Do Most LPN's do NA Work Too?

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Specializes in Ltc, Hospice, Spinal Cord.

On the unit I work we have RN's, LPN's and NA's. The RN's only perform nursing duties but the LPN's fill either nursing or NA roles depending on the need. I think this is a terrible practice and is causing a lot of anomosity on our unit. I can't imagine going into work not knowing if I would be working as a nurse or an aid that day! Does any other facility work this way?

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When I was an LPN I offered to work as an NA to cover a shift on which we were very short. They took me up on it.

I try to remember that all of the duties being performed fall under the purview of nursing. Some simply don't require licensure.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

When I was an LPN, I functioned essentially as an RN with a lower wage (Lower Paid Nurse), and we all did "NA duties".

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where i work...which is a house with 12 medically frail handicapped individuals.....ages from 16 to 87.....we do it all......we are all LPNs and RNs,we have no aids.........

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Specializes in Ltc, Hospice, Spinal Cord.

I wasn't talking about primary nursing or nurses pitching in with aid duties. I'm talking about not knowing which role you will fill each day when you walk in the door at work. The LPN's at work feel it takes away from thier status as "nurse" when some days they are and some days their not. It breeds tension between them and the RN's.

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Specializes in Coronary Rehab Unit.

Is common on day shift at my hospital ..... and we rarely, if ever, have a CNA on night shift unless the floor is FULL !!! Typically, on my 11p-7a shift, we are LPNs and CNA/PCTs .... RNs have more than enough charting to keep them busy.

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If I were receiving my LPN pay regardless, I wouldn't care. The animosity and ill will is not necessary and would stop if the individuals engaging in it would change their behavior. Teamwork to get the patients cared for, that's all it takes.

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It breeds tension between them and the RN's.

Why?

.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I have never encountered that and have never seen that. Normally everyone pitched in to help the CNA's.

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Specializes in Ltc, Hospice, Spinal Cord.

SuesquatchRN,

I'm really not sure. That's why I posted the threat, I'm trying to understand if this is an acceptable practice anywhere else. I think they feel that as nurses they don't get as much respect as the RN's because of their ever changing role. But that's just a guess. I do know that the LPN's and CNA's make comments about the RN's not working as hard as they do. Which is nuts since the RN's have a lot of other responsibilities. I just wish we didn't have this tension. I'm all about living in harmony. :loveya:

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

Why wouldn't it be acceptable practice? It's an important aspect of patient care. Direct patient care is a skill and doing it well requires organizational skills, efficiency and a willingness to serve. High speed nursing procedures may be more glamorous, but I happen to be proud of the fact that I can cleanse a bottom, excoriated from multiple loose BMs, and provide relieve in the process rather than making it worse. Working direct patient care alongside NAs doesn't make one less of a nurse, but rather provides opportunity to teach. Instructors for NA courses are nurses aren't they?

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Specializes in Ltc, Hospice, Spinal Cord.

i'm not putting down the work of na's, what they do is extremely important and doing it well is a gift. there's no need to defend what you do. my only question was do lpns switch between a nurse and an na at other facilities. i'm surmising from the posts that they do.

thank you for your responses.

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