LPN scope of pratice!!!

[NikkiL.Rutherford]

I work in a long term care facility and i was wondering is the scope of practice different at ltc then at the hospital? My supervisor told me that i have a new admit coming in today and i have to do the assesment. I said in school i was told the rn does the initial assesment the lpn follows up. My supervisor told me that in ltc its differeent. What do i do?

TOTALLY CONFUSED DON'T WONT TO LOOSE MY LISCENCE OVER SOMETHING SO STUPID!!!!

[shiningstarinpa]

I have been in ltc for a long time and the lpn on the hall has always done the admission assesment. All our assesments are done on the computer so I go in to the assesment print out a blank copy and take it to the room. This way I know what to look for and what questions to ask. This way when I get back to the computer I have all the information I need.

[mc3, ASN, RN]

I would refer you to your Board of Nursing web site for any scope of practice questions!

mc3:nurse:

[Fiona59]

It's LOSE not LOOSE. Two toally different words.

[pookyp, LPN]

It's LOSE not LOOSE. Two toally different words.

:) hehe!

[libran1984, ASN, RN]

It's all about facility protocol. The facility will make the LPN do the initial assessment and at some point down the line that u may not be aware of, an RN signs off on it. Supposedly. Just do what the facility tells you to do as long as it is not in blatant disregard for your scope of practice such as "an LPN may not do..."

[DavidKarl]

The real issue is that word: assessment. In some states an LPN cannot legally 'assess' a patient, but 'evaluates', or etc. It's weird but true. Wicki describes an assessment as a 'plan of care'- lots of states don't allow that scope in LPN practice, and some even require a BSN, rather than an ADN, to be qualified to 'care plan' a patient. When I was in FL, an RN had to co-sign certain forms and notes completed by LPNs. Print your nurse practice act and keep it in your locker at work. It's basically the rules, in your BON's language, that allow you to keep your license. Be especially careful about IVs, if you have an IV cert in your state as an LPN. The language, although cumbersome, is very specific in the practice act.