LPN scope of practice

[Maremma]

Can anyone give me an exact link that tells me ALL the specifics for the scope of practice for an LPN is? I found a link on the state board of nursing that tells me all about the IV med things (and of course that is out of my scope of practice) but I need even more specifics on ALL things I am running into on the soon to be all rehab floor I am working.

I am VERY upset right now. Last night the overnight LPN told me that I need to refuse to do a strictly saline flush of a nephrostomy tube because that is out of my scope of practice. Only an RN is aloud to do this!

What's worse is I ALREADY did it. Not just once either. I was in training and an RN super took me to my first nephrostomy tube showed me what was to be done and ever since they have been having me not only do this but teach other nurse's how to do it?! I do the dressing changes around these tubes every evening also?

I am REALLY questioning everything I am told to do and not do at this facility. So if I cannot do saline flushes on nephrostomy tubes does that also mean I should not be doing saline flushes on PICC lines? They also taught me to do those too and have me doing them all the time too?! (Mind you I must get an RN to do the dressing changes on these. They do NOT have me do those?)

I do not ever start or hang IV fluids or meds but they DO have me do the saline flush to the line after meds are completed? The RN comes, hangs the meds then tells me what time to expect them to be completed and I am to go saline flush and disconnect them.

I never touch anything to do with TPN. The RN does all that and no one tries to make me do that.

I am do confused and upset right now. I can't even remember what I was taught at school I am so upset!

[Country fried]

I agree completely! It's scary being around people who don't care or don't know for sure. I certainly don't know everything but when uncertain I try and find an answer BEFORE I do something. Thank goodness my work has predominantly in clinic setting----I would pull my hair out in yours. Keep your chin up and pray and hopefully something will happen that helps us both. I wish that the board was easier to navigate and had more user friendly ways to communicate problems, so we had more literature to give employers. Also that ethics weren't slipping away. So sad

[NurseBobbi:)]

I'm from Kentucky.. And we were taught to start IVs, hang antibiotics and start fluids.. So crazy how every state is different and the only thing we can't do is push pain meds. Good luck to you! :)