LPN's In L&D........

imenid37 · Sep 29, 2003

At my hospital, LPN's mainly work postpartum and gyn. Maybe you can start out on that type of unit and go for the RN. I work w/ several nurses who worked as LPN's for years and did Excelsior and are now RN's. I wish you the best of luck. How about an ob/gyn or peds office? Lots of our doc's in town have LPN's in their offices. Good luck and keep us posted on how school is going for you.

mother/babyRN, RN · Sep 29, 2003

Usually, where I have worked, LPNs can be on post partum and help out in either the nursery or delivery, but I have never seen them actually assigned to delivery without an RN there due to the liability and some of the meds which are given...Properly trained as your backup, why not?

mother/babyRN, RN · Sep 29, 2003

That is, of course, IF you have enough RNs to go with it.....

mother/babyRN, RN · Oct 4, 2003

I have to add that in my past experience on a step down cardiac unit, two of the best people working with me were LPNs over any other nurse I worked with..Like any other unit, as long as there is RN coverage for legality, I see no reason why LPNs can't be involved in every aspect of care, that is, if the foolish plot against hiring them EVER gets out of commission.....Sadly,in my opinion, a lot of the bad press against LPNs was done obstensibly for a good thing, to promote constancy in nursing, but to me, it is like shooting yourself in the foot...Nothing but counterproductive, and definitely conducive to promoting the nursing shortage which, also in my opinion, was started by nurses, unintentionally however..

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 5, 2003

i also would encourage you to get your RN.....I know of NO hospital in my area hiring LPN's for OB/newborn nursing at all.

good luck.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 5, 2003

also check w/the state board of nursing...

could be, by regulation, LPN's CANNOT ASSUME CARE OF LABOR PATIENTS AT ALL independent of an RN overseeing this. To me, this is really more work than if I just do it myself. If an LPN cannot take care of a patient in labor independently, and I have to co-sign and chart behind him/her AND be responsible for the overall care of the patient, I would rather just have the patient myself. Nothing against LPN/LVN's but their defined role where I work is VERY. VERY LIMITED AND OFTEN JUST MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT than if I am just doing it myself. I don't ever use LPN's as "slaves" but what they are allowed to do is VERY limited in OB where I work. They do not do shift assessments, push IV meds or care for patients in labor in any capacity.

So, check w/the board of nursing and see if you CAN even FUNCTION in an L and D dept before you get your hopes up too high. Many places, all LPN's can care for is couplets, and even then, RN's are responsible overall for these patients and their shift assessments.

Don't get too far and get disappointed! Best wishes.

BarbPick · Oct 5, 2003

Sheryl,

I always have a different take on things than most. I suggest you open up your mind and first focus on becoming a nurse. If you limit your view to L&D, you will not allow yourself to experiences of all the other areas of Nursing. I though I wanted to only work in OB. I am glad I didn't. I always tell "my cousin Susan" stories.

Susan graduated from LPN school in 84. She spent her entire Nursing Career in Post Partum. The only place she was allowed to practice as an LPN, which in Florida is pretty standard. She left because she moved to Georgia. As an LPN with 18 years Post P experience, she could not find a job in her field. In GA, they reduced her to that of the title "Care Partner" wish was the role of the CNA. She was miserable.

She decided to work in a nursing home and could not function because she had no clue how to take care of sick people. Yes, she could pass meds, but all the pumps, feeding tubes, Hospice patients, unhappy family members completely threw her. Post partum is 99% joy.

I suggest to every new nurse I encounter, Learn how to be a nurse first , for 1 year. Do one full year of Med Surg Nursing on the 3-11 shift. Why 3-11, less traffic, easier to learn how to work independantly and still sleep in your own bed at night.

I wish you well, and again suggest you open your mind.

Barbara

Brownms46 · Oct 5, 2003

First I don't understand what you're saying about LPNs in Fl, as this being the only place this LPN could work. Are you saying she couldn't work in L&D in Fl, or that was the only area she could work period??

I also don't understand why she couldn't find work in GA as an LPN?? Ok I get it about the LPN position. I think maybe she should have looked around a little more...but can't for sure as I don't know where in GA.

gypsyatheart · Oct 6, 2003

I have to agree w/most of the other posters here. Really try and get your RN. In my area we do not use LPN/LVN's at all in L&D. And for the most part the trend is becoming LDRP and couplet care. If all you can do is pursue the LPN degree at this time, go for it and work MS for a yr or perhaps an OB/GYN floor, while immediately continuing your education for your RN and like someone else said, the hospital will pay the tuition! It may be the long road, but don't give up! Good luck!

SharonH, RN · Oct 6, 2003

Originally posted by BarbPick
Susan graduated from LPN school in 84. She spent her entire Nursing Career in Post Partum. The only place she was allowed to practice as an LPN, which in Florida is pretty standard. She left because she moved to Georgia. As an LPN with 18 years Post P experience, she could not find a job in her field. In GA, they reduced her to that of the title "Care Partner" wish was the role of the CNA. She was miserable.

She decided to work in a nursing home and could not function because she had no clue how to take care of sick people. Yes, she could pass meds, but all the pumps, feeding tubes, Hospice patients, unhappy family members completely threw her. Post partum is 99% joy.
I suggest to every new nurse I encounter, Learn how to be a nurse first , for 1 year. Do one full year of Med Surg Nursing on the 3-11 shift. Why 3-11, less traffic, easier to learn how to work independantly and still sleep in your own bed at night.
I wish you well, and again suggest you open your mind.
Barbara

?????Barbara, I have several questions about your post. First of all, I live in Georgia and have never heard the term "Care Partner". My mother is an LPN and so is my aunt and they both worked in L&D and Post-Partum for their entire 30 + year careers until medical problems forced them to leave the hospital at about the same time 2 years ago.

Secondly, I have only worked post-partum a few times but I would not term it "99% joy". Just like other areas of nursing, it is work and requires assessment and other skills. There are a lot of skills that are required to work in PP and I would never trivialize it like that. Oh and they do take care of "sick" people too.

And finally, 3-11 has less traffic? Where? 3-11 is the busiest and most challenging shift to work, especially on med-surg with post-ops and all. Frankly, I think you have been giving bad advice.

Brownms46 · Oct 6, 2003

I totally agree with you Sharon, as I have worked PP and I know I ran my behind off! There are admissions, assessments, MD orders, labs, IVF/ IVPB, Bld, meds, teaching, TCDB C/S, amb, assisting new moms with BF, discharges, pre-op, post op...etc. And PP pts. have complications just like everyone else. Yep that's a lot of work!

Now 3-11 is the work horse shift for sure, and is when most of the post ops return to the floor, or at least by the time your shift starts their still doing post VS. and when most of the visitors come to the unit. I worked it, when I didn't know any better, but not anymore:chuckle

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 6, 2003

why EVERYone knows all we do in OB is rock babies and put our feet up....

come on nyahhh.