LVNs in hospice

[river1951]

Hi, We are evaluating how adding LVNs to our staffing could help stretch our RNs. Since we have no experience, if I could hear from anyone who uses LVNs this way it would be very helpful.

Thank you in advance!

river

[fuerza757]

hi,

regarding certification for lpn's throught the national board for certification of hospice and palliative nurses. the application provides a lenghty list of different books??

can someone recommend a text that will cover everything i will need to sit for the exam ??

i have various experience in hospice mostly care visits in the home-health setting. i have just been offered an transfer from spinal cord injury to the inpatient hospice unit where i work . i would like to take about a year to prepare for the exam. any suggestions would be most helpful.

thanks

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

You use the LPN's to supplement the HHA's? Is that really a good use of resources?? No offense, but if my agency asked me to supplement the HHA's I would politely refuse..I have too much work of my own I should be doing. If it's slow, I'll help out another nurse...

In our facility, if necessary the RNs make HHA visits. Let's face it. The red carpet isn't rolled out for us. It's the HHAs that would be missed. I do tell my facilities and families that I am not good at aide work and my aide is not good at nursing but it is our policy to offer the visit regardless. Never has anyone held me to a full shower and usually the visit is totally refused after my tongue in cheek warning. Is it a good use of resources? No. Nor do I think it's right. It's not fair to the staff or the patients. But when our backs are up against the wall, the RN case managers are still where the buck begins and ends. So yes, our LPNs will double as aides and we RNs will even do what has to be done.

Our LPNs do everything we do on a visit but have no responsibility for case management. I would love to have more LPNs to work with.