have met minimum training requirements, are clear of active tuberculosis and have passed a background check.
Should the nurse be an RN or an LVN?
That depends on the care your loved one needs, and the doctor can help you decide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says LPNs and LVNs typically work under the supervision of registered nurses and doctors, so if an LVN covers hours, ask which RN or doctor directs the care.
Does WholeHealth Concierge provide in-home nursing in Orange County?
WholeHealth Concierge is a private-pay concierge nursing practice serving families across Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, and it does not bill Medicare. Planning starts with a free 15-minute phone consultation at (213) 298-3288.
Sources
Statements on this page come from the public sources below, each opened and checked on the date shown. This page is general information. WholeHealth Concierge provides nursing care and coordination; diagnosis and prescribing stay with your physicians and other licensed prescribers.
- California Board of Registered Nursing, "An Explanation of the Scope of RN Practice Including Standardized Procedures," NPR-B-03, revised January 2011. rn.ca.gov (PDF). Accessed November 1, 2026.
- California Board of Registered Nursing, "What is the BRN?" rn.ca.gov. Accessed October 31, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Registered Nurses," last modified October 29, 2026. bls.gov. Accessed November 5, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses," last modified September 14, 2026. bls.gov. Accessed November 5, 2026.
- Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT). bvnpt.ca.gov. Accessed November 5, 2026.
- California Department of Consumer Affairs, License Search. search.dca.ca.gov. Accessed November 1, 2026.
- California Department of Social Services, "Fact Sheet: Licensed Versus Unlicensed Home Care Services," April 2022. cdss.ca.gov (PDF). Accessed October 31, 2026.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 1, section 20, Rev. 10892, August 6, 2021. cms.gov (PDF). Accessed November 5, 2026.
- Medicare.gov, "Inpatient Hospital Care Coverage." medicare.gov. Accessed November 5, 2026.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, "Your discharge planning checklist," CMS Product No. 11376, December 2025. medicare.gov (PDF). Accessed October 31, 2026.
- County of Orange, OC Office on Aging. officeonaging.oc.gov. Accessed November 4, 2026.
- Los Angeles County Aging and Disabilities Department. ad.lacounty.gov. Accessed November 4, 2026.