Are nursing students allowed to give IV push meds?

azil2010 · Sep 19, 2005

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NYCRN16 · Sep 19, 2005

I was an LPN before I went to RN school and we were not allowed to do any IV meds in LPN school at all..I think that was the hospital policy and not a state law because I believe that LPN's are allowed to give certain IVPB medications. In RN school we were not allowed to give IV push drugs in the hospitals we trained it, nor were we allowed to start IV's or draw blood :angryfire It made me feel like a moron when I started my first job in a busy ER where everyone needs an IV and bloodwork. In my ER where I work now, we can push any drug with the exception of TPA, that must be pushed by an MD/NP/PA, but we can hang TPA on a pump if needed. I know that some hospitals vary with thier policies and even from unit to unit on what drugs thier RN's are allowed to push, its best to check with your hospitals policy.

Shanna349 · Sep 19, 2005

I'm in Texas in an ADN/RN school in my last semester. NO to IV push meds-ever is the rule I've had to follow. Saline push is allowed. We are not allowed to touch central lines.

Again, this varies state to sate, school to school, and hospital to hospital.

I've personally seen LVNs push IV meds but they must obtain RN consent prior to admin. LVNs are limited due to licensing and legal regulations.

Hope this helps

_____-

GN on Dec 15th '05 wOOt!!!!

GrnHonu99, RN · Sep 19, 2005

wow I had no idea there was so much variation!

rach_nc_03 · Sep 19, 2005

it really depends on the hospital and the unit. in nursing school, one hospital allowed us to push anything, including narcs (did a lot of morphine on a post-op ortho floor), and *wanted* us to hang blood, although our school policy forbade it. *never* assume what a co-assigned nurse asks you to do is within your scope of practice- always check with your instructor if you're not sure. another hospital didn't allow us to push anything but saline flushes.

even when you start practicing as an RN, you'll discover new regulations you didn't know about. On my unit, for instance, RN's administer TPA (which scared the bejesus out of me the first time I did it). We instill heparin superflushes in broviac ports, another thing i didn't realize we could do (thought only the dialysis nurses could do it, like at another hospital).

be careful. when i had my clinical 'experience' in the NICU, the nurse knew i wanted to do critical care, and taught me how to do ET suctioning. Found out later that day that the school intended this to be 'observation only'. in the burn unit, i was the only pair of free hands when a critical admission came in, and was asked to document (on a piece of scrap paper) the interventions until someone got the code sheet going. i felt comfortable doing it, as I'd done it at work before (which I'd told the charge nurse before he asked if I'd do it), but had i not, that could've been a major mess.

the best policy is to ask, if you're not 1000% sure. better to annoy someone by asking what they think is a silly question than to make a mistake because you *didn't* ask.

oldnurse newnurse · Sep 20, 2005

I am a senior in Illinois RN-BSN and I am also a LPN. I can give IVP meds. while in clinical but not while at work under my LPN license, it is beyond my scope of practice. But I can give, while I am in clinical with supervision of my instructor. This is my last clinical and now we are even expected to hang blood. My preceptor ship is on ICU and it is wothwhile. Everything is scary but enjoyable, I guess I should get ready graduating 12/18/05. :w00t: :w00t:

mandrews · Sep 20, 2005

I was only allowed to flush a hep loc when I was in nursing school but some of the students had clinical instructors that let them push iv meds in their presence. Our instructors always reminded us that we are working under their license while at clinicals.

We were told that the lpn nurses and students were not to do any iv pushes because they are not taught as much about the meds, and the patho in relation to meds. I understood that more when the lpn fast track students joined the rn students during the last year of nursing school. They had to learn to put in iv's, and the patho of meds being administered to the venous system just like we did.

Some of the lpns where i work can take a iv certification class and they learn to start ivs, flush hl and they learn a little more about meds and the venous system but they still can not push iv meds or give blood products.

sweetielin · Dec 15, 2005

lpns in my state are not allowed to give ivp meds, either. we are allowed to flush peripheral ivs with ns and to hang fluids/ivpbs. we are not allowed to administer blood.

RazorbackRN, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2005

I am a senior RN student and we have not been allowed to give IVP meds at all. We can do flushes and IVPB with our instructor present.

crb613, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2005

We are allowed to do pushes, hang blood, pretty much anything within the scope of practice that our CI is comfortable w/us doing. If we hang blood or have any pushes to do her rule is I must be present.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Dec 16, 2005

I was just wondering if nursing students are allowed to give IV push meds during clinicals..Is it true that LPN's are not allowed to give IV push meds? if it is what is the rationale behind that? Thanks.

In TN we are allowed to give anything IV push.....we can basically function and perform the same skills as a registered nurse with very appropriate supervision.

LcStudent · Dec 16, 2005

I'm in school in VA, going for my RN. Our 3rd year we are able to give all IVP meds, including narcs as long as our professor is there and the nurse we are working with is comfotable with it.