LVN Job Discription

[k.lvn.mom]

I am a 2nd level LVN student and I graduate in August. I currently work for an agency and have in the past worked for ALF, LTC, and private duty. I have met several LVN's that do alot more than what their job description says. I went to a job fair and the recruiter said that she would train us as LVN's to do IV's, central vein, .... and a lot of other stuff that RN's and above should be doing. Should LVN's pay more attention to the limitations that the license carries, and how much trouble can you get into if you do it, bc your employer is going to train you.

Does that make any sense?

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

I see you are in Texas. Texas has a very wide open scope when it comes to LVN's. I am IV certified and work with IV's and Central lines..many LVN's do. Alot of limitations comes with the facility you work with not the LVN license ( as far as Texas goes). There are only a few things I know of that LVN's cannot do and those are pronounce death, spike blood and there are some limitations on IV/central line drugs.

I am a 2nd level LVN student and I graduate in August. I currently work for an agency and have in the past worked for ALF, LTC, and private duty. I have met several LVN's that do alot more than what their job description says. I went to a job fair and the recruiter said that she would train us as LVN's to do IV's, central vein, .... and a lot of other stuff that RN's and above should be doing. Should LVN's pay more attention to the limitations that the license carries, and how much trouble can you get into if you do it, bc your employer is going to train you.

Does that make any sense?

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Hello, k.LVN2b,

You need to check with the Texas State Board of Nursing:

http://www.bne.state.tx.us/

[url=http://www.bne.state.tx.us/][/url]

The following should answer some of your questions:

The Nursing Practice Act (NPA) and Board Rules are written broadly so that they can apply to nursing practice in any setting. As such, the BNE does not provide lists of tasks or step-by-step procedures of how they are to be carried out by the nurse. It is up to the individual nurse, whether LVN or RN, to utilize good professional judgement in accepting any given assignment and/or performing a given procedure. The BNE has no jurisdiction over facility policies, nor can we speak to civil liability issues.

http://www.bne.state.tx.us/practice/faq-nursetasks.html

And, about Delegated Medical Acts:

In carrying out the delegated medical function, the nurse is expected to comply with the Standards of Nursing Practice just as if performing a nursing procedure. The Board's position is that a LVN or RN may carry out a delegated medical act if the following criteria are met:

1. The nurse has received appropriate education and supervised practice, is competent to perform the procedure safely, and can respond appropriately to complications and/or untoward effects of the procedure (refer to Standards in Rule 217.11(1)©, (1)(T), (1)(G), (1)(M), (1)(N), and (1)®;

2. The nurse's education and skills assessment are documented in his/her personnel record;

3. The nursing and medical staffs have collaborated in the development of written policies/procedures/practice guidelines for the delegated acts, these are available to nursing staff practicing in the facility, and the guidelines are reviewed annually, if applicable;

4. The procedure has been ordered by an appropriate licensed practitioner; and

5. Appropriate medical and nursing back-up is available.

http://www.bne.state.tx.us/practice/position.html#15.11

[k.lvn.mom]

Thank you for the helful information. In school, they drill it into our heads to follow the scope of practice and not the facility and I was just wondering about it.