LPN in ICU?

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i am currently in school getting my LPN. my career goal is to be a CRNA. ive mapped out my academic path and i intend to work in the icu before i apply to a crna school... question is... are there LPN's working in the ICU? or will i have to wait til i get my RN...

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To work in an ICU to get the skills that they want you to have for CRNA school will require that you have your RN first. There are actually very very hospitals that employ LPNs anymore in the ICU. You may come across a few that have been there for many years, but definitely none new.

You need the experience as an RN. Simple example, most IV medications cannot be given by an LPN, nor drips titrated. Assessments need to be done by the RN........that is a mandatory requirement throughout the US........

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I recently left an ICU that employs many LPN's. It's a nightmare for the RN's. They are left with all the codes, all the admissions, the sickest pts and still expected to cover the LPN's pts. :stone

I'm sure it's not so difficult if there is 1 LPN during a shift but when there are 3 LPN and 2 RN's it's very unfair to the RN's.

Just go and get your BSN or ADN if time is an issue then go into ICU for the experience. You can work ICU gaining valuable experience while working for your BSN. That makes much more sense.

Good luck!

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Our hospital does not employ LPNs in critical care for the exact reasons suzanne stated. The couple that had been there for many years have been reassigned to other jobs within the hospital or unit (but not direct bedside critical care). So....go for that RN before trying for ICU.

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At our hospital only 1 that I know of and she has been there forever. ONly ones left are those that got "grandfathered" in. Get your RN. Good luck with CRNA...i am starting in August.

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I know many hospitals that employ LPN's. It all depends on your state and what LPN's cannot do. Here, LPN's can do just about everything an RN does. So they are employed. They assist with codes as well.

WHat state are you from? You'd probably get a better response from those within your state.

Its discouraging to some LPN"s when a RN from a state where LPN's cannot start IV's states LPN"s would never work in ICU.....But then you get a response from a state where they are allowed more freedom and they say that LPN's do work in ICU, ER, and so forth..............Its a state by state basis.

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Well said Bob. The limitations on scope of practice for LPNs varies hugely from region to region.

It is especially discouraging when "experts" state their opinions as gospel...

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No LPN's here in the ICU at my hospital. I just got hired as a GN and will have to complete an ECG course, ACLS, and the critical care course to maintain employment on the PCU/ICU floor. There are no LPN's in the hospital I work, except on the well mother/baby unit--and from my understanding they have been there a long time and only work with the stable moms/babes. But like BOB said, it is highly varied as to your nurse practice act and the hospitals view on it. There are some LPN's on the board who have been doing ICU work umpteen years...and have probably more than proved their ability to care for critically ill patients.

Karen

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By law in all 50 states, the RN is responsible for the first assessment each shift. Next, there are many cardiac drugs that cannot be given by other than an RN in a critical care or specialty area.

Some of the best nurses that I have ever worked with were LPNs............but laws change......and these were in busy ERs, as well as ICUs. But treatment modalities have progressed considerably from back then, as well as procedures that an RN can do now, that only an MD could perform back then.

Working as an LPN in a critical care area, if you were fortunate to find a postion, would not be credited towards the time that you need for CRNA school.

This is what the thread was focusing on, lets try to stick to the topic as origianlly posted. :)

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By law in all 50 states, the RN is responsible for the first assessment each shift. Next, there are many cardiac drugs that cannot be given by other than an RN in a critical care or specialty area.

Some of the best nurses that I have ever worked with were LPNs............but laws change......and these were in busy ERs, as well as ICUs. But treatment modalities have progressed considerably from back then, as well as procedures that an RN can do now, that only an MD could perform back then.

Working as an LPN in a critical care area, if you were fortunate to find a postion, would not be credited towards the time that you need for CRNA school.

This is what the thread was focusing on, lets try to stick to the topic as origianlly posted. :)

Once again, it depends on the state. In a few states, LPN's can administer all cardiac drugs in the ICU....They can spike and administer blood and blood products, chemotheraphy.They can perform sharp debriedment. and etc... Of course they have competencies to do this and they are under the supervision of an RN/Physician. Also, I have a friend who worked in the ICU/ER as an LPN for 6 years...he got his BSN and then he went to CRNA school and is now in the military to pay off his student loans...They credited him with his LPN experience...

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To the OP,

Please do not be misled.......99.9% of CRNA programs require that you have 2+years( minimum) of RN experience in an ICU enviroment.

Folks, listen when people come on to this site looking for info we need to give them the rule, not the exceptions to the rule. The OP needs to know that he/she will not be competitive enough if he/she works as an LVN/LPN in the ICU for 2+ years and then tries an gets a BSN and apply to a CRNA program all at once. A seasoned vet in the CRNA field and current SRNA's will be the first to back up everything I am saying. If the OP tried to compete with there 2+ years of experience as an LVN/LPN against someone that has 2+ yrs of experience as an RN....they would just be setting themselves up for failure (again this is in reference to applying to a CRNA program).

So to the OP.......if CRNA is what you desire RN is what you need.

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To the OP,

Please do not be misled.......99.9% of CRNA programs require that you have 2+years( minimum) of RN experience in an ICU enviroment.

Folks, listen when people come on to this site looking for info we need to give them the rule, not the exceptions to the rule. The OP needs to know that he/she will not be competitive enough if he/she works as an LVN/LPN in the ICU for 2+ years and then tries an gets a BSN and apply to a CRNA program all at once. A seasoned vet in the CRNA field and current SRNA's will be the first to back up everything I am saying. If the OP tried to compete with there 2+ years of experience as an LVN/LPN against someone that has 2+ yrs of experience as an RN....they would just be setting themselves up for failure (again this is in reference to applying to a CRNA program).

So to the OP.......if CRNA is what you desire RN is what you need.

.....very well said. Agree 110%

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