working under the RN's

[Leelee2]

I have some questions for other LPN's. What do you do when the RN you are working under is "too busy right now" to come assess your patient??? You try to pin them down for when they can come to give that IV push med, or take a look at a patient that is having a major change in condition, but they can't give you a time?? I have had many RN's say this when I am needing to bring something to their attention. You know, I am busy too, but that really isn't an acceptable answer...when I am asked to do something that is well within my scope or job description!

Short of documenting what has happened, such as "writer informed RN of ...." and documenting the times, etc.

How else can this be handled professionally.

[kat7ap]

I think the answer to this really depends your employer's protocol and state's scope of practice. Where I've worked RN is responsible for only the intial assessment. If there is a change in condition the LPN/LVN should be expected to intiate any nursing interventions and notify the physician if needed. Your charge RN or RN you are "working under" should be informed and assist you if needed. For the IV Pushes or other things outside of your scope, offer to do something in turn for the RN.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm an RN and I live in a state where LPNs/LVNs do their own assessments. All I do is the admission assessment, but the LPN is responsible for everything else. In addition, LPNs give IV meds here, too.

I was an LPN/LVN for a little over four years, and I would not have wanted to ever work at a place where I constantly had to be at the RN's mercy for tasks that were outside my scope of practice.

[agldragonRN]

i have some questions for other lpn's. what do you do when the rn you are working under is "too busy right now" to come assess your patient??? you try to pin them down for when they can come to give that iv push med, or take a look at a patient that is having a major change in condition, but they can't give you a time?? i have had many rn's say this when i am needing to bring something to their attention. you know, i am busy too, but that really isn't an acceptable answer...when i am asked to do something that is well within my scope or job description!

short of documenting what has happened, such as "writer informed rn of ...." and documenting the times, etc.

how else can this be handled professionally.

where do you work? must be at a hospital. do you have a supervisor or charge nurse you can ask to do your iv pushes or assessment? i work ltc as an lpn still but i do all my assessments and sometimes i have to ask my rn supervisor to mix iv meds (only rns can mix iv meds) and when it takes her a while to come up, i call her again and document all the times i called.

[Leelee2]

Per my states nurse practice act, LPN's do not do initial assessments, or IV PUSH meds, they also must notify the RN in changes of patient condition...makes it hard when RN also has her own heavy patient load, and is super busy too.