sposator

WOW meanmaryjean!” I'm not asking you or anyone else to Do my homework.” Frankly, my course instructor suggested that I put a post on an LPN forum to see if I could get a quick and dirty (her words) idea of how many states (if any) allow LPNS to determine death. I am trying to decide/determine if it's worth the time and effort to pursue changing the state regulation and scope of practice for LPNs in my state as a project for my DNP. So thank you for your response but if you do not want to answer the question, DON'T!

Second consideration: Even as an EMT, one can determine if there is a heartbeat or respiratory activity (if the EMT cannot – then that person shouldn't be an EMT). I'm almost positive that no state allows an LPN to pronounce death” on their own however, there might be other progressive states such as Washington State that allow LPNs to pronounce death under delegation authority of the RN or MD

Thanks for the witty reply. In the hopes of not having to make 50 to 100 calls, I would rather see if there were 50 people kind hearted people (and I'd even take a response from Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico) that would reply and say YES” they can determine death in their state or NO” they can't. That would be much easier than me making all of those phone calls and spending half my life trying to look through Google to read the answer by going through the State Board of Nursing websites (I have already looked through five State Board websites and I would have more luck finding out who shot J.F.K. or kidnapped the Lindbergh baby then I would finding the answers to a scope of practice question). [/font][/COLOR]

Hello all - I am working on a project for my DNP and need to know which states allow the LPN to "Determine" death? I know most states (if not all) do not allow LPNS to "pronounce" but I wanted to see if other states would allow an LPN (Say working for a at home hospice agency) to "determine" death of a patient without having an RN or higher "double check" to be sure the patient is actually dead. Currently, I work for a hospice agency that employees LPNs to provide continuious care for patients that are with in 3 to 5 days of death or activly dying. When the patient does pass, the LPN has to call the on-call RN to come out and pronounce. In many instances, the patient is dead for an hour or more before I get there to say "yep - their dead!" I see no reason why an LPN can not determin death and then call either the MD or the RN and give them their findings: No Pulse, No Respiration's, No Blood Pressure. Fixed and dilated pupils, etc. Can the group tell me if their state allows the LPN to "Determine death" and then give me your feelings about the LPN's doing so. Thank you for all of your assistance and "Happy Nurses Week!"