Trying to get rid of LPNs

GInurse4U · Apr 1, 2005

At our facility the role of the LPN has been downgraded in our unit, they may not assess or dismiss. Their role has evolved into a role of starting lines, checking blood sugars, vitals, enemas and taking verbal histories...all of which whom ever the RN is that signs is responsible as a cosigner. A few of the LPN's have made comments that they feel a loss of professional identity in tasks being taken from them. I think in the end it's all liability based on educational parameters when looking at the difference between the LPN and RN, however some have unprecedented experiences clinically that would be more welcome at my bedside if I were a pt.

KacyLynnRN · Apr 1, 2005

Stacy,

My hospital is going for magnet status right now, and while they say they are not "phasing out" LPN's, they are not hiring any new LPN's, and the ones that leave are not replaced. Also, they are discussing taking some tasks away from us. I graduate from school with my ASN in 5 weeks, and with everything going on at work, I am SOOOO glad I went back!!!!

fungirl · Apr 1, 2005

Stacy,
My hospital is going for magnet status right now, and while they say they are not "phasing out" LPN's, they are not hiring any new LPN's, and the ones that leave are not replaced. Also, they are discussing taking some tasks away from us. I graduate from school with my ASN in 5 weeks, and with everything going on at work, I am SOOOO glad I went back!!!!

Just recently in the icu at the facility I work at has not eliminated lpn's, however they are not allowed to take pts any longer, thus they are essentially floaters/aides. From what I heard this was not the hospitals change, but the state board of nursing.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2005

LPN's in my facility dont "take patients". They are assigned to a team and they administer oral meds, ivpb, iv starts, maintain peripheral iv fluids, dressings. My facility hires LPN's, however, if there is time off to be given because of census, the LPN's go first. The facility can get more "bang for the buck" working RN's and having them take smaller teams with no LPN, only a CNA with them.

Some of the LPN's are recognizing this and moving to return to school and finish at least their ADN. I was one of them.

MQ Edna · Apr 1, 2005

Wow! I'm surprised to hear what your hospitals are doing with LVNs! I work on a cardiac intermediate floor here in houston as an LVN. Where I work, LVN's take their own patients. We do our own shift assessments and they don't need to be signed off by an RN. We do the admission history, but an RN has to come and do the admission assessment. We do all PO meds for our patients, all IV push medications, and we can monitor and titrate cardiac drips and heparin drips. I take offense to the statement that LVN's are coming out with no clinical knowledge. A fellow student and I started on this floor and have had no problems or complaints. Here we discharge our patients take all telephone orders. The only other thing we can't do is remove central lines (we can change the dressings), remove PICC lines, but we can remove chest tubes. The RN needs to spike our blood but we document on it and monitor it. They have phased LVN's out of the ER and ICU at my facility, but there are others in the area that do take LVN's in the ER and ICU but don't know what their scope is in that area. These posts make me think twice about travel nursing!!!