Routine assessment dring immediate post-op period

[domsmom]

I was recently transferred to an acute surgical unit that cares for post surgical patients that has no unit protocol. What is the standard of care during the first 24-48 hours post op? Is it appropriate for a LPN to care for the post op patient during the first 8 hours?

[meandragonbrett]

Have these patients gone to the recovery room and been recovered or are they being admitted directly to the unit from the OR?

If the patient has been through the PACU, then there shouldn't be any issues with an LPN caring for them in post-operative period.

[domsmom]

Usually patients come from PACU.

Recently one of patients on the surgical floor suffered a heart attack during the immediate postop period. How often do you assess patients/do vital signs during the first 24 hours post op? We are considering changing unit policy.

[HazelLPN, LPN]

I was recently transferred to an acute surgical unit that cares for post surgical patients that has no unit protocol. What is the standard of care during the first 24-48 hours post op? Is it appropriate for a LPN to care for the post op patient during the first 8 hours?

Speaking as an LPN who worked in a state and hospital where LPNs have a full scope of practice, I took every kind of post op patient with the exception of new admits as the admission assessment must be completed by an RN and is outside of the LPN scope of practice.

Every state and hospital has a different scope for LPNs. Its best to contact your state board of nursing and the education department of your hospital for questions as to what that scope is. In some states, the scope of the LPN is very similar to that of an RN. In others, its litttle more than that of a CNA.

Best to you,

Mrs H.