can LPN call the physician to report change in pt condition?

Nurses General Nursing

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can LPN call and report change in patient condition to the physician if instructed by the RN?

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

because i work night shift and our doctors are particular about getting calls after a certain time, usually what i do is reassess the patient, put the call out to the doc and let the RN charge know what is going on so that incase he calls back and i'm tied up she knows it was me who called and a basic idea of what is going on. there is nothing worse than missing a call from a doctor and having to page them again, esp at 0200.

sometimes depending on what is going on, they will step in and monitor the patient while i wait for the phone call, but either way, i make it and i speak with the doctor... the only pain in the butt is that my hospital requires two nurses to sign off a telephone order, so you always have to run and find someone else to listen to what he's saying.

most of the doctors get familiar with us on night shift anyways and if i call and say "hi dr. so and so, it's allison on tele, blah blah blah" they trust our assessment and suggestions and don't care if you're an RN or LPN.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
they must get paid nothing over there with a fat helping of no respect to go along with it! sorry for being so crude but i am just appalled!!!

i am an lpn (new grad) and we can do everything except push iv narcotics and hang blood.

i had to smile when i read: "with a fat helping of no respect". as lpns we get paid very well(i feel) and the benefits are wonderful but there is no respect for us(probably due to so few of us). there is an rn on every unit who takes the responsibility of calling the md for change in condition, meds, etc...wonder if this has to do with our being a psych hospital????:icon_roll

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Specializes in Surgery, Tele, OB, Peds,ED-True Float RN.
WOOOOWWWWW!!!!!! Don't take orders OR give meds???? :no::no::no: Jesus Christ where do YOU live?? I've never heard of such a thing! Are you sure they are LPN's and not CNA's/PCT's?? I find that VERY hard to believe or else why in the world would the hospital even bother to hire the LPN's in the first place!! They must get paid NOTHING over there with a fat helping of no respect to go along with it! Sorry for being so crude but I am just appalled!!!

Hey... Don't shoot the messenger! I live in Canada and I know it's not like that everywhere in Canada but that just happens to be my hospital's policy! I don't agree with it either! They can do a lot more in LTC, just not in the hospital setting. And yes, I'm sure they are LPN's. We don't have CNA's anymore, and PCA's (PCT's elsewhere) are only in LTC. Actually, they get paid pretty good!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

I have never heard of LPN's not giving meds in the hospital setting. They do give meds in Ontario as the LPN's have all had at least two years of college which includes a medication course. Most hospitals here are watching their budgets and are having RN's and LPN's work to almost full scope. In addition, there is no.t shortage of RN's or LPN's in Ontario, in fact, many hospitals are doing a fair bit of laying off of both RN's and RPN's. This is making it very tough for new grads. It is not very nice for nurses here in Ontario.

Sounds like there is more money for nurses out east.

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