Typical Day/Duties in a Doctor's Office

[Birdie3]

For all the LPN/LVNs who work in a doctor's office, could you tell me what your typical day is like and what your responsibilities are? Thank you!

[GynOncNurse]

Hi! Im in urology office and we do many procedures. I have my own pt schedule and help the docs with theirs. On my schedule i do all types of injections, catheter changes, irrigations, void and trials (cath removals), ptns treatments, chemo treatments in the bladder and bladder scans. I prep and assist the docs with vasectomys, cystoscopies, urethral dilations, prostate biopsy, stent removals and im sure im forgetting things. Many sterile procedures, i love it. From what ive heard about here in CA, lvns can do alot more in urology than other depts.

[Birdie3]

Thanks so much Snow17. It's great to hear what you do on a daily basis and sounds very interesting!

[Birdie3]

Anyone else from different type of office or clinic that would like to share what they do in a typical day? I would love to know what an LPN in an ob/gyn office or pediatric office typically does and how you like your job. Thank you!!

[BrookeLaRue8387]

Hello,

I am an LPN working in an ENT clinic 8-5, Mon-Fri and I LOVE it! I've been here for almost 3 years, and it is by far the best nursing job I've ever had. We stay pretty busy, but I get a lot of down time also because he is in surgery 2 days a week, and I use those days to do paperwork and catch up. Working in a Dr's office is very different from any other clinical setting. In our office, we don't give meds since there are none to be given. I do a lot of paperwork, and sometimes feel like a glorified secretary. It took some getting used to, but these are my main duties:

-Prepare surgical consents and review them with the patient and obtains their signatures

-Post surgery cases with the OR, gather all pertinent documents and fax them to the hospital

-Obtain precertification/Prior-authorization for surgeries, referrals and diagnostic radiology tests

- Enter all of the patient's information, history, meds, ect into the EHR

- Scribe for the Dr. (not all clinics do this). I follow him into the room and basically chart any findings during the exam and the treatment plan; all he has to do is sign off on it and the chart is complete.

-Keep up with several logs (crash cart, sample meds, eye wash station, refrigerator temp, instruments)

-Transport & pick up instruments and scopes from sterile processing dept in the hospital that were used that day

-Scan and file test results, referrals and consents into the patient's chart

-Return phone calls

-Order clinic supplies

This is the only nursing job I've ever had where I didn't walk 10,000 miles and feel beat down by the end of the day. Hope this helps!

[bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN]

I was a LVN in family medicine for 6 years before I finished my RN. My job duties included medication admin (injections, IV, PO), supervising medical assistants, rooming patients for appointments, assessing walk-ins, assisting with procedures (I&D, punch biopsies, vasectomies, ingrown toenail removals, etc), calling patients with results and care advice, running reports for our chronic illness populations and getting those patients set up for anything they were due for, and helping other departments with medical questions/issues (prior authorizations, referrals, etc).

I also had some extra responsibilities that my fellow LVNs did not have such as being on committees, being in charge of our vaccine programs, and doing some of the staff scheduling.

[Birdie3]

Thank you so much. That is very helpful and informative. I'm glad you enjoy your job so much Brooke!

[Birdie3]

Thank you Bugya90! Did you enjoy working in an office setting? It sounds like you were very busy!

[Newbeginnings2018]

Im sure it's better than bedside care where u have 20-30 pts to care for.

[imhorsemackerel, LPN]

This is currently my first job as an LPN, but I work at an outpatient dialysis clinic. I'm able to start and end dialysis treatments for patients with fistulas, grafts, and cvc. I'm only given four patients at a time, but things can sometimes go wrong quickly. Someone may have appeared to have clotted after 10 or 15 minutes, so you secure the bandage. And once they get up, gather their things, and put on their jacket, all of a sudden they feel a wet spot. You need to sit them down and continue applying pressure. The struggle is then making sure you change the bandage, and ensuring they are ok while trying to complete your turn-over. The turn-over is when you terminate a patient's treatment, set the machine for the next shift, and begin the next patient's treatment. There are three shifts, so we have two turn-overs.

I'm also responsible for administering their meds, unless it's the first dose of antibiotics. There's also a water room that I'm not yet responsible for, but eventually I will also be required to monitor that, too.

[Birdie3]

Thank you imhorsemackerel!