LPN's Role in the ICU?

Ok, I'm going to get on my soap box here.....

I am an LVN, and have worked in ICU/CCU...taking my OWN patient load and doing my own IV pushes, IV meds, drips, calling docs, everything. I had no RN working with my patient's and sure never had an RN display an attitude towards me. It is VERY stereotypical to be making these comments about LVN's. Excuse me, but I know how to assess my patient's and was responsible for a full head to toe shift assessment on each patient. FYI - I'll run circles around some RN's and leave them spinning, and I'm guessing me and some other LVN's could do the same for some of you with your attitudes. Get over your BSn (b*llsh*t nurse) if you're going to have an attitude like that. RN's are technically considered Professional Nurses, but in your cases, I would have to beg to differ. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some LVN's who lack critical care skills, but HELLO - there are RN's that lack critical care skills also!

You're nursing degree does not testify to what type of a nurse you are, how good you are, how crisp your assessment skills are or anything, it just states how long you went to school. I know everyone can attest that nursing school does not define a person as what type of nurse they will be. That's my 2 cents, some of your attitudes just FLOOR me!

I have worked as an LPN and I didn't like feeling like the underdog so, I became an RN. There are some really good LPN's that can work rings around the RN but only when it is convinent for the LPN. I have known them to pull,that is not my responsiblity when it comes to pulling their load.If you are working with an RN they can not tell you it is not their responsibility. so LPN's if you want to walk like an RN you should become an RN:

Convenience works both ways.
When I was an LPN I worked with some RN's who dumped, I mean "delegated" responsibilities on me based on their convenience and preference rather than appropriateness for an LPN.
Some RN's only want to step up to the plate and be RN's when it is convenient for them as well.
Some are all in favor of restricting LPN practice, then groan about having to hang blood or push meds on an LPN's patients. So then they want an all RN staff to solve this problem but fail to realize that replacing LPN's with RN's costs money in order to pay an all RN staff and it has to come from somewhere.
That said, the topic at hand here is not about LPN's wanting to be RN's and "walk like" them without going back to school or who is dumping on who and not pulling their load.
It is about their role in ICU, whether they should play any role at all, how this role can be appropriate for the ICU patient population, and the impact of state laws and facility policy.

LPNs have no place in critical care. They make for very unsafe conditions for the patients and the RN's who are ultimately responsible for their work. I have never worked in an ICU that employed LPN's nad I would refuse to have the respoNsibility for their work. They are a liability, not a heLping hand in ICU. Period. The hospital that I worked in here in Spokane, laid off ALL OF THEIR LPNS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. The writing is on the wall, all of you LPNs out there. Go back for your RN degree if yu want to work in ICU, and the nurses who are stuck having to work with LPNs in ICU should get together with administration, and yOur union, if you have one, and change the policy. I would refuse to work with an LPN in ICU. Period. And you should too. I was under the impression that it was decided years ago to go with an all RN staff in the ICUs. What happened? It is very definately AACN policy for an all RN staff in the ICU. JMHO. and $0.02.

Lindarn RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington

Our hospital employees LPNs but NOT in the ICU. Too many cooks in the kitchen. I find LPNs mostly distracting on the floors.