What is an LPN's Job?

skittlebear · Nov 11, 2006

I don't know where you live, but here, LPNs are definitely needed in the nursing homes. Almost every nursing home has several job openings for LPNs.

skittlebear · Nov 11, 2006

What is an LPN's main job in a nursing home? I am just starting classes and I was wondering where an LPN is needed. Someone told me many places will not hire LPN's anymore because an Medical Assistant can do about the same thing, but require less pay. Is this true? Am I wasting my time with school? Will there be a job for me after all this hard work? I love working with the elderly, as I was an Activities Director for a nursing home/rehab center before. I am hoping to go back to work at a nursing home after school. What are my other options for places of employment? If you have any information, please help me! Thanks!
Amy!

I can't really speak from experience about the job duties required by an LPN in a nursing home, but I heard it can be very demanding and stressful at times. Some of my friends who work in nursing homes say their responsible for 30+ patients...passing medications, getting blood sugars, varifying doctors orders, charting...etc. No, you are definitely not wasting your time with school. There are many other places you can work as an LPN. You can work in a doctors office (the pay will probably be lower there), a rehab facility, clinic, psychiatric hospital, correctional facility, dialysis clinic, home health, etc. Many hospitals where I live will only hire RNs. There are a few though that will hire LPNs. After gaining experience, you could even work for an agency at which you would probably make more money than anywhere else. A lot of agencies want you to have a least a years worth of experience first though. Good Luck in wherever you decide to work as their are many options out there.

:nurse:

angel63 · Nov 12, 2006

I live in Northern Georgia. Since I have posted this, I went to get a news paper. I looked in the job listing and found several LPN jobs! The person who told me this was the lady who took my vitals at my doctors office. I ask her if she was an LPN and she said she was just a receptionist. (Is this even legal?)That is when she told me there wasn't much need for LPNs now! (I'm not sure she even knew what she was doing!) I am so excited about going to school but it seems like everywhere I turn, someone has something discouraging to say about it! It's nice coming here and hearing some positive things and seeing all the endless possibilities! Thanks for the info. on this and thanks for responding! I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks again!

Amy

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Nov 12, 2006

Amy,

I moved your post to the LPN/LVN Corner so that you can continue getting feedback on the issue. Good luck!

mighdeetee · Nov 12, 2006

Hello, I am an LVN and I work at a Convalescent Home. I just got my license and the facility hired me with no experience.

An LVN/LPN in a nursing home performs all medication passes with the exception of IV medications. I work the night shift and you basically go around and pass medications, check blood glucose levels, give insulins, IM shots, PRN medications, and perform breathing treatments.

I work as the charge nurse while there are always 1 or 2 RN's there as a house supervisor. You also perform various charting duties on patients. It can be busy, but the night goes by fast. I feel it is a good place to start to get your basic experience.

Good luck

SOREFEETEMPTYSTOMACH · Nov 17, 2006

As an R.N. who has worked with LPN's I can tell you a good LPN can be a valuable asset. She can be the RN's eyes and ears making observations and reporting them.I worked in a dept. that was undergoing a major re-design to it's work flow. at one point the docs wanted paramedics to augment nursing staff. due to the fear there would be too much innappropriate delegating, we went with Lpn's. this was in a major level 1 trauma center so anyone who tells you otherwise is very threatened.:paw:

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2006

hello,

i am a lvn and have been a medical assistant as well. i spent my last 4 years as a nursing supervisor and the years before that as a charge nurse in the same nursing home. lvn's functions as a charge nurse normally and does the medication passes, wound treatments, breathing treatments, all the doctors orders ,charting, family education, injections,blood sugars and supervision of the aides. this is not all we do ...there is just to much to list. lvn's can do iv and iv meds it depends on your state and facility policy and procedures. now , a medical assistant is more trained to work in the doctors office they are not trained in in depth assessment skills and critical thinking. within the office atmosphere (of course depending on policy of the facility) the lvn and medical assistant have similar job duties. the one main difference that i remember is i had no real pharm as a ma and had no clue why or what i was giving when it came to medications. now i know and it scares me to think about how many times i gave something clueless. the lvn education is so much more in depth and focused. trust me that you will have a job when you graduate if you are looking into a nursing home. medical assistants do not have a license and are not trained to work in the hospital/nursing home. i'm not trying to be harsh but that is just reality.