Titrating Medication

BaRNs · Aug 4, 2008

Well you will most likely have to learn a lot about medication administration well beyond just titration. I mean as a hospice LPN you will have a lot of autonomy and only a phone to reach someone for questions most of the time. Hospice nurses are very knowledgable as they have no one right next them like us floor/unit nurses :) . You will have to learn multiple pumps from multiple manufacturers, manual titration and much much more. If you passed your LPN you will be fine. You might do good to take a 100 level math course from your local community college for ~400 dollars, to help you refresh your fractions, multiplication, division, and rounding abilties. I know it sounds silly, but I used to be awesome at all things mathematical. I am only 28 and 6 years out of school, but those abilities fade fast. 'You don't use it, you lose it,' kind of thing...totally true with math.

A 4-6 hundred dollar investment would make you more confident in your abilities and put your license in a lot less jeopardy!

Good Luck. I admire Hospice nurses a LOT! No way could I do that. I did my residency in OR and we had a saying that "the best pt is an unconscious one." Gotta love that dark nurse humor!

leslie :-D · Aug 4, 2008

once the gtt rate is established, titrating is very easy.

it's the same basic equation.

a few yrs ago, i gave a new nurse the book, "dosage calculations made incredibly easy" and she says it was her saving grace...

that it was the easiest concept she had ever learned.

yes, as an lpn you should be able to administer and maintain iv meds.

you should take a peek over at the hospice forum.

there's a sticky about recommended reading also.

best of everything to you.

and congratulations!!

leslie