My hospital is breaking the law...

[MEDICJOHN]

My employer is breaking the law asking me, on med surg, and all other RNs to accept 10 patients. They give us an LVN and say that the LVN has "their patients" and I have mine. However, I am still expected to give all IV meds. If I give ANY med am I not therefore, assessing that patient thereby making him/her "my" patient? What should I do? I KNOW its illegal and fear that I may make an error an will have no one to back me up.

Advice?

[MEDICJOHN]

I am really learning alot from my original post!!! Thank you all!!!

Ok, all of my LPN's are good..far as I know. However, I am educated enough about their scope to truly trust that they know what to monitor for. For example, I am asked to push Lasix, does the LPN know to verify K level first? Does he/she know to report a pt complaint of muscle weakness? I am a new grad so some of my fear certainly stems from that fact.

If I push an IV med for my LPN, am I responsible for monitoring the effect of my action? If I am monitoring, am I not assessing that patient? If I am assessing that patient, is it not therefore my patient? Am I being paranoid???? lol, please, tell me if I am, I will take no offense..

Thanks guys!!!

[EodwifeRN]

When I was as a new grad, I too was paranoid. I would watch a patient with any IV push med I gave. Any IV push med I give I would want to know all things associated with it. When you are giving the med it is your responsibility to know all the information.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I am really learning alot from my original post!!! Thank you all!!!

Ok, all of my LPN's are good..far as I know. However, I am educated enough about their scope to truly trust that they know what to monitor for. For example, I am asked to push Lasix, does the LPN know to verify K level first? Does he/she know to report a pt complaint of muscle weakness? I am a new grad so some of my fear certainly stems from that fact.

If I push an IV med for my LPN, am I responsible for monitoring the effect of my action? If I am monitoring, am I not assessing that patient? If I am assessing that patient, is it not therefore my patient? Am I being paranoid???? lol, please, tell me if I am, I will take no offense..

Thanks guys!!!

The person who administers the med is responsible. I don't consider what you describe as paranoia. But maybe I'm paranoid too.:)

After my Reglan fiasco, which was my fault, I choose not to rely on info given to me by the LPN. I'm not blasting them, or demeaning them. I don't want to have to accept responsibility for an error that occurred with inaccurate information. I want to OWN that mistake from top to bottom.