How does one write up LVN ?

agldragonRN · Jun 23, 2010

you need to provide more information. where do you work, hospital or ltc? you had 9 patients and how many did the lvn have? are you her supervisor that she needs to follow order from you? what exactly is the job descriptions of the lvn? if she has her own patient load, is she supposed to help you as well? what is your main reason for wanting to write her up???

i work ltc and i sometimes work with rns on the floor. i don't take orders from them just because they are the rns. they have their own patients and i have my own. i offer help if i have the time. however, offering help is a two-way street.

agldragonRN · Jun 23, 2010

i am the most likeable and lovable new rn on the floor.

yes you have to be a "supernurse" to be the "most lovable" new rn. :uhoh3:

well, pt care assistant, you may be in position of executive mgmt but you sound bossy yourself. at my facility open communication and problem discussions are encouraged and how do you assume i do not have experience. its not matter of power game, it matter of attitude and mutual respect for each other. i think this topic is beyond your comprehension

a "little" defensive, eh?

i am a new rn and sometimes we have to work with lvn's and one of my working days last week, this lvn told me straight away " you do your own thing and i will do my own". she did not help me with any po meds or dressing changes. i am a 6 mos old rn in this facility and she has been lvn here for 10 yrs now. this has happened many times that old lvn's do not want to take new rn orders. i am rn and it bothers me that because of her behaviour my license can be at stake too sometimes. somebody advised me to write her up and give letter to manager. i hv not written anybody up in my life and i do not know how to start. what kind of language i should use ?

please give examples of how the lvn can put your license at risk when she has her own license.

Fiona59 · Jun 23, 2010

yes you have to be a "supernurse" to be the "most lovable" new rn.
a "little" defensive, eh?
please give examples of how the lvn can put your license at risk when she has her own license.

thank you for saying everything i was thinking. what kind of employer goes around giving out these awards???? :eek:

the lpn is probably used to working like this with her previous rn. why does a high bp need critical thinking skills to call a doctor? if it's really out of the patients "normal" range, call the doctor, don't spend ages critically thinking that you need to...

algebra_demystified · Jun 23, 2010

I'm a new RN, two years in the field. I've worked with LVNs who have 20+ years in my work environment, and I owe a large part of my knowledge to them. Thank you to all the LVNs who have taught buck lieutenant RNs the ropes.

In my short career I've seen RNs come out of school ready to give orders to people. In my experience, this is counterproductive. I see myself as the constant student, always ready to learn from everybody in the workplace. CNAs have taught me so much that I fall all over myself with thanks to them.

Tonight, one of my favorite CNAs caught me in an emotional decision and straightened me out. I'm so happy she did. She was right. She saw right through me and knew I was going down a bad road. Later in the shift I told her I was so happy to work with her, she's such a reliable witness to what's going on in our ward that I would miss her terribly if she moved on. I deeply value her input on a wide range of matters. She's been at her job for something like 17 years, I'm her boss, but guess who has the depth of experience? She does.

In my work environment teamwork is the key to success. That means that we all grab the rope on the same end and pull together. I value the input of every member of the team.

There is probably somebody reading this right now who thinks I am a weak leader. I can see why you might think that. This is not my first career. I have strengths that I bring to the group that nobody else has. Staff rely on me to do my part and I don't let them down. They do their parts and don't let the rest of us down.

About half of our staff have worked together on this unit for 20+ years and are planning on retiring within the next two years. I am trying like crazy to suck them dry of all their experience and knowledge. I may not copy their actions, but I want to learn what they know so I don't repeat their mistakes. I wish I could put them all in a room together for their last month to write a thousand page book that I would read every day for the rest of my career.

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the RN becomes the student for a while. Maybe that salty old dog could teach you a trick or two.

Here's a shout out to the CNAs and LVNs who carry the load day in and day out. Thank you for your valuable experience and work. You are not paid enough for the hard work you do. I was an EMT once and I remember how much my back hurt and how little I was paid.

To the OP... I show the floor staff at my workplace my appreciation by taking care of the coffee on our ward. I buy what I think are the best beans available, grind them onsite, I run vinegar through the coffee maker to clean it out, buy good filters, use bottled water, provide half and half AND cream, and make sure that when the staff show up on my shift they have a cup of coffee better than anything Starbucks makes.

Good luck.

allnurses Guide · Jun 23, 2010

Kudos-kudos-kudos algebra. It takes some people years to realize those concepts. To be fair, there are people who will give you the middle finger salute no matter what you do. I know of too many great nurses here who were run out of their jobs by a ruthless cabal of dysfunctional people to believe otherwise.

Oh, and I prefer Jamaican Blue-- whole bean-- Trader Joe's :):):)

Supernurse--- what is the LVN doing that justifies an interruption to help you?

algebra_demystified · Jun 23, 2010

Kudos-kudos-kudos algebra. It takes some people years to realize those concepts. To be fair, there are people who will give you the middle finger salute no matter what you do. I know of too many great nurses here who were run out of their jobs by a ruthless cabal of dysfunctional people to believe otherwise.
Oh, and I prefer Jamaican Blue-- whole bean-- Trader Joe's :):):)
Supernurse--- what is the LVN doing that justifies an interruption to help you?

Costco Colombian Supreme, Sumatran, Costa Rican, and French Roast. I spend about $500 a year on coffee supplies for my shift. That is 2.5 OT shifts to make coffee for an entire year for all the staff I work with. It's well spent.

In return, I have received a very generous package of new baby supplies when my wife delivered our first newborn baby girl. Hundreds of dollars worth of gifts, plus handmade blankets, advice, discussions about how to calm colic in a new baby, etc.

I am astounded at the support I have received from my coworkers. Several of the nurses have offered to babysit for me and my wife so we could go out and dance a couple times a month once baby can sleep through the night.

Are you seriously powertripping on your staff like you say? I would poke a branch in your spokes just to see you spill if you treated me that way.

I sincerely value the staff on my ward and would do anything they asked of me. If I wind up my shift without sweating my scrubs out then I haven't done my job.

itsmejuli · Jun 23, 2010

The Commuter and brownbook , whatever you are advising I have already done that. the tune of progresssive discipline is very familiar to me , i know subjective and objective difference and I am the most likeable and lovable new RN on the floor. Infact my manager has given me card and best RN badge within my 6 mos. I have most high rate patient satisfaction scores and I get along with CNA's and other LVN's very well. DO NOT ASSOCIATE YOUR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR RN's towards this case
Well, pt care assistant, you may be in position of executive mgmt but you sound bossy yourself. At my facility open communication and problem discussions are encouraged AND how do you assume I do not have experience. Its not matter of power game, it matter of attitude and mutual respect for each other. I think this topic is beyond your comprehension.

If your attitude at work is anything like these posts then its no wonder you're having problems with co-workers.

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2010

I think newsupernurse has a little bit of what we call "RN-itis".

You need to learn to work as a team. Just because you are an RN doesn't give you the right to boss other people around. Plus, the LPN is working under her own license - not yours.

You've been given a lot of good advice here, but you seem unwilling to take it.

You became defensive right away. If you behave like this on a message board, I can only imagine the attitude you display in real life.

j621d · Jun 23, 2010

Folks! Newsupernurse is still fairly new; cut her some slack!

I agree with Algebra regarding learning from the LVN (LPN). Many are seasoned and know their way around patient care, just as a seasoned RN knows their way around patient care and can help a new medical resident.

But now you are 6 months in, and it will be difficult to break some of the attitudes that have developed in that time. The LVN really can't "do her own thing," as you are responsible for the supervision of the LVN. It is not unreasonable to talk to her throughout the shift to get updates on the patients. That is part of taking the leadership role. I'm sure she is very capable to handling the patient, but ultimately you bear the responsibility.

Be polite, and remember you are the patient advocate, always doing what is best for the patient.

BackfromRetirement · Jun 23, 2010

Agreed. Respect is earned. It is not given with your diploma. Yes, it takes time but there is plenty of that yet to come.

PedsAtHeart, LPN · Jun 23, 2010

Depending on where you work... just because you have the title of RN doesnt mean that you are in charge of and can order around the LVN. I agree with what most of the commenters here have said. The LVN probably has her own patient load to tend to, and the LVN is working under her OWN license.... thats why her title is LICENSED Vocational (Practical) Nurse. So unless you are the charge nurse, or DON, then you really have no reason to be telling her what to do.

Finallydidit · Jun 23, 2010

" you do your own thing and i will do my own". she did not help me with any po meds or dressing changes. i am a 6 mos old rn in this facility and she has been lvn here for 10 yrs now."

could it be that as the new rn you are sucking the experienced lpn dry, and she is spending much of her shift "helping" you, all the while doing her own med pass and dressings?

i ask this because as an lpn on my unit we too have a "new" rn that is constantly asking for help, can you show me how to do this, can you help me do that, can you watch me just to make sure.. while all of this is fine, and no one minds once in a while, but there is a line that can be crossed because we as lpns have to get our jobs finished as well, and we can't babyset all shift.

i work an 8 hour shift and it takes nearly 7 hours to do everything i have to do, so that doesn't allow much time for constant teaching, thats what orientation is for.

as far as the "critical thinking" it would prob take less then 2 minutes for you to ask the experienced lpn her opinion and get her answer, and make a decision as opposed to you figuring it out for yourself and getting behind and expecting her to play catch up for you. its called time management.. do i have time to figure this out, or should i just ask someone that knows? huge difference in asking a question, then asking / telling someone to do your job.

im willing to bet that this lpn is a wealth of knowledge, and that she has been more than willing to share with you, however, no one wants to be taken advantage of, and my guess is that you have crossed the line and she has had enough.