Are LVNs being hired in your hospital or only RNs hired?

U.S.A. California

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I am a new grad, LVN..I heard that many hospitals are only hiring RNs...Is that the case in your hospital?

From what I understand it varies by state and, I've been told by several RN's in California that they are responsible for LVN's but ... even if that's not the case, I personally know of an RN who was written up for a medication error that was made by the LVN. I was there the day it happened. Whether it was justified or not ... it was one of the reasons RN's were leaving this particular hospital.

:typing

I am referring to legal responsibility for the LVNs they are licensed personnel and you are not responsible for them legally.

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I am referring to legal responsibility for the LVNs they are licensed personnel and you are not responsible for them legally.

Are you sure that's the case in California, because I have been told RN's are legally responsible for them also.

:typing

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Specializes in Postpartum, Lactation.

When I worked in CA, we used LVNs only as assitive personnel on our unit. They basically did the same job as the CNAs. Our hospital was not only striving towards an all RN staff, but an all BSN staff. I work in maternity and I heard that the market for LVNs in maternity in San Diego was pretty non-existent. Most LVN jobs were in LTC facilities.

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Specializes in Oncology, Apheresis, Clinical Research.

Our hospital only hires RNs--no LVNs. I work at a large hospital in San Diego

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.
RN's are NOT responsible for the actions of the LVN

In California, we are taught that every adverse thing that happens to the patient is the RN's responsibility. As harsh as it seems, its true. In my unit, we don't have LVNs. To be honest, I prefer that because I want to know every single thing that is being done to my patient without asking all the time. Don't get me wrong, I've worked with many good LVNs and saw all the hard work they did, but as a new nurse, I'd like to be the only one giving the meds and doing the treatments. If a doctor asks me "Did the patient get his metoprolol at 2000" I want to know that yes, I gave it, and the HR was 80 and the BP was 110/70, without having to look it up or ask the LVN. Does this make sense?

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone, I think LVNs are awesome in what they do, they are definitely needed with our current shortage, I just think that for me, personally, having an LVN assigned to my patients would actually make MORE work for me. I am time-management challenged :bugeyes:

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

RNs only so far.

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We do have LVN's, but mostly RN's in the unit...Unfortunately the LVN's are treated like CNA's, which is a crock because LVN's ARE NURSES...and they have skill that "we" CNA's don't have.....One of the best nurses on our floor is an LVN....She's just awsome!

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In California, we are taught that every adverse thing that happens to the patient is the RN's responsibility. As harsh as it seems, its true. In my unit, we don't have LVNs. To be honest, I prefer that because I want to know every single thing that is being done to my patient without asking all the time. Don't get me wrong, I've worked with many good LVNs and saw all the hard work they did, but as a new nurse, I'd like to be the only one giving the meds and doing the treatments. If a doctor asks me "Did the patient get his metoprolol at 2000" I want to know that yes, I gave it, and the HR was 80 and the BP was 110/70, without having to look it up or ask the LVN. Does this make sense?

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone, I think LVNs are awesome in what they do, they are definitely needed with our current shortage, I just think that for me, personally, having an LVN assigned to my patients would actually make MORE work for me. I am time-management challenged :bugeyes:

1st off I want to congratulate you on your accomplishment....but being that you're a new nurse, if an LVN has been on your unit longer and has years experience, then that nurse is more qualified than you as a nurse "in general".....Therefore that nurse knows how to respond to certain situations that you might not know how to because that LVN has been exposed (and it comes with experience)...You on the other hand have more education and a higher degree (in most cases) which qualifies you to be able to do more because of your skill...I know what you're saying when you say that you know that a certain medication was given at a certain hour because you as the RN gave it yourself....That is true, you want to be able to tell the doctor that you did give it yourself....It's not hard to pick up a patients MAR to see if a certain medication was given by the LVN or another RN...because other RN's can give pain meds even to yoru patients if you're on break or something....that's part of a nurses job.....The RN's on my unit appreciate the LVN that works under them because sometimes if they're busy, the LVN gives the med....and they're qualified to do so....and that saves the RN time....I also want to add that the best nurse on my unit is an LVN...She runs circles around the RN's there, and she trained most of them....

Good Luck in your nursing career!!!....Lord knows you worked hard to get there!

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Are you sure that's the case in California, because I have been told RN's are legally responsible for them also.

:typing

RN's are totally responsible because ultimately it's their patient....the LVN's work underneath them......Now, as for an LVN being licensed personnel....that's not true....LVN's are "Licensed Nurses"....that's why they're called Licensed Vocational NURSE....They're not Licensed Vocational Personnel...

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

I work at a hospital in the South County and they do hire LVN's. They don't have many but on their website for each department LVN is listed for both day and nite shift.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

What? LPN's are licensed. nurses.

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Specializes in ED/TELE.

I'm currently not working, but last job was a tele unit, and LVN's and RN's were each assigned their own group of 5 patients, and we were responsible for our group (patients were not assigned based on acuity). LVN's were paired up with RN's as IV buddies for IV meds, but other than that we were all equally responsible for our own patients. And b/c ultimately I was responsible for my patients, I checked, double checked, and triple checked my IV meds that RN's were pushing for me. At my last hospital LVN's worked in every unit. We even floated to ICU and CCU during staffing shortages. I've worked with awesome LVN's and I've worked with horrible LVN's. And I've worked with awesome RN's and I've worked with horrible RN's. It's all about how much experience a person has.

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