lpns in the icu

[helpme nurse]

I have to say as an lpn I agree with everyone above unless specifically trained to help you in the icu and familiar with tasks and procedures then it's entirely unsafe to have them there, speaking as a person with no icu training i would feel very uncomfortable being transferred to there in the first place and feel very bad to make the rn's do twice as much work, i hope everything works out and the next time they transfer nurses to your area that they are trained and that some plan is in effect before you all start working together, plans previous are a big help. Good luck

[Alnamvet]

What's the point? LPN's in ICU are like PA's in the ED... you need and RN to "assume" responsibility for the lpn's behavior, and lack of critical thinking/academic preparation, much like the PA who has to have the MD in the ED see the patient before discharge, and having to have the script approved; what a waste of time, energy, and risk taking.

[mattsmom81]

Originally posted by Alnamvet

What's the point? LPN's in ICU are like PA's in the ED... you need and RN to "assume" responsibility for the lpn's behavior, and lack of critical thinking/academic preparation, much like the PA who has to have the MD in the ED see the patient before discharge, and having to have the script approved; what a waste of time, energy, and risk taking.

Different areas have different standards. I work with some awesome LVN's in my critical care unit..whom I would trust over some of the RN's there. As I said recently in another thread, it's not just the title that defines the nurse.

The LVN who can prove competency can take care of our sickest patients...in MY ICU. Not all ICU's function in this way obviously. But it works for us.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Originally posted by Alnamvet

What's the point? LPN's in ICU are like PA's in the ED... you need and RN to "assume" responsibility for the lpn's behavior, and lack of critical thinking/academic preparation, much like the PA who has to have the MD in the ED see the patient before discharge, and having to have the script approved; what a waste of time, energy, and risk taking.

Lack of critical thinking?

(Now i'm kinda wondering why i had a whole semester of a specific critical thinking course )