Not a real nurse??

Nesher, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2005

Hard to respond to this...

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 17, 2005

Your role and scope of responsibilites as an LPN (or RN, for that matter) is not as likely decided by your facility, as they would be by your State/Provincial Board of Nursing. Check and see what specifically those are. If you don't like what you are reading, maybe it's time to return to school? I wish you well. Far as I am concerned, LPNs/LVNs ARE "real nurses".

xmaxiex · Feb 17, 2005

I just do not understand the whole orders thing ? I mean as an LPN are we less qualified than an RN to record what instructions the MD gives us . I totally think you should always have someone check your orders, yes. But why not another LPN ? Am I missing the point here?

jude11142 · Mar 2, 2005

When I am in the capacity of charge nurse on my LTC unit , I find it humilliating and frustrating that I have to find an RN to sign off on my MD orders , and if we have a fall only they can do the assessment. No wonder they treat us as if we are not " real " nurses.

I also find it humiliating and frustrating but I can tell you that the RN's where I work aren't too happy about it either. I don't blame them.

Just think, we take the MD order, write it in as one and then an RN has to sign it. What if we wrote it up wrong? Wrong med, wrong dose, wrong pt?????

I, in no way am trying to say that we as LPN's aren't capable of taking an order, I am saying that I would never want to sign off on it unless I was the nurse talking to the doctor. Doesn't matter to me if it's an lpn or rn.

It is demeaning to us as lpn's to have to do this. I have to wonder what will be next? :uhoh3:

JUDE

Blackcat99 · Mar 2, 2005

Sorry to hear about your situation. Here at the Washington state LTC's the LPN's do the doctor's orders without an RN signature and LPN's do the assessments on falls etc.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2005

I agree it must be frustrating. Here LPNs are allowed to take verbal orders.

But it is understood the LPN operates under the direction of an RN.

No one should make you feel like your not a real nurse, or has the person above to feel humiliation. Don't give anyone that kind of power. If they think that, they have the problem. Don't let them rent space in your head. Feel good about yourself and the role you play in the wellbeing of the patients/residents.

xmaxiex · Mar 2, 2005

Tweety , you are so right . I think I am going to have tattooed on my forearm "don't let anyone rent space in your head" I do this often and I need to cut it out ! Not only in work but everywhere else . Suddenly I am quite sick of trying to please the masses. Must be age creeping up on me ! :chuckle

zippyLPN · Mar 5, 2005

just wondering.......lpn's in other states just wondering what lpn's can & cant do in other states.... im in mass.

been a nurse for 8yrs now :balloons: and have done alot in my "short" career

so far. ive been a wound nurse, mds nurse, add-on nurse and a shift supervisor in an 150 bed snf/ltc facility as well as being a cna instructor(state certified) and of course a floor charge nurse. currently im a floor charge nurse (myself and the other nurse are charge (ltc unit) ) i have 23 pts on my wing ..total of 43 on the unit with 6 cna's

total for my 3-11 shift... how are the ratio's elsewhere? how is the pay in other areas? i made just over $55k last yr with very little overtime...

like i said....just wondering.................

i was also reading the beginning of this thread and i'm like...........what ???? lpns cant do assessments? md orders? im thinking , are these ppl from mars? the only thing i cant do as an lpn is sign the rap's and pronouncements....im sure there is a bit more , and iit depends on the facility....

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2005

Tweety , you are so right . I think I am going to have tattooed on my forearm "don't let anyone rent space in your head" I do this often and I need to cut it out ! Not only in work but everywhere else . Suddenly I am quite sick of trying to please the masses. Must be age creeping up on me ! :chuckle

Rock on! I've learned my self-esteem and worth as a human being, as a man, a nurse is not based on anyone elses thinking. What others think of me is not my business.

Don't make it your business if anyone thinks you're less than, because you know you're not!

There are some good things happening as age creeps up on us. :)

LPNer · Mar 5, 2005

When I am in the capacity of charge nurse on my LTC unit , I find it humilliating and frustrating that I have to find an RN to sign off on my MD orders , and if we have a fall only they can do the assessment. No wonder they treat us as if we are not " real " nurses.

I have reread your frustration many times since you first posted it. I have read the responses and I have to admit, I am still at a loss. What state are you in?

I can only think it has something to do with your facility and the administration not understanding BON regulations.

Many people believe the LPN can not work unless and RN tells them what to do. This is very untrue. Did you know that no RN can "delegate" a task that you are not permitted by your state BON to do. That being the case, there is nothing an RN has to delegate to us as we can work within our scope without the RN. We work under the direction of the MD, RN, etc.... the MD orders provide that direction.

Now, in acute care facilities, there has to be an RN on the unit, and in LTC or home care, there has to be an RN available, but s/he is there as a resourse for the LPN since it is assumed (and usually is the case) has more knowledge than the LPN.

At my hospital there are shifts that go by that I do not communicate with the RNs any more than they communicate with each other, that usually joking around as we pass in the med room and that kind of thing.

I take my own orders, assess my own pts (our state requires an RN assess each pt for admission purposes - we have an admission nurse for that, so she usually does all the admission assessments) contact the Doc if something is amiss, etc.

In Ohio LPNs can not give push meds or start blood so I sometimes have to ask a co-worker to give me a hand with these things, but that is not the RN delegating anything to me, s/he is simply performing a function the state prevents me from doing.

I think I need to know what state you are in so I can avoid that one on my next move (we love to move fron state to state to get to know all about our great country)

Oh I am going on and on again. That's why I haven't responded, when I am at a loss I ramble all sorts of thoughts; but I just have to know what state you are in?!

Mandylpn · Mar 10, 2005

My OB instructor told us something on our last night of clinicals that I will not ever forget, she said no matter what our title, ADN, BSN, LPN, we are "all" nurses. :nurse: :nurse: :yelclap: