Yea!!!! Alabama LPN can do IV pushes.....

U.S.A. Alabama

Published

Specializes in Med-Surg.

:yelclap: Hello, my fellow Alabama nurses.

Hey, I just got my copy of The Alabama Nurse. I just read the main article talking about new amendments to the Nurse Practice Act that is going to allow LPNs with at least 1 year of IV therapy experience to be able to do IV pushes of certain meds. This is granted that there is a RN supervision in the facility. (Don't quote me, but I think I'm telling you right).

Yes!!!! This is a step forward. This will really give LPN some autonomy not having to depend on the RN to push certain medications. There was list of meds that they can and cannot push, but the two that stood out to me were the IV anti-nausea meds and IV analgesics were permitted. I don't know if this would be a widely accepted standard by most facilities, but it would help. Of course there are limitations and there are pros and cons to this. But if you have any info on this subject, please reply.

Thanks

SaharaOnyxRN

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
:yelclap: Hello, my fellow Alabama nurses.

Hey, I just got my copy of The Alabama Nurse. I just read the main article talking about new amendments to the Nurse Practice Act that is going to allow LPNs with at least 1 year of IV therapy experience to be able to do IV pushes of certain meds. This is granted that there is a RN supervision in the facility. (Don't quote me, but I think I'm telling you right).

Yes!!!! This is a step forward. This will really give LPN some autonomy not having to depend on the RN to push certain medications. There was list of meds that they can and cannot push, but the two that stood out to me were the IV anti-nausea meds and IV analgesics were permitted. I don't know if this would be a widely accepted standard by most facilities, but it would help. Of course there are limitations and there are pros and cons to this. But if you have any info on this subject, please reply.

Thanks

SaharaOnyxRN

What constitutes a year of "IV therapy?" and is there any course work first? See the IV phenergan thread here to see how problematic this common drug can be. Whoever pushes a drug should be able to deal with the side effects. I would not want to be responsible for someone else's IVP drugs.

0 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg.
What constitutes a year of "IV therapy?" and is there any course work first? See the IV phenergan thread here to see how problematic this common drug can be. Whoever pushes a drug should be able to deal with the side effects. I would not want to be responsible for someone else's IVP drugs.

You know, that is one of the down sides to it all. The RN would ultimately still be responsible. And I don't know what exactly constitutes the 1 year of IV therapy. Maybe for those LPNs that are IV certified, they would have to be supervised by a RN while doing pushes for up to one year. That would be great because then, we would be on the road to getting most to being able to push on their own. Other states are doing it, we here in Alabama must stop being afraid of change. We are so behind the times on a lot of issues, but this is one that is going to be coming in to the forefrong more and more as time goes on.

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Texas has been allowing it for at least as long as I've lived here and I have yet to hear of any widespread reports of patient safety issues or errors as a result of allowing LVN/LPN's to administer IV push drugs.

It makes sense and it works.

LPN/LVN's should be utilized to their optimum capacity as nurses rather than stifle and stagnate their practice.

With respect to Phenergen (Promethazine), you will run into the same issues and risks with administering this drug whether you are an RN or an LVN.

At both licensure levels, you should know what you are pushing as well as side effects/adverse reactions/risks, etc.

Personally, I just don't understand states not allowing it when other states have already been doing it for years so the outcome of such change is already known and proven.

It works.

0 Votes
Specializes in Med-Surg.
Texas has been allowing it for at least as long as I've lived here and I have yet to hear of any widespread reports of patient safety issues or errors as a result of allowing LVN/LPN's to administer IV push drugs.

It makes sense and it works.

LPN/LVN's should be utilized to their optimum capacity as nurses rather than stifle and stagnate their practice.

With respect to Phenergen (Promethazine), you will run into the same issues and risks with administering this drug whether you are an RN or an LVN.

At both licensure levels, you should know what you are pushing as well as side effects/adverse reactions/risks, etc.

Personally, I just don't understand states not allowing it when other states have already been doing it for years so the outcome of such change is already known and proven.

It works.

I agree and that's wonderful. It will definitely be a step forward for Alabama nurses and, hopefully, other states that are still restricting. Maybe it will help RNs stay in Alabama as opposed to going to Georgia to work as many do and as I've considered. It will definitely be a morale booster for LPNs and it will help the RN out, too. Sometimes, when working with LPNs, and it's not their fault, I feel so overwhelmed. And it's because they are so restricted in doing so many things. All because of a title. Well, hopefully, my facility will accept this and move forward with it.

Thank you for the response.:balloons:

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