LPN/LVN in Med/Surg Oncology unit

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2014

I am an RPN in Canada and work on a surgical oncology floor. It will really depend on your facility and your scope of practice where you are. I do everything my RN colleagues do and have my own patient assignment which is exactly the same as the RN...I am expected to do everything for my patients.

This is my first job out of school so you don't necessarily need experience...but it is very busy and a lot of critical patients. I have sometimes 3 patients on days and max 4....some are awaiting surgeries and some are post op...and a few medicine pts thrown in there. I am running my butt off for 12 hours...and things can change in a second. You really need critical thinking skills and be able to be on top of things.

My day looks like this: Come in, get report...write down all pertinent info on my sheet...go see my pts and do vitals. Do a full head to toe assessment on all of them and pay closer attention to any concerns. Go get meds ready, get IV pain meds mixed, any other IV meds...chart vitals and assessments, call doc about any concerns...go on break...come back and help people wash/get ready (most people are independent, or I get an aide to help me). Assess for pain again and give meds...go on lunch. Do dressing changes/staple or suture removals and any other treatments...assess for pain/give meds...chart...etc etc.

What makes the day crazy is that pts are always going for tests, there is a high turnover so we are always having discharges...and then I will get an admission in the middle of the day which throws everything off. Many pts are very sick and can take a turn for the worse...I may have to draw blood/do cultures/give blood transfusions which means extra monitoring etc etc....we have a lot of codes so you always have to prepare and anticipate for these things.

Luckily I work with an amazing team who always helps each other out. We are staffed with mostly RNs but there is always at least one RPN on shift...many very experienced nurses who are willing to answer questions and help out when needed.

It really depends on the culture of the unit and of course your scope of practice....but that is my experience. It's really chaotic and busy....but I love it. There is so much to learn and so many opportunities to use critical thinking skills.

Good luck!

jigzawnurse28 · Apr 14, 2014

Wow.. that does sound busy and overwhelming. Did you get some training when u got hired and how long was it before they let you work alone? Just to add, LVNs here in Texas cannot hang IV or chemo.

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2014

I am doing a new grad program so I am with a preceptor for 6 months before I am on my own totally...but I've been there for 2 months and do everything on my own...my preceptor is there as a resource if I need help.

I do everything on my floor so I dont know how it would work if you werent allowed to do certain skills.