What specific tasks do you do as a LPN in a nursing home?

[studentnurse1989]

Thank you very much!! :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Thank you very much!! :)

1. Assessments

2. Paperwork / charting

3. Finger stick blood sugars

4. Medication administration (pills, injections, topical creams, IV therapy)

5. Wound care / dressing changes

6. Suture / staple removal

7. IV site maintenance (peripheral, PICC lines, midlines, etc.)

8. Respiratory treatments

9. Reporting of changes in condition to the physician

10. Communicating with family members and visitors

11. Supervising CNAs and patient care technicians

12. Dealing with outside customers (lab technicians, van drivers, etc.)

13. Making appointments

14. Ordering / reordering medications from the pharmacy

15. Ordering meal trays from dietary

[studentnurse1989]

Thank you very much!! :) The tasks you listed are what I thought an RN does.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

They are the same in a lot fo facilities. I can push an IV med...that is the only difference..I'm also the shift supervisor, but other than that....no real difference.

[CrazyGoonRN]

Yeah in a nursing home there is not much of a difference in LPN and RN duties. I am an LPN and we do assessments, accuchecks, VS, pass meds, flush g-tubes and peg tubes, suction trach's, start IV's and hang fluids, draw blood, chart (lol), take phone orders, call the MD or NP, check in new admissions, dip urine, foleys, in & out caths, help out with call lights when we have time, call pts families when there is an incident, etc... these are the same things that the RN's do here. Hospitals are a whole different story though.

[gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN]

There are many times in LTC that there is no RN in the house, so the LPN has to be able to do everything the RN would do (except push meds in IV - out of scope). but you all forgot; help feed, push fluids, stop fights, toilet people, occasional PM care (3-11 shifter), and my favorite - comfort them when they need it.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

There are many times in LTC that there is no RN in the house, so the LPN has to be able to do everything the RN would do (except push meds in IV - out of scope). but you all forgot; help feed, push fluids, stop fights, toilet people, occasional PM care (3-11 shifter), and my favorite - comfort them when they need it.

And don't forget sit them down 100 times because they keep trying to get up and take off down the hallway.

[akanini, MSN, RN]

I think the question should be, "What DON'T you do as a LPN in the nursing home?" Lol

I'm getting burnt out!

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

I think the question should be, "What DON'T you do as a LPN in the nursing home?" Lol

I'm getting burnt out!

I just got back from a cruise and I'm trying not to read too much on here because I want that "relaxed" feeling to last as long as possible.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

In Massachusetts,LPNs can not do assessments so most facilities have changed the name to something else...same form with a different name. LPNs also can not do a nurse pronouncement in Massachusetts. I worked for one company once where the LPNs could start IVs but they couldn't do the dental assessment and count the number of teeth a person had! Go figure.