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Hey, Appreciate the advice. Yes, I have copies of training, but it's for starting IV's or has to do with infusion. I personally have never heard of a class that teaches a nurse how to just push IV medications. Have you? For ICU, its usually an inclusive class, that teaches the nurse lots of other training, ect.

According to the TX BNE, I may have exceed my scope of nursing practice, by mixing and administering IV medications, without proper training, skills and without adq. supervision,as required. I talked with the investigator and he says I'm OK, except that I need to provide proof that I was trained to give IVP medications? I'm kinda lost. I've been nursing for 25 years. Have 16 years of ICU,CCU,CVCU under my belt. Got 2 years ER and was a member of the MICU team for 5 years. I've been pushing medications my whole nursing career. Granted, many states don't allow LVN's to do this, but these states don't allow LVN's to work in ICU's either. I started right out of school into ICU. I took a comprehensive ICU course before I even started, which included giving IVP medications. Back then, they did'nt give out paper showing your training. You took the training, worked with an RN, showed your proficency and either washed out or where accepted into the unit. I have 3 IV certificates for three different employers, have maintained ACLS for the past 16 years. Whats up? Any advice or direction to understanding what the BNE wants would be appreciated.

I sure could do with some advice or be pointed in the right direction. I've been an LVN for over 25 years. Of that 25 plus years, I've been trained & have practiced 16 years in ICU, CCU, CVCU's, 2 years ER, a member of an MICU for 5 years and most recently 2 1/2 years in an IV therapy department. I've taken 3 different IV workshop courses and received 3 different certificates of IV training. I was trained the basics of inserting IV's while in school, received additional IV training with regards to the safe admin. of IVP medications in the ICU setting, while being trained to work my first ICU, have maintained my ACLS for the past 16 years. To put it bluntly, I've been mixing and admin. IV medication most of my career. In addition, I've been giving (without incident) IVP medications. So...Whats up? Someone reported me to the board (first time !). I'm accused of mixing and administering IV medications without proper training, skills and without adq. supervision, as required. Spoke with the investigator. Was told that data collected indiciates everything is OK except that I need to provide proof that I was trained to administer IVP medications? Good grief. 25 years is a long time ago, but I could have sworn I was trained in LVN school to give IV pushes. I know I was further trained in giving IV push medications when I first trained to work my first ICU. Maybe I should have, but I never gave it much thought to pushing IV meds (with regards to violation of the nurse practice act). Come on now, when a nurse is working ICU, it's your job to push IV meds along with a lot of stuff thats much more dangerous. I've looked at the nurses practice act and can't seem to find anything that says anything definitive. If there's anyone out there who knows something I'm missing or can point me in the right direction, it would be very much appreciated. I've got a dead line of the 22'd to fax my response. I'll check this thread up till that day, so your advice won't be in vain.

Started nursing as an LVN in 79 in ICU. Since that time, I've worked 16 years in ICU, 2 years in the ER, 2 1/2 years in an IV therapy department and so on. During all this time, I've been giving IVP medications. I have taken 3 different IV certificate training courses along with several critical care courses. My IV skills are excellent, I've never made a mistake while giving IVP medications, I have a thick folder full of letters of commendations, recommendations and letters of praise from patients, family, RN's, LVN's, DON's and administrators alike. Every hospital I've ever worked for has accepted me for who I am, my license, my work record, my skills, training & experience and of course, after taking the usual pre employment knowledge / skills / abilities test, have accepted me into their unit. Now, someone has reported me to the texas board of nurses for exceeding my scope of practice by mixing and administering IV medications to patients without proper training, skills and without adq. supervision. I've talked with the investigator and based on his information, there's no problem with anything except me giving IVP medications. He wants me to prove I was trained to administer IVP medications. My head is swimming. I could have sworn I was trained in LVN school to give IV medications and I know I received additional training in giving IVP medications when I received my initial training to begin working in ICU 25 years ago. So, whats up? Is there anyone out their that can either give me some advice or point me in the right direction?

Yo Tiny!! Right out of school I applied for ICU at my local hospital. There were 3 of us receiving training and orientation for this 21 bed critical unit. Two of us were LVN's and one an RN. The RN had this attitude that LVN's didn't belong in ICU. At the end of our training, orientation and probationary peroid, it was the RN that failed to pass and the LVN's remained. The other LVN went on to RN. Though I remained an LVN, I have 16 years of ICU, CCU, CVCU to my belt, 2 in the ER and 5 years as a member of the MICU team. Long before the 80's, LVN's were charge nurses in hospitals, DON's in nursing homes. RN's were strictly administrative. They didn't want to do patient care. LVN's and aides were the backbone of every hospital in this nation at one time and still are in places that realize their importance. Lesson...Your still green. I hope you someday learn to judge a nurse or aide by their abilities, years of experience that can't be learned in a book and skills developed over years, before you judge a book by it's ID badge.

You bet we're being phased out again. I saw this back in the early 80's and it's happening again. However this time it's worse. I have been a nurse for over 25 years. I have 16 years ICU experince. 2 years ER / MICU experience, 3 years PCU / tele experience, 2 1/2 yeras IV therapy department experience. I have a file about 2 inches full of commendations, recomendations, letters of thanks from fellow nurses, patients & family members alike. I've taught fresh RN how to work ICU, I've trained nures to work life support equipment, I've taught CNA's how to deliver patient care, I taught nurses how to do computerized nursing and the list goes on & on. I resigned my position as inter. nursing supervisor over an IV therapy department due to threats, harassment & discrimination back in Oct. of 04 and despite mailing & e-mailing resumes, taking interviews, checking the want ads faithfully and cold calling, I have yet to find employment. Everything I see in the paper calls for either an RN or a CMA, CNA or medical tech. Nothing for the LVN. Something is up. :angryfire