Ohio Legal RN/LPN responsability

[rabbitgirrl]

Hello!

I am a new(ish) RN, 16 months. I am working in an Ohio nursing home. We are often understaffed, and often I am the only RN in the building with 1-3 LPNs and 3-7 aides. I was taught in nursing school that any situation that an RN is working with an LPN, the RN is legally responsible for all the patients of both. I can only find vague references to this situation in the Ohio Code, and no hard information on how this is interepreted in the courts. Is my license in danger?

[mcknis]

Rabbit:

This is a common practice among ECFs in Oh and among the rest of the US. Are you the charge nurse for these staff members. As I have looked around the ORC a little bit, my understanding is you are responsible if you delegate a task to one of them and they don't have the knowledge/training/ability to do the said task. I would suggest talking with the BON and find out if they can help you understand the rules and responsibilities regarding this.

[rabbitgirrl]

The LPNs are often designated as charge nurse, which is good (I respect their experience), but my understanding (from school) is that should the state find fault, or should anything happen, legally, I would be responsable. Certainly, when there is an incident on the floor, or a family member is upset, I am always the one holding the bag.