After stressing out for a year about what to do, I've decided to change my major to LPN instead of RN. I want to hurry up and become a nurse. I've wanted this since I was a little girl.
But I keep hearing how LPN's can't do this and can't do that. I'm in North Carolina and I've seen many job openings for LPN's so I'm not worried about not being able to find a job. Also, the NCLEX pass rate for LPN's at my school is 100% whereas the pass rate for the ADN students is 77%.
Anyways, what is meant by IV push? I'm still working on my pre-reqs, so there's a lot I don't know. I heard that LPN's can't do IV push. I've gone the the NC Board of Nursing website, but can't find anything saying what LPN's can and can't do.
You should read the "Nurse Practice Act" for your State. In Illinois LPN's can not give IV Push drugs, flush lines with heparin, or give blood products. These are just a few that I can remember. Each State may vary. Good luck with the program.
All of the above + where I'm at we can't hang TPN, access central lines, or obtain consents for surgery/blood. We also can't program PCA's but can be the verifying nurse to check with the RN.
Depends on the state you live in and, sometimes, the practice traditions of the local facilities. For instance, in Texas an LVN can give meds IV push AFTER getting credentialed through his/her employer (usually a class or self-study plus precepted practice before being allowed to do it alone). However, even though the state allows it under these conditions, many hospitals choose not to allow LVNs to be credentialed because there is a discrepancy in the education and an increase in insurance risk. My question is, why would you expect to have the same responsibilities and privileges as someone with twice the amount of education?
Pardon me, i'm not really trying to ruffle any feathers.....but what LPN is expecting to have the same responsibilities or " privilages" as a RN. Have you been an LPN? I am a new RN and work in the ICU, but have been a LPN for 12 years. Perhaps it depends on the state and the individual LPN school, but I believe as a new LPN, I was just as prepared as the generic ADN graduate.
However, everyone has different abilities.
My point is, as a LPN student in 1992(pre internet), I did not have a clue about the discrimination against LPN's or the can do, can not do rules.
I just wanted to be a nurse! It took me a while to become a RN, but my primary motivator was that working around certain RN's(probably half I have encountered) treated me like I was not a nurse. I was treated like I was just "priveledged" to be working along side them performing some nursing functions even though I had my own assignment of patients.
So please, do you want to be treated like that by someonr with a higher degree? Though I would always honor state nurse practice acts, what educational difference does an RN have that enables one to more effectively "spike a blood product, or IV push a med". LPN's learn med-surg, ob, peds, just like I had to go through in RN school.
LPN's are valuable and should not be pushed from the hospital setting.
Pardon me, i'm not really trying to ruffle any feathers.....but what LPN is expecting to have the same responsibilities or " privilages" as a RN. Have you been an LPN? I am a new RN and work in the ICU, but have been a LPN for 12 years. Perhaps it depends on the state and the individual LPN school, but I believe as a new LPN, I was just as prepared as the generic ADN graduate.
However, everyone has different abilities.
My point is, as a LPN student in 1992(pre internet), I did not have a clue about the discrimination against LPN's or the can do, can not do rules.
I just wanted to be a nurse! It took me a while to become a RN, but my primary motivator was that working around certain RN's(probably half I have encountered) treated me like I was not a nurse. I was treated like I was just "priveledged" to be working along side them performing some nursing functions even though I had my own assignment of patients.
So please, do you want to be treated like that by someonr with a higher degree? Though I would always honor state nurse practice acts, what educational difference does an RN have that enables one to more effectively "spike a blood product, or IV push a med". LPN's learn med-surg, ob, peds, just like I had to go through in RN school.
LPN's are valuable and should not be pushed from the hospital setting.
Please forgive this out of place rant.
AMEN sister! I am a new RN after 19 years as an LPN. I'm already sick of people telling me I am finally a nurse. What the heck do they think I've been doing for the last 19 years for crying out loud!!! The funniest part is, it is usually the "less intelligent RN's" that say this and they have been scaring me for years. It's not the initials behind your name that matters, it's how you do the work.
I went to LPN school so that I could back to work as soon as possible. My intent was to get my RN later. Now I'm not sure. I'm really happy as a LPN because I do direct patient care (LTC). Most RNs in my facility are supervisors and paper pushers and I don't have any desire to do that. LTC isn't a bad deal especially if you can get on a specialty unit. I'm on a respiratory unit for LTC so I get to do a lot of things. Our facility does not allow us at this point to do IVs or inital assements. BUT who knows what is in the future since the patients coming in are sicker and sicker. In this area LPNs at the hospital can do most everything except IV pushes. You can work at a hospital if you want but most times you need about a year's worth of experience as a LPN. I probably will go back, but only because I desire to teach LPN school after 10 or so years. I think starting as a LPN is not really a bad thing. You get some good experience and some good confidence building for when you get your RN. In my area, having you LPN puts you at the front of the line when applying for RN school.
In the state of Georgia, the Board of Nurses allows LPNs to perform any duties covered under the approved curriculum for practical nursing schools. There are not any specific restrictions applied by the state (transfusions, triage, assessments, basic pharmacology, dosage/calcualtions, et c. all are covered in the curriculum). My expericence has found that the restrictions applied to LPNs tend to be procedural based on the policies of individual institutions.
As an LPN (licensed since 1996), I have performed transfusions, initiated and maintained intravenous fluids and medications, done IV push meds, triaged and assigned acuity to emergency room patients... pretty much any function any other nurse has performed.
In my experience the main differentiation in credentials dictates pay scale and not much else. I have even worked in hospitals that allow LPNs to be house supervisor (though not common, I have seen it). Some places in Georgia still recognize that an experienced LPN is a valuable asset to a nursing team.
But as most of these replies seem to iterate, the rules vary from state to state and most states should have a website with information on how to deteremine the limitations imposed on LPNs in your area.
In the state of Georgia, the Board of Nurses allows LPNs to perform any duties covered under the approved curriculum for practical nursing schools. There are not any specific restrictions applied by the state (transfusions, triage, assessments, basic pharmacology, dosage/calcualtions, et c. all are covered in the curriculum). My expericence has found that the restrictions applied to LPNs tend to be procedural based on the policies of individual institutions.
As an LPN (licensed since 1996), I have performed transfusions, initiated and maintained intravenous fluids and medications, done IV push meds, triaged and assigned acuity to emergency room patients... pretty much any function any other nurse has performed.
In my experience the main differentiation in credentials dictates pay scale and not much else. I have even worked in hospitals that allow LPNs to be house supervisor (though not common, I have seen it). Some places in Georgia still recognize that an experienced LPN is a valuable asset to a nursing team.
But as most of these replies seem to iterate, the rules vary from state to state and most states should have a website with information on how to deteremine the limitations imposed on LPNs in your area.
There is more of a main difference than just pay....it is education. I was an LPN for 10 years before getting my RN and the time I spent in classes and generals way exceeds the LPN program time. I do however agree that many states allow LPN's to practice similar to an RN...I say that MOST of my working knowledge came from my LPN experience! LPN's are great nurses and we all need more pay!!!!
What can't LPN's do? Whatever the individual state AND individual facility says they can't.
I was an LPN first and went on to RN because I wanted to specialize in critical care...in my area LPN's were not allowed.
But..I don't regret doing my LPN first as it got me to work quickly (I attended a short LPN program...1 yr) I was then able to work my way through RN school.
Good luck whatever you decide. If you decide LPN, do some research into your own area to make sure you can find a job tho...some areas are phasing out LPN's, sadly.
Well, my advisor called the other day and they only do Fall admission to the LPN program. Since I still need a math class and Anatomy/Physiology, I couldn't get in until next fall. She said that instead of waiting until next fall, I could take Anatomy/Physiology II and English in the Spring and be admitted into the RN program. So, that seems like the sensible thing to do.
(((sigh))) Why do things have to be so complicated?
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NancyJo
79 Posts
All of the above + where I'm at we can't hang TPN, access central lines, or obtain consents for surgery/blood. We also can't program PCA's but can be the verifying nurse to check with the RN.