All Lpn's Please Read

[RNforLongTime]

Hello,

My 226 bed acute care hospital has formed a committee as we are going to re-introduce LPN's on the med-surg floors. The committee is looking at how we are going to utilize the LPN's.

SO, would you please tell me--if you work in a hospital--what exactly your duties are and what you as an LPN are and aren't allowed to do. I realize that the LPN/LVN scope of practice varies by state, I am in Northeast Ohio.

I am specifically interested in Nurse- patient ratio for the LPN in your facility and any other infor mation you can provide will be helpful.

Personally, I am looking forward to working side by side with the LPN's and feel that it was a grave mistake that a lot of hospitals--especially in this area of the country-that they were phased out of the acute care setting.

Thank you for your help!

Kelly:)

[ER_RN07]

Hi, I'm an LPN in the ED. As LPN's we work fast track which functions as both an actual fast track and ED overflow. We also work GYN/PSYCH and Halls if needed in the Main ED. Once our renovation is complete we will also work in ED OBS.

In the past year ALL LPN's (with more than 1 yr experience as an LPN and after taking a class given by the hospital) can push IV meds, the meds you can push are department specific. In my department NO cardiac meds, Moderate Sedation etc. However in the GI station LPN's do Moderate Sedation all day long! We are allowed to take v.o & t.o's, can hang blood as long as an RN checks the blood with us (policy is 2 nurses must check the blood and one HAS to be an RN). We are not allowed to sit triage but we have occasionaly triaged rescue patients (I always have my charge nurse co-sign my rescue patients triage). We can mix iv's, abx, bananna bags. We do NOT do anything with central lines, do not access ports (though I have been told they can do this on the floors my CNS says no which is fine with me.) The only IM med we can not give is Methotrexate.

And finally as of about 3 months ago they (ED managment) decided that it is going to now be mandatory that we take ACLS.

[Nurse`Chief~Chickie]

sooo, back to the topic, i'm an lpn in mo.

we can't push iv meds, initiate blood, but once the bag is spiked, we are responsible for the admin and monitoring. we can admin ivpb to picc lines, but can't access cl for blood or flush with heparin. i work med surg, we have an rn charge nurse, and lpns are team leaders for up to 8 pts. there are rns and lpns both on the floor as team leaders. rns are only responsible for our ivps or spiking our blood. we take orders, call drs, start ivs.....we are quite in charge of our pts. the rns do not have to check and sign our charts. we do our own admits and discharges. it seems odd to me that some of you are working in places that basically requires being baby-sat. some places just aren't up to date i guess.

[G1G12001]

Iwork in an outpatient pediatric clinic in Tennessee. The LPNs do everything from triaging the patient to giving injections,start and stop IV fluids,administer oral medications and doing basic vision/hearing checks, and phlebotomy procedures. Our office has 1 RN, 3LPNs ,and 1MA. The only thing the RN does is push IV pain meds and monitor conscious sedations. My primary supervisor is also an LPN.

[4NURSEC]

I am a LPN in northeast ohio, and I work on a MED/SURG unit. Basically I do everythng the rn does, but give blood, and IV pushes. I do IV's, take orders, and new admit assessments. I work for a big hosp. and they tried to get rid of us, but they soon found out they needed us. On the rare occassion that my floor is over staffed the RN will be sent home before me. So LPNs are very important to the acute setting I feel as though we deflect some of the tension off the rn. For example if the pt is a total, but gets Q2 hr pain med at least she can give the medicine, as oppose to listening to the whinning and having to completely handle a total care pt.

[navvet]

Did someone get their feelings hurt here?