Need assistance Please

I moved your post to the Psych Forum, where you may get some more responses. Good luck!

Suebird

I am the Acting Chief, Nursing and Patient Services in an outpatient clinic. I am trying to develope a position in Mental Health for a LVN position. Is there anyone out there who could help with the standards of practice for LVN's? The standards of practice a vague through the board of nursing. I would like to have an LVN who could work with our homeless program and I am not sure what the LVN's limits are with case management. Thank you for any assistance you can give me. watchaknow.

I'm not familiar with the LVN licensure but I think it is similar to LPN(lic practical nurse). My institution has phased out all its LPN positions. My understanding is that it was felt that their training did not prepare them adequately for accessment of psychiatric symptoms or for accessment of medication side effects. Even if individual LPN's had aquired the necessary skills, their licensure did not say they had. The few we had were allowed to work only as medication nurses until they retired or sought work elsewhere. It was not seen as appropriate for them to function in a unit charge role.

I think that case management is more appropriately an RN role.

I am assuming that you want to save $$, or you would have an RN position. I work at a geriatric/psychiatric unit in a hospital. We always have an RN and an LVN on the unit, then fill in with CNA or MHA as needed. The LVN is mainly concerned with medication administration and treatments, wound care, etc. Below are links to the Texas State Board of Nursing...we have LVN's so I am assuming you are in TX, if not look up that state's information. Below are some links to info for TX.

http://www.bne.state.tx.us/npatc.htm ftp://www.bne.state.tx.us/LVN-guide.pdf http://www.bne.state.tx.us/vnpract-qa.htm

Thank you for your responses. I am knew at this so please feel free to give advice.

The problem is, we can not find a psych nurse (RN) to go out into the field and visit homeless veterans. The nurse would be able to do a focus assessment per the TX BNE, under the supervision of a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or NP. She would not be doing initial assessments, but being a person in the field to follow-up and report back to the mental health provider in charge of the patients care. I was wondering if anyone has a outpatient homeless program who may have LVN/LPN's out in the field.

Thank you

I'm not familiar with the LVN licensure but I think it is similar to LPN(lic practical nurse). My institution has phased out all its LPN positions. My understanding is that it was felt that their training did not prepare them adequately for accessment of psychiatric symptoms or for accessment of medication side effects. Even if individual LPN's had aquired the necessary skills, their licensure did not say they had. The few we had were allowed to work only as medication nurses until they retired or sought work elsewhere. It was not seen as appropriate for them to function in a unit charge role.

I think that case management is more appropriately an RN role.

WOW! where do you live that they are phasing out LPN's? That is scary, since we are all a vital part of the health care team.

Sounds like you are in the VA system since you refered to going out after homeless vets...I myself am in the NE- US Tri State Area, seems to me perhaps you might try asking around in VISION 3 as I almost SURE they have programs set up & can tell you how they are handeling it in say NYC- Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn. Would most definately be better to have an RN- preferably BSN for this position but I understand the unavaliability. You might also try posting this in the section for military & VA nurses you may get even more feedback there to help you. Good luck.