Updated: Published
I am an RN in a 24-bed ICU. Currently, we have 1-2 LPN's scheduled per shift. Our policy is no more than 2 patients per RN unless you have an LPN working along with you, in which case you may have 3 patients. My experience with LPN's in citical care is that they seem to want to step outside of thier role-for example, push meds or draw off picc lines. Also, when the patient is crashing and I'm starting a new drip, calling the doc, etc., they will sometimes go off on break?!? Because RN's are paid more, some they feel they shouldn't do as much work and will bring a book to read while I run around at the end of the shift getting I&O's, restocking, or boosting patients.
I have worked in other departments with LPN's where each of us did our role and got the job done. In ICU it's different because our LPN's do have additional skills and want to function at a higher level. 10 years ago our ICU had LPN's taking care of thier own patients including IV pushes, IV's, and calling docs. There are a few of these LPN's left who practiced under those conditions and are now bitter to the rules. They feel they are stepping backwards in thier profession, but don't wish to pursue the RN degree.
Does your ICU employ LPN's?
I am an LPN working in ICU stepdown unit. I work along side, with, as a team, an RN. We have 5 patients usually according to their acquity level. We both do meds, baths, I&O's, patient care together.
I would never presume to go outside of my role as an LPN. In fact, I LOVE being an LPN.
Most of the RN's I work with really like working with LPN's. If an RN doesn't have an LPN with her, she has 2 to 3 patients by self, depending on the acquity of the patients. Most would rather be as a team with an LPN.
We are about to do more as LPN's in the hosptial where I work. They are sending us to school to be able to push I.V. drugs. We will also be doing assessments and such. I am very nervous, but excited about the changes. I love learning new things.
Debby
i'm curious about what you study and learn in a bsn program the extra two years. is a lot of it clinical? i've worked with a lot of rns who never even put in a catheter or an ng tube and many other bedside procedures. in lpn school we had to be checked off on three of most procedures to graduate. i personally think the best rns are those that were lpns first, as they get more clinical time than a two-year rn.
very well put.
i was mistaken, i thought this site was for lpn's and rn's. not just snooty rn's.
LPN/LVNs in ICU? Not on my watch and my license. You are not as capable or educated as an RN, and you have no place in ICU. Period. There are more appropriate areas to for you to work in, that would better utilize your education and scope of practice.LIndarn, RN, BSN, CCRN
Spokane, Washington
The above poster has the same attitude about us lowly diploma RN's also. (read other posts on that subject!)
I worked in ICU as a new grad (alas, was 20 years ago) and was precepted by an LPN. My goal has always been to be as caring, compassionate, and skilled as she was!
No discussing the issues do not, however, that is not the case. There is no excuse for the comments that some posters have made about LPNs;)
I agree.
However, I believe that the comments about LPN's that you are referring to are nothing more than a reflection on a profession that is extremely starved for attention and recognition and at the same time so ignorant in understanding each others roles and abilities.
On top of it, I can't believe the number of nurses who have no idea that the scope of practice isn't the same everywhere as in their home states.
The whole world doesn't revolve around what's going on in let's say Kansas for example.
LPN/LVN's actually do function as real nurses in many states, and not as some form of a "technician" of some sort.
Hard to believe, isn't it?
I am an LVN and have worked in ICU/CCU for 6 years and it's been the best experience. The RN's were very helpful and supportive and the absolute best teachers. I know there are some "clueless" or "lazy" LVN's and RN's too...but I look at it this way, we do what we do because we want to help the patients get better...it's not a competition on whose the better nurse...there has been some nurses who were totally against me working in ICU, but that was adminstration's idea...and they are not the ones paying my bills...So with this nursing shortage we have just be happy LVN's are there than having to take that other patient or that other admission....
I am not touchy, but more along the lines of taken back at some of the increasingly harsh comments posted here. I have no intention of ever working in ICU, its not my bag baby. I know my limits and it stops well short of anything critical. However, I do get the feeling that some posters in this thread look towards LVN's as incapable of nursing period. Just my opinion. No need to start the LVN/RN war again.
This bears repeating.
If some were actual discussions, i'd agree, however, quite a few posts on this thread were deliberately insulting.
That was my post you are referring to.
If you had read the inflammatory post that I was politely responding to, you'd see why I responded about labels.
"Get off your high horse" coming from an LPN addressed at RN's is not helpful and deliberatley insulting as well.
I just read our hospital newsletter and it had an article about some high-up administrator who is retiring soon. Of course I've never seen her in my life.
It went on and on about how she started at the "bottom" as an LVN in (surprise surprise) the ICU!
I almost fell over. Here she is, a big bad administrator with an alphabet soup of letters after her name, who started as an LVN in the ICU.
Now the same hospital who gave her her first job, has since promoted her to a position that participates in the elimination of LVN's from acute care nursing altogether and she's part of it!
My hospital would rather work us short than to "stoop" down to hiring LVN's even in our med/surg units let alone the ICU's.
Very sad and frustrating.:angryfire
That was my post you are referring to
No, it wasn't, actually. My comment refers to those that took this thread as an opportunity to get on their soapbox and slam LPNs and to those that took THAT as an opportunity to turn around and slam RNs. The comment i quoted could have gone to either of those opinions.
Princess74
817 Posts
No discussing the issues do not, however, that is not the case. There is no excuse for the comments that some posters have made about LPNs;)