is there any use for an LPN in ob-gyn nursing?

[Snipb]

Hi all I am new to this topic but very interested in working on the Maternity floor.I start school in about three weeks. I was just wondering what or if the LPN's are very involved in.

[cabbage patch rn]

Our nursery is staffed with LPN's and they pick up the overflow with the PP moms when the RN's are busy with laboring pts. I have heard that they will no longer be hiring LPN's in our department though. There are a few of the more experienced LPN's who are allowed to work relief in L&D when we get busy, or to allow one of us to go to break, but other than that, the RN's only work L&D. This has been my experience pretty much everywhere.

[CA CoCoRN, RN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cali

It really depends on what hospital you are at. I am an LVN and work on a Labor & Delivery unit. Sometimes I work in the triage area. In triage I usually get the medical history, vitals, put patients on the monitor, do IV's and if they are going to be a C-Section I will do the the shave prep, foley and IV. If I'm not in triage, I usually take care of the moms right after delivery. I give pain meds, help with breastfeeding and make sure that they are not bleeding too much. We are a very busy hospital and the LVN's are used to free the RN's up so they can go ahead and take another laboring patient as we do the recovery for the mom who has just delivered. As an LVN, I also take care of Antepartum patients. The RN does the intial assessment and the LVN does pretty much everything else except for IVPB's. I occasionally float to post-partum where I will take a full patient load. The RN just does the intial assessment. Most hospitals don't have LVN's but check around, you may find one that does. I think I just got lucky.

This contradicts "...but in terms of direct patient care...it's an ALL RN LAW in California for Labor and Delivery" from a previous poster above. Can someone elaborate what the "ALL RN LAW" in California L&D means? Thanks

Notice that the poster did NOT say that she does anything that would be in an "assessment". The poster IS doing that which is within her scope, task related things. I'm sure she's IV certified, etc...and foleys, shaves, etc are in her scope. She IS NOT doing fetal assessment, maternal assessment, etc. She's not Pit-ing the pt, vag exams, etc. She's not working with post c/s pt's/Recovery room. So in that manner, she's working within her scope.

We have LVNs who are our Scrub Tech role, and when they are not busy, they do the same for us at our facility.

BUT (and here's the but), the RN does "come behind" that LVN to actually perform the assessment and advanced stuff.

Is that clearer??

[JaneMarieP]

At the hospital where I work LPNs can work in L&D as scrub nurses and for mother/baby care.