LVNs in ASC phase I recovery?

[Cornerstone]

We are dealing with some controversy regarding a recently hired LVN in our ambulatory surgery center. She is currently being given phase I patients, with the understanding that we RNs will give any IV meds her patients need. Our concerns include the following:

1. Her lack of assessment skills.

2. We are not comfortable giving meds on patients we don't have time to assess, especially if we are busy with our own.

3. We are required to cosign her assessments, whether we have seen the patient or not, i.e., at the end of the day.

4. We are paired up with her on late days, leaving just the two of us in PACU.

We feel she is safely used only with phase II or GI lab patients, but our nurse manager isn't budging.

Any thoughts?

[MsBruiser]

We are dealing with some controversy regarding a recently hired LVN in our ambulatory surgery center. She is currently being given phase I patients, with the understanding that we RNs will give any IV meds her patients need. Our concerns include the following:

1. Her lack of assessment skills.

2. We are not comfortable giving meds on patients we don't have time to assess, especially if we are busy with our own.

3. We are required to cosign her assessments, whether we have seen the patient or not, i.e., at the end of the day.

4. We are paired up with her on late days, leaving just the two of us in PACU.

We feel she is safely used only with phase II or GI lab patients, but our nurse manager isn't budging.

Any thoughts?

Get a new job. Any place that will put an LVN in Phase I is so unsafe it gives me the heebie-jeebies. A high school student could do 90% of my work as a Phase I recovery nurse - with training. It is that remaining 10% of critical thinking - that actually saves lives - that justifies my job. The thought of such stupid management is astounding - and I've dealt with some doozies before.

[Cornerstone]

I agree on the idiocy of such managment, however, is there any violation of ASPAN standards or LVN scope of practice by giving her phase I patients?