I had my first shift last night on a Med-Surg Oncology floor. I was shocked to find out that I was being oriented to the unit by a LVN. Now I realize that we do a lot of the same tasks as RNs but there are other things that I would be doing that they don't...
Has any RN out there been trained by a LVN? I am a new graduate, and I know I have A LOT TO LEARN but this particular LVN was engaging in unsafe behavior consistently--she seriously only used gloves twice the entire shift.
I was thinking about meeting with the nurse manager because I told the charge nurse and she didn't seem too concerned. Everyone seems very lax on this floor and I did have a great time but I know that is not what is important. Do you think it would be too ballsy for a new grad RN employee to meet with the nurse manager this soon?? The LVN was extremely nice and was trying to be helpful but she gave me incorrect information multiple occasions as well.
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
That is the biggest load of crock I've read in a long time. Nursing is lifelong learning, not about learning only during buddy shifts. So assuming there's an alleged lawsuit, the defense lawyer is gonna question *every single person* the nurse ever learned a thing or two from? Garbage!
Really? Really?
No--only the PERSON WHOSE NAME AS THE PRECEPTOR ON ORIENTATION. Hello?
Don't tell me--it's all about being nice, right?????
Oh Lawdy, another one who doesn't get it...you obviously do not practice in the most litigious country in the UNIVERSE.
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
Ignore the comments about the LVN not using gloves. Can an LVN train an RN, legally, despite the fact that the LVN may have years of experience? Some of you are saying this is ok. I do not know the answer for sure, it would be nice to see it in a actual document. But, considering that the RN delegates to the LVN, it would seem that other than asking questions or guidance about basic skills that the RN and LVN share, and LVN should not be precepting an RN...this is an LVN training a new grad RN, not an LVN orienting a seasoned RN to a new unit.
Exactly. This isn't about orientation for the seasoned nurse.
It's typical for new nurses to answer on the "niceness of things..."until they are pulled into court.
Then it's too late--the new nurse needs an RN and then when she is signed off, can learn from the janitor for all she cares.
IT'S always going to be about what is in the records.
Young nurse, need this from the experienced of us. YOU NEED TO GET A PROPER PRECEPTOR. Learn from whomever, AFTER you are properly oriented.
Remember (and I'm stealing this from one of the nurses here--forgot who--"
A NEW NURSE THINKS LIKE A MOM, an experienced nurse thinks like a LAWYER.
Forget the advice coming from "being nice" investigate your HR policies and YOUR LIABILITIES--the degree WILL MATTER if something happens.
FWIW I was originally precepted by a LPN who was and still is one of the finest nurses I have ever worked with and I never gave it a second thought. She was very supportive and helped me become the nurse I am today so I don't regret it for one minute.
Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg.
When I was a new nurse, I was trained by an experienced LPN. She taught me so much, and she was a great preceptor. She was actually the main preceptor on night shift, and she trained multiple new hires at the same time, which when I started were new grads. Did not realize at the time that it could be an issue. I am no longer at that place of employment now though, and it is years later.
But the unsafe practices of wearing gloves you are concerned with is not LPN vs. RN issue. It is an individual thing. An RN could do the same thing. But everyone has offered some great advice. I have learned a lot from this post. Too bad it is many, many years too late. Luckily, nothing happened to have to address the LPN as a preceptor situation.
When I start a new job, the nurse I want orienting me is the one who know the job well. Plain and simple. LVN or RN, whats the difference? Does less education really take away from bedside care? The mentality of the nurse is what makes the nurse. You can have all the nursing degrees in the world and have poor bedside care skills.
As a CA LVN, the scope of practice is slightly different than the RN. LVN's can't do initial assessments or IV meds or care plans. Of course, in real life, you do all the RN paperwork and the RN just signs off on it... Once IV certified, LVN's can start IV's and hang blood products.
I'm an LVN now and was trained by an RN. When the RN trained me, she took so many shortcuts, didn't glove up, left out patient care she deemed "unnecessary", ect... She may be like that, and have a lack of work ethic, but it doesn't mean thats how I'll provide care. So the LVN didn't glove up, and maybe told you a few mistaken things... does that mean thats how you'll do your job?
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
As a CA LVN, the scope of practice is slightly different than the RN. LVN's can't do initial assessments or IV meds or care plans. Of course, in real life, you do all the RN paperwork and the RN just signs off on it... Once IV certified, LVN's can start IV's and hang blood products.
And this varies depending on where you are working, too. There are times when an LVN does an initial assessment, as in an LTC admission. We've always done care plans, too -- but when the NANDA stuff arrived the traditional care plan was folded into it, making it in effect an RN only job. Those RNs who sign off on your paperwork are not doing their jobs and I really find it mind-boggling that they would take so much risk onto themselves. Perhaps they aren't terribly concerned about their licenses.
Bottom line, IMO, is if this precepting nurse comprimised patient care, then yes, you must go to the nurse manager. If however, she "just did things differently than what I was taught, or am used to" then no, suck it up and realize that there very well may be several ways to accomplish the same task. As long as it was done in a safe manner, and didn't affect the ultimate goal/patient outcomes, then live and continue to learn.
Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.
Depends on the setting, whether or not LPNs should train a RN. Where I work, LPNs and RNs function essentially the same, so LPNs train RNs all the time.
depends on the setting, whether or not lpns should train a rn. where i work, lpns and rns function essentially the same, so lpns train rns all the time.
yeah i agree.
in ltc, lpns and rns do essentially the same thing so no problem with experienced lpn training new rn.
I don't have any issues with an EN (our equivalent of LVN) showing an RN around a department.
But I would be very concerned about an EN training a new graduate RN. It's not fair for either parties because the EN works under the supervision of the RN and a new graduate should be supervised by an RN until they are competent. I'm not saying that EN's are incompetent but at the end of the day the RN is held legally accountable.
I agree with JoPACURN.
As for people being caught up with titles, don't the titles differentiate between different roles and responsibilities. I don't know about you guys in the US but here in Australia the RN supervises the EN. If the sh*t hits the fan then it will be the RN who wears it.
PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN
2,211 Posts
Really? Really?
No--only the PERSON WHOSE NAME AS THE PRECEPTOR ON ORIENTATION. Hello?
Don't tell me--it's all about being nice, right?????
Oh Lawdy, another one who doesn't get it...you obviously do not practice in the most litigious country in the UNIVERSE.