Responisbilities b/t RN, LPN, and LVN??

KrisRNwannabe · Jan 24, 2005

LVN and LPN is the same thing. as for the differences, it really depends on your state and the hospital you work at. overall, the RNs pretty much run the show. In my area, LPNs can pass meds, start IVs, basic wound care, can't take out PICC lines or do PICC care and can't push IV narcotics, and can't take verbal orders. this is in the hospital. in extended care LPNs can pretty much do anything that an RN. unfortunetly, LPN students in our area are limited, not allowed to do anything IV, no IV starts. Also in the area i live in, LPNs do not work in the specialized areas, ie, ICU, CCU, SICU, OR, Labor and delivery, NICU, and peds. Most jobs are in med/surg or extended care. LPNs in the hospitals start at 11/hour, RNs start at 20/hr. in extended care LPNs start at around 20/hour. We have 3 majors hospitals in our county and only 1 hires LPNs. THe other two are not replacing them as the leave. One, (which is a large, level 1 trauma) employs less than 50 (as a of a year ago probably less now). They are really pushing in this area to move LPNs to extended care and out of the hospitals.

hope this helps

kris

LPN1974, LPN · Jan 24, 2005

Where I live, LPNs can take verbal/telephone orders, take doc's orders off the chart, implement them, give meds, wound care, and if the facility she/he works in is set up to give IVs, the LPN can start and give IV meds, O2 therapy and respiratory treatments, collect specimens for lab, foley catherizations, draw blood according to the facility the LPN is working in.

I'm not sure how extensively LPNs are used in hospitals in my state, but they are employeed thruout in nursing homes, doctor's offices, home health, etc.

At the facility I work in we have some clients with GI tubes or buttons, and LPNs are not allowed to replace the buttons, only the RN. But I've seen it done and I know I could do it with training, but heck, if they don't want me to do it, let the RN come out in the middle of the night. But if the tube comes out we insert catheters to keep it open until replaced, and we take care of the feedings.

There hasn't been much I've come across that we aren't allowed to do in my state, given the proper training.

I think what an LPN is allowed to do depends on what area of the country she/he works in.

Some states use us extensively, other areas seem to be trying to phase out LPNs or encouraging them to go on for RN degrees.

Are you an RN or LPN student? Just wondering.

bobnurse · Jan 24, 2005

Depends on your state. Here, basically the only difference in the RN vs LPN, the initials that is.......Besides a few things, overall the difference between the two is very minimal........Some states, LPN's are nothing more than CNA's.......Some states they cant start IV's, Some states they cant do pushes, and some states they can do it all.......Its best to ask what LPN's can do in your state....You'll get a better picture, unless your thinking of moving.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2005

In my state LPN's cant take dr orders in a hospital but the can in a LTC setting. Go figure, but it sure would be nice if they would standarize the LPN scope of practice across the board, instead of letting each state decide the cans and cant's. That's why a question like this one is will get such a wide range of answers where the LPN duties are concerned. Best thing to do is go look at your states BON site and read the nurse practice acts for yourself and see what is allowed and not allowed in your particular state.

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 24, 2005

If you want to truly delineate the duties of each, you would need to refer to the State or Provincial Board of Nursing, in the place you are interested in entering practice.

tommycher · Jan 24, 2005

As an LVN I do the same things on the floor as the RN except: When I have a blood order, the RN opens the line and stays with the patient for the first 15 minutes, and even though some of us do the assignments for the next shift if the charge nurse is busy, on a hospital floor only RN's are charge.