Nursing Reform

[lisalake]

do you believe a solution to nursing shortage can be increasing our scope of practice?

lpn's, please visit our site and take our survey! we would appreciate hearing form you. [color=#3b3d90]http://www.ctnursereform.org

on-line petition [color=#3b3d90]http://www.petitiononline.com/nslsfr/petition.html

lisa

[Jules A, MSN]

Personally I don't think that increasing our scope of practice without additional school is appropriate. I do however think that LPNs are a very important part of the nursing shortage solution and would like to see more LPN programs and more hospitals utilizing our fairly broad scope of practice as it stands now. Just my two cents of course. :)

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

There's already a way to do that on-line. CT accepts Excelsior. CA and a couple of other states are the only problems.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Made a mistake, did not read petition properly-this is a transition to become an RN. I did sign the petition, though.

[Fiona59]

Personally I don't think that increasing our scope of practice without additional school is appropriate. I do however think that LPNs are a very important part of the nursing shortage solution and would like to see more LPN programs and more hospitals utilizing our fairly broad scope of practice as it stands now. Just my two cents of course. :)

My scope of practice has increased drastically in the last ten years. Having said that areas have been through education and on the job training provided by the hospital that employs me.

I don't feel that PNs need to leave their paid employment to develop these skills. When hospitals trained RNs, it was by the on the job training method with classroom instruction. Exactly the same method they have utilized in bringing IV starts into my scope. PNs already knew how to prepare the meds and hang them, we were just never trained in how to do the start unless we paid for the course at a local college ourself (which very few did because until 18 months ago it was a restricted skill in local hospitals). Immunizations? Well we were trained to do IMs and IDs. But had to pay to acquire the course credentials to perform an immunization in a public health setting.

We need to be stronger in bargaining for payment for the skills and roles we have assumed due to the "nursing shortage".

[Jules A, MSN]

I don't feel that PNs need to leave their paid employment to develop these skills. When hospitals trained RNs, it was by the on the job training method with classroom instruction. Exactly the same method they have utilized in bringing IV starts into my scope. PNs already knew how to prepare the meds and hang them, we were just never trained in how to do the start unless we paid for the course at a local college ourself (which very few did because until 18 months ago it was a restricted skill in local hospitals). Immunizations? Well we were trained to do IMs and IDs. But had to pay to acquire the course credentials to perform an immunization in a public health setting.

You bring up excellent points and perhaps it is because I didn't have years and years of experience before I stated the second year with the RN class but I have found this additional year to be beneficial. Its not any harder, just more indepth and while I am darn ready for this semester to be over, I do feel like I have more information and in particular far better assessment skills than I did when I graduated LPN school. This would be an interesting thread to approach over on the LPN to RN forum.

[Fiona59]

Here in Canada, a PN has to have over 1000 employed hours before entering the RN programme. So it looks like there is justification for this requirement after all.