What do RNs do that LPNs can't?

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I'm not quite sure if I am posting this on the right board or not but here it goes. I am almost finished my pre-reqs for the ADN program but the waiting list is insane. So I wanted to get my LPN and then transition to the RN. Here's my question- In a hospital setting, what exactly can an RN do that an LPN is not licensed to do? Sorry if this has been discussed before. I would appreciate any info just out of curiosity. Thank you!

All of the things you listed that the LPN can't do was the incentive that pushed me to go back for my RN years ago. I had moved to Wisconsin from another state and found out that all LPN's were nothing but glorified nursing assistants. Many things I was not permitted to do were every day tasks for me in my home state.

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

My instructor told us that the only thing that LPNs can't do are start IV's or administer blood products. We will be pushing meds IV in med-surge 2. Maybe every state is different.

But like you, the wait to do the ADN was to long so I'm doing LPN and as soon as I'm done (in August) I will be going on for my RN.

Good luck to you. :)

I find it wierd that in your state you can't start the IV but you can push the med... somehow that just doesn't make sense...... But that just shows how the scope of an LVN different depending on the state. Here in CA is like another post states, No IV push meds, Can't hang ATB's, No initial assesment, No ER triage and depending on policy can't hang blood products.

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Specializes in LTC and MED-SURG.

The LPN's at my facility (hospital med surg) don't hang blood, don't sign off on initial assessments (but do them) and a few other things. LPN's do the IV pushes and starts. For the most part, the only difference is salary. And that's a big part, as far as I'm concerned.

For me, the CNA, LPN, RN route is what I deliberately chose for my circumstances. (I was a CNA 5months, have been an LPN 1.5 years and hope to be an RN by late 2008 or early 2009) I tell others (like my 19-year old granddaughter and CNA's and PCT's that I work with) that, IMO, they should skip LPN and go directly to RN.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
All of the things you listed that the LPN can't do was the incentive that pushed me to go back for my RN years ago. I had moved to Wisconsin from another state and found out that all LPN's were nothing but glorified nursing assistants. Many things I was not permitted to do were every day tasks for me in my home state.

I don't mean to offend this poster, but not all LPNs in Wisconsin are "glorified CNAs".

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contact your state nurses association, you should be able to find out in depth there. good luck.

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Specializes in Med_Surg, Renal, intermediate care.

I'm in Oklahoma.

I worked in a rather large hospital, and I can't spike a bag of blood (but I can monitor it), I can start IVs, push IV meds(u have to go to an IV push class for this), I'm not suppose to do the inital assestment, but it happens any way, I just have to have an RN sign off on it. If I'm unsure she comes behind me in checks it out.I can't put in a NG tube. Anyways at my hospital , it is very few things that I can't do. I hate the pay, but love the work.

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In Texas as a LVN the only things I could NOT do is push cardiac medications, spike blood, access or deaccess a port. I could do an intial assessment but a RN had to do the 'Admit Assessment' within 24 hours (so if you got a new pt in the night .. the RN in charge COULD just pass it on that that pt didnt have their 'Admit Assessment' done yet). Blood draws from central line and ports and starting IV's... we did alot... we did have to do the care plans but a RN had to check off and update the care plans every 24 hours. NOW i say that to say ....it isnt that way everywhere....I moved out of Texas and now I am a glorified CNA. With the CNA pay! Now I am in school for RN to get the same pay I was making in Texas as a LVN... to do the (almost) same level of nursing I was doing in Texas!

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In Oklahoma, the only things I'm aware of are that LPNs can't administer blood products or chemotherapy. There may be others, but those two I know of for sure. A lot depends on your state board or nursing..

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Not sure about hospitals here in Tennessee but I work at a LTC skilled facility and can start IV's, hang ABT's, and the only thing RN's can do that I can't here at my work is pronounce death and access porta caths. I'm working towards getting my RN though to increase my pay and job opportunities.

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Specializes in ALF, Medical, ER.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

I got around to asking a newly hired LPN on my unit and she said she is not able to do intial assesments (she can take history tho), hang the first unit of blood, push IV meds and I think that was about it.

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i am an RN, and have been working ER for 4 months. we have 4 LPN's that have been in the ER for years,,, but they were grandfathered in...... i have noticed no difference in LPN's v/s RN's job description. the LPNs do everything we do.... but in med surg i dont think they can access central lines, do assessments (initially) or initiate blood products. i live in georgia.

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I also went to LPN then did a bridge class straight into 3rd semester RN school. In my state, LPNs cannot push certain IV meds and pronounce death. We can administer blood and do IVs if we've had advanced IV certification which was incorporated into our LPN program in 2006-2007

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