LVN/LPN what can you do in your state???

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I am a California LVN, IV certified. In my state I cannot push IV meds or hang IV piggy backs. But I CAN hang blood. I have heard that LVN/LPN in other states can do piggy backs but not blood. So I was just curious what can you or can't you do where you practice.

Shannon LVN in CA

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Specializes in Peds HH, LTC.

we cannot do IV push meds or hang blood products in PA

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I'm an LVN in Texas, where the scope of practice is wide open. Therefore, it will be simpler to list what I am NOT permitted to do...

1. I cannot pronounce death without a physician's order.

2. I cannot push specific IV meds (cardioactives, potassium, Vitamin K, sedating drugs) or spike blood. However, I am allowed to push everything else. I also give meds via IV piggy back.

3. I cannot perform the initial assessment in the acute care setting. However, I can initially assess in any other healthcare setting.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

texas lvn's cannot pronounce death with or without a doctors order ...which i have never understood . everything else the commuter said but i'm gonna add one more...we cannot re-insert a g-tubes . i could understand a new g-tube site but when a patient has had the tube 20 years that makes no sense. now having said this i have re-inserted at least 100 tubes before finding this out.

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

I received a handy sheet from my company on this for NJ. There may be a discrepancy between what the state allows and what your facility allows. In NJ we cannot reinsert a G-tube (but a parent can if trained), we cannot pronounce death and we cannot insert an NG tube or push IV meds. We are not allowed to supervise a home health aide or do an initial assessment.

We can hang blood if there are two nurses and one is an RN, we are allowed to hang piggyback IV meds and start IV's.

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

The job specific things that I cannot do are hang blood, push IV meds, perform lady partsl exams, and interpret fetal monitoring strips, or do the first 2 hours of recovery for a c-section or lady partsl delivery by myself. This is in Washington state.

When I worked in rehab I couldn't even start IV's or d/c PICC's (per facility). Also no IV push or pronouncing of death.

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