LPN's in ortho?

Published

Hello all!

I am currently attending an 18 month LPN program and really enjoying it! My son has a clubbed foot (that we knew about even before he was born via ultra sound - technology rocks!!!) so, needless to say we have spent quite a bit of time at the ped ortho office! While this is unfortunate, it has also been an eye opener for me. I LOVE ortho...and am very interested in going into this field after I graduate.

My question(s) is:

are there many LPN's in this area? i have plans to continue on to RN but not immediatly.

and -- do you have any advice when it comes to applying for jobs in this field as an LPN?

what are the pros and cons to working in this area?

thank you all for taking the time for reading this (and hopefully replying) and also for all that you do. Noah (my 19 month old) LOVES going for his check ups at the ortho because all the nurses and rad techs are soooooo wonderful!!!!!! he even likes the DR (grins)!

--Claire

[email protected]

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Hi Claire :)

I worked ortho before for quite sometime, and enjoyed it immensely. I also worked with LPNs on ortho in more than one hospital over the years past, so yes...they are hired wherever a nurse is needed as long as a hospital's policy still hires LPNs in their facility.

You will find that there are many various areas of nursing available for LPNs to work in within the hospitals, so you shouldn't be too concerned about that aspect of nursing.

If ortho is what you enjoy, then ortho it can be. I'm sure any Nurse Manager reading this would agree (at least I hope they would ;) ).

Best of everything to you in your nursing profession as a LPN. :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Claire,

I have worked in the ortho field for over 3 years in an Australian Hospital so I am unsure of what you mean by a LPN. Myself I am an Enrolled Nurse which takes about 18 months training so I am not an RN (Registered Nurse which takes 4 years of Universty Training) I look after the patients do dressing and every aspect of Nursing espect giving out Medications. I love what I am doing as our hospital is the Trauma hospital for region and we get a lot of MVA"S\MBA'S and all sorts of trauma victims it is really satisfying when they walk out of the ward knowing what they have been through.

GO FOR IT ...

TOP CAT

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Hi. Welcome TopCat 2. The Au EN is very much like our Licensed Practical nurse.

I worked for 22 years on the ortho floor of a level 1 trauma center in ortho and pain management. I know what you mean about enjoying it! Approximately 1/2 our nursing staff on the floor were LPNs. Here (in SC) LPNs can do quite well in ortho.

I always said I liked ortho because patients usually get better, and very few die. We only had one or two codes a YEAR! We did mostly elective joint replacements. Most traumas went to the unit (ICU) first. They would be transferred to us when stable.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

P_RN, Top Cat2 and Cheerfuldoer -

thanks so much for the replies! it is VERY encouraging to hear i will most likely be able to find a job in the area i would like as an LPN. Many ladies in my class want to go into areas that don't generally hire LPN's (L&D) and i can't help but wonder why they chose LPN school...ANYWAY....i plan to go on for my RN one day - but with a 19 month old and me being a single mother - i'm taking the "extended program" so to speak! :)

Anyway...thanks for the feedback!

P_RN - where about in SC are you?

-Claire

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi,I dinnt know where to put this question,was reading hear and decided this might be ok. What do you nurses out there think of a nurse's(lpn program finishes in 1 year) ,chances of working on a orthopedic floor who has had a total hip replacement? Iwas done in 4-02,due to birth defect with no left hip socket,ALWAYS wanted to go to school to get my degree for nursing but other things in life preceded. PLEASE any advice will be appreciated!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am a LPN in RN school and i worked ortho for five years. It was in a hospital. Alot of joint replacements and minor ortho surgeries. It was a nice speciality and i enjoyed the work. Most of the patients werent REAL sick. They had come in for surgery or had a trauma and needed it. There were many LPN's that worked on the floor. It does consist of alot of lifting and turning.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I worked as a LPN two years before becoming an RN in ortho. LPN's where I worked did alot of the heavy work such as lifting, turning and general bedside tasks. I hope you have a good back. Remember to always, always ask for help and work as a team with patient care. I love ortho because mostly its recovery to a positive outcome. You deal with pain issues and patients trust you to be their advocate.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have just recently graduated and got my license as a practical nurse. I am now working on the Ortho floor at a local hospital. So far I love it. The biggest thing for me is learning the MD's protocols. They all have a different way they like things done ...dressing changes, etc.

Usually there is 1 RN, 1 LPN, and 1 Tech or CNA (if we are lucky). We all work together nicely.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

.....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion