Should PA LPN's be allowed to accept verbal orders?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

in the pa bulletin of 12/101, the sbn has put forth regulations to allow lpn's to accept verbal orders and to allow both rn's and lpn's to accept them from crnp and pa's.

in the past psna has taken the position opposing lpn's accepting verbal orders. i would like to get opinions from various members of psna on this issue. you can see the proposed rulemaking language @ http://www.pabulletin.com. please share this with anyone you see that has first hand knowledge of the pharmacology education of the lpn and get back to me with your opinions.

thanks for your assistance

michele p. campbell, msn, rnc

executive administrator

pa state nurses association

717-657-1222 ext. 200

[email protected]

dear nursing supporters:

the above e-mail was forwarded to me. as a former lpn, i did receive training in the 1970's to accept emergency verbal orders.

much has changed in nursing education since this time and i am on the fence re this issue. are their any lpn educators that can inform me re pharmacology education of the lpn today? i will compile reponses to send to michele.

please feel free to leave a response to this issue. i've worked with few lpn's recently and those nurses were fantasitic.

by allowing verbal orders, i'm concerned more facilites will be interested in using lpn's only to staff, especially ltc. i want to be sure that lpn's educated over the past few years will be competent and skilled to understand all the issues involved in verbal orders.

really in this day and age of hand held computers and faxes, all orders should be faxed to facilites/hospitals/pharmacies. :)

thanks, karen