Are LPN's still the charge nurses in psych?

elkpark · Jan 9, 2011

I've worked in acute psych for >25 years, in a few different states, and I've never seen LPNs in a charge role in a psych setting -- only RNs. In my experience, LPNs have been utilized primarily as med nurses, if they are present at all.

I guess that's something that could vary among states, though.

Blackcat99 · Jan 9, 2011

Thanks elkpark. When I worked in CA nd WY many many many years ago,they always had the LPN or LPT(licensed psychiatric technician) as the charge nurse. These were state psychiatric hospitals. I had a friend who was an LPT at a private psych hospital in CA and she was also the charge nurse. I am glad to hear that it is just RN's now who are in charge. I am thinking about working prn in psych again but I don't want to be a charge nurse. I live in Florida now.

elkpark · Jan 9, 2011

Well, California does a number of things differently in nursing (and everything else) than the rest of the country, and, from what little I understand of the subject, state hospitals in CA are their own little, separate world within the separate little world of CA. :)

mentalhealthRN · Jan 9, 2011

Yeah I would say it depends on if you are talking acute inpatient psych or long term state psych facilities.......and it probably differs from state to state.

In NY state I have worked acute inpatient psych and emergency psych and we had no LPNs in either setting. I know the state hospital here uses LPNs and RNs but not sure how the structure is.

Blackcat99 · Jan 9, 2011

Thanks. I hope here in Florida that the RN's are the charge nurses in psych hospitals. I guess I'll find out for sure if I get that prn psych job.

Jules A, MSN · Jan 10, 2011

I'm in the Washington DC area and at my facility with only 1 nurse per unit if a LPN is on duty he/she is charge nurse.

Blackcat99 · Jan 11, 2011

Thanks. OK. Washington DC still has LPN's in charge on the psych units.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 11, 2011

In my facility, only RNs can be charge. We do have a few LPNs and they either do medications or tech work.

Jules A, MSN · Jan 11, 2011

Thanks. OK. Washington DC still has LPN's in charge on the psych units.

I can't speak for everywhere but at my place, yes.

Blackcat99 · Jan 12, 2011

Thanks all. I don't want to do charge. I think I should call the psych place I am interested in and just ask if LPN's do charge or not. I hope I can find out this information by just calling. It seems nowadays that you have to fill out the job application, send the resume etc etc etc before anyone will answer any questions about anything. :uhoh3:

iwanna · Jan 17, 2011

Not at the facility that I worked at. It has been almost seven years that I have worked there. The LPNs were med nurses and assisted the techs. One time I was the charge nurse because there was no available RN for the unit. However, the DON told me that he was a phone call away for anything that I needed. Personally, I do not like "charge" positions. All of the RNs were charge nurses of the unit. I can remember one RN that left because she did not feel comfortable in the role of being charge nurse at the facility. I know that I do not feel qualified to be a charge nurse. I never had a leadership nursing course. I am not very good at delegating tasks. If someone did not do something, I would do it and would not write anyone up.

I was thinking about trying to go back to the facility, on per-diem basis. HOwever, so many changes have taken place, there. There is no longer an adult unit. Working on the children's unit was purely exhausting. Adolescents was okay, but there would be a good chance that I would have to work on the younger unit. It was physically demnading.