Role of LVN's in Mental Health/Psychiatric Units

[ntgale08]

I am an LVN planning to apply for a job in Mental Health/Psychiatric Units. (I just got my license late last year and I only had a month experience as an LVN.... ) I heard from some of my friends that LVN's basically just administer PO meds. One of them was telling me that unlike in LT, where you administer meds room to room, medications administration in Psych are thru a window -while patients line up for their meds-as a security measure. How true is this in California?

I would appreciate it very much if some of you can share what they know about LVN's role in MH/Psych Units, please.... (or other inputs on mental health units and lvn's there) Aside from administering medications, is there any room for advancement for us?

I love caring for the elderly especially hospice patients, but something inside me wants to help people who have behavioral or mental health problems, too........ (I lost the person i love so much, my brother, last year.... he had severe depression.... took his own life..... )

Thanks in advance for your help.

[silverhalide]

I was also wondering the same thing. Would it vary state to state?

[matchsticktgt, LPN]

While I'm not actually working in the area you are interested in, I am currently doing my clinical rotations there. The hospital I'm at has 4 areas on the "behavioral health" floor - pediatric, acute, geriatric and general. I've only seen the med passes in the acute area, and the LPN is the med nurse - the patients come to the medication window for their meds...there has not been a great deal of patient interaction with this group, basically supervision to make sure males and females don't sneak off into a room and behave inappropriately, no one harms another, and that all patients get ADLs and make it to therapy and group sessions. It might get more interesting, but it's nothing like med/surg as far as the involvement with the patient. Quite frankly I was bored the entire time I was there. The pediatric area was much more interesting for me, but again, not a lot of actual "nursing". The techs that did most of the "hands on" are required to have a degree in pyschology or social work...some have both. From the brief time I spent there, the only real interaction I know of with the LPN was medications. From what I hear, this facility is quite "tame" in the patient population, so it might be very different in the same unit at another hospital across town.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

In my facility, LPNs do meds and help the techs out as needed. They can't do assessments in our state, and they can't be charge. I don't know about advancement opportunities for LPNs...I do know that my facility has stopped hiring LPNs if that says anything. The ones currently employed still work there, but I think our facility is moving towards having all RN nurses. But there are lots of residental/long-term psych facilities that are still actively recruiting LPNs.

And yes, our patients have to line up at the medication station/window to receive them :)

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I think what LPNs/LVNs do in a psych unit depends on where you work. I worked at a large facility and usually all nurses were out with the patients and all gave medications to their own patients personally, and not at a window. Sometimes, if there was an admission (only RNs can do the admission assessment paperwork), then the RN would do that and the LPN would do the other things, but usually the first scenario happened. Both types of nurses ran groups for the patients. The only people who can answer what you'll be doing are those who work where you'll be working.

[elkpark]

Everywhere I've ever worked, meds have been given from the med room window -- not necessarily because of safety concerns, but because all the clients are alert and ambulatory and there's no reason to take the meds to them. It's part of encouraging them to be independent and self-sufficient. While LPNs have generally given the meds, in my experience, they also spend time on the floor interacting with clients, participating in groups, going to activities, etc.

I'm not sure what the OP means by "room for advancement" ... There's little "room for advancement" for the staff RNs or techs in most the places I've worked, either -- your role is pretty much defined by your licensure. However, your level of client involvement/interaction is pretty much up to you -- I've worked with LPNs who spend the entire shift in the med room with the door closed and avoid any client contact other than to administer meds, just as I've worked with RNs who never come out from behind the nurses' station unless they absolutely have to. But plenty of us don't do things that way. :)

[Jules A, MSN]

I would imagine it varies from facility to facility but at my job LPNs do exactly what RNs do.

[ntgale08]

Dear All,

I am so grateful for your feedback. They are all very helpful information. Now, I know how to move forward with my plans.

My best regards to everyone!