How can 1 LPN take on 60 patients in one shift?

tookewlandy · Jul 26, 2006

Why did yo ask a CNA to help your patient with a shower, why didn't you just do it???

Dieselmota · Jul 26, 2006

I'm in nursing school and during my clinicals, the CNA is excussed from that patient duty and I take over for all the CNA tasks. The showers, linen changes, tray setups, etc. that the CNA might do, I do- inbetween the student nurse responsibilities I have that day.

Bala Shark · Jul 26, 2006

Why did yo ask a CNA to help your patient with a shower, why didn't you just do it???

The patient is totally immobile..He cannot talk, walk or feed himself..And to top that off, he needs to be lifted up with a lift onto a gurney and lead through the shower..Two people will have to do that and one person cannot do it alone..After the patient got into the shower, I felt that it was okay to leave since, I asked her if she could do it alone, to give the shower..She told me yes..Well, in the real world, with 40 patients and the CNA can handle it alone, I would do the same..It is just unfair how the instructor just did me in like that..So I was concerned, how can the LPN function in the real world, where a CNA can handle it alone..

Bala Shark · Jul 26, 2006

And it is good practice delegating tasks to the CNAs while in clincals also...You want real world experience with many patients..

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2006

So I was concerned, how can the LPN function in the real world, where a CNA can handle it alone..

In several posts you've indicated that you're in California. However, I have noticed that you never use the title of 'LVN'. You always use the title 'LPN'. Your license will have the words 'licensed vocational nurse' if you are in California.

I know there's no difference between the two titles other than geographical location. Out of blunt curiosity, are you from a state other than California or Texas?

tookewlandy · Jul 27, 2006

And it is good practice delegating tasks to the CNAs while in clincals also...You want real world experience with many patients..

As a student should you be practicing your delegation skills to a CNA, you are not technically an LPN as a student you are a student- therefore i can see why you instructor wrote you up. Student do not delegate and you said that this was your patient and you LEFT the patient with the CNA and i would not stand by leaving a patient that needs a nurse. At least where i am from student nurses do not delegate things to other staff, and not allowe to leave their patients

Bala Shark · Jul 27, 2006

In several posts you've indicated that you're in California. However, I have noticed that you never use the title of 'LVN'. You always use the title 'LPN'. Your license will have the words 'licensed vocational nurse' if you are in California.
I know there's no difference between the two titles other than geographical location. Out of blunt curiosity, are you from a state other than California or Texas?

Well only TX and CA have the LVN title..I really dont want any type of confusion because 48 states carry the LPN title so I use that one..I am in CA and I know it is LVN..But in short:

LPN = LVN

There is no difference..Just want to make things clear to the LPN folks out there..

Bala Shark · Jul 27, 2006

As a student should you be practicing your delegation skills to a CNA, you are not technically an LPN as a student you are a student- therefore i can see why you instructor wrote you up. Student do not delegate and you said that this was your patient and you LEFT the patient with the CNA and i would not stand by leaving a patient that needs a nurse. At least where i am from student nurses do not delegate things to other staff, and not allowe to leave their patients

Hey look, I did not come here to argue with you..I asked the CNA, if she needed my assistance..She said no...Well if someone says no to you, what are you going to do? And later on, the CNA informed me that she does this all by herself anyway! And yes, students do need to delegate things to CNAs..In the facility, there were a lot of immoblie clients that could not move..You expect one student, to turn a 350 pound lady when a he or she is changing the sheets? No, the student needs to ask for assistance..And that assitance comes from the CNAs or who ever!

tookewlandy · Jul 27, 2006

umm ok

suzanne4, RN · Jul 27, 2006

Staffing ratios only apply to acute care facilities in CA.

SakredStrega · Jul 27, 2006

Hmm...

At my school, we did ALL of the patient care for our patient. If we needed assistance with bathing/turning, etc our patients (which we very often did) we were to ask one of our classmates for help. We were not to ask the CNAs for their help; they were WAY busy taking care of the other patients. I do NOT think it's appropriate for a student to delegate work. You delegate when you're a NURSE. You're still learning how to do the job when you're a student.

If any of my classmates would have left our patient in the shower with the CNA... who knows what our instructor would have done...

Bala Shark · Jul 28, 2006

Hmm...
At my school, we did ALL of the patient care for our patient. If we needed assistance with bathing/turning, etc our patients (which we very often did) we were to ask one of our classmates for help. We were not to ask the CNAs for their help; they were WAY busy taking care of the other patients. I do NOT think it's appropriate for a student to delegate work. You delegate when you're a NURSE. You're still learning how to do the job when you're a student.
If any of my classmates would have left our patient in the shower with the CNA... who knows what our instructor would have done...

At the facility I was at, I had to ask the CNA to help me..The reason why, was that no one was trained on how to use the hoyer lift for patients..That is a lift that lifts patients out of bed and on to a gurney..There needs to be a qualfied person in doing that and the CNA was a qualified person..And the bottom line, my classmates were way too busy in their patient care and the CNAs at the facility were taking coffee breaks!