LPN scope of practice

luvmy2angels · Aug 14, 2006

In most states an LPN can pretty much do anythig an RN can. I know in my State (PA) LPNs cannot hang blood to do a blood transfusion or hang IV chemotherapy, we can do IVs as long we are certified and the facility we are working at allows LPNs to do IVs. In the hopsitals we are not allowed to take Dr oders over the phone, but in LTC we can.

I work in LTC and so we are pretty much on our own. The RN pretty much keeps busy with orders and does any admissions that we get. Is there any in particular you think you may be doing that you aren't supposed to??

kk2000 · Aug 15, 2006

In most states an LPN can pretty much do anythig an RN can. I know in my State (PA) LPNs cannot hang blood to do a blood transfusion or hang IV chemotherapy, we can do IVs as long we are certified and the facility we are working at allows LPNs to do IVs. In the hopsitals we are not allowed to take Dr oders over the phone, but in LTC we can.
I work in LTC and so we are pretty much on our own. The RN pretty much keeps busy with orders and does any admissions that we get. Is there any in particular you think you may be doing that you aren't supposed to??

Thanks for your reply. I know that we can do almost everything here, as well. A lot of the IV stuff, for instance, hanging blood, can be done by an LPN, but it must be under "direct supervision" which basically means the RN has to be in the same building, easily accessible, so to speak. I work in a home care setting, so was wondering about rmoving staples or suprapubic caths, Picc line flushes, etc.

Thanks,

k-

charebec65 · Aug 15, 2006

I don't know what state you're in but your state BON should have it on their website, ours does. If not, they would probably mail you a copy or tell you when you can access it. We can do much of what an RN does here but there are limitations. In order to deal with IV's (other than checking the site) we have to have IV certification and our medication certification seems to be separate (though I got it with my initial training).

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Aug 15, 2006

There seems to be a drastic difference in hospital nursing and nursing home nursing. When I worked in the hospital I could do IV's but could not take doctors orders or do inital assessments. In the nursing homes we do all that plus. The only thing I could not do was prounounce death. It seems to be a double standard, but I realize it all has to do with policy and procedure of the facility.You should be able to look at the BON site in your area and look up the scope of LVN's.

NurseguyFL · Aug 21, 2006

The Florida Nurse Practice Act is here:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0464/ch0464.htm

However, it doesn't give specifics about what an LPN can or cannot do, except to say that what they do must be "...under the direction of a registered nurse, a licensed physician, a licensed osteopathic physician, a licensed podiatric physician, or a licensed dentist..." It doesn't even say, as far as I can see, that an LPN must be directly supervised. However, I've worked at a few hospitals and they all have their own specific policies about the tasks that LPNs are not allowed to perform, i.e. blood transfusions, IV pushes, titrated drips, etc. I would call the BON to find out if a specific scope of practice exists for LPNs, just to be on the safe side.