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What is some day to day task that a LPN has to do?
Hi was was wondering what are some common and uncommon tasks that an lpn have to do in a hospital or nursing home?
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3 answers
Updated
Tricia’s Answer
Take report, give meds, do dressing changes, take vital signs, assist with baths, skin care, feeding, dressing, changing incontinent pads & pericare, ambulating, start IVs (some), and report significant changes to RN.
Thanks for your encouragement!
Cheyenne
Updated
Sandra’s Answer
Hello, this is a great question regarding LPN tasks, especially in times when LPN hospital jobs seemed to be in less demand several years ago and now are in higher demand than ever before. I am an RN who works with LPNs in hospital (acute care) settings. Many RNs like myself greatly appreciate LPNs who assist RNs with passing medications (except for certain ones such as IV medications or blood products) and with patient care; just these two tasks alone lift a great burden off the RN who also has to admit patients, pass medications that are out of LPNs' scopes of practice, and do patient assessments that LPNs do not perform. Now, for LPNs working in long-term care, can have higher roles such as supervisor or team leader. I found an article that explains more about LPNs' job roles and why are they needed more than ever before: https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/why-lpns-are-in-demand/ . I hope this answer to your question helped and wish you the best in your LPN career journey.
Thank you so much!
Cheyenne
Updated
Liza’s Answer
Hello Cheyenne, and thanks for the question. I was an LPN for many years before I became an RN. As an LPN I worked orthopedics, brief ICU, home health care and long term care. In each place my duties were a bit different, and the role of LPN has evolved over time. What an LPN is legally allowed to do, depends on the institution and state in which the LPN practices. As an RN I worked with LPNs in Telemetry and ER, and in long term care, in a dementia unit. In each places LPNs were vital and important to the care of our patients. In hospital, in the ER, the LPN was limited in terms of giving medications, but I worked with an LPN who could start an IV in a vein the size of a hair. She was phenomenal, and we all relied on her expertise. On the Telemetry floor, the LPN was allowed to start and run IVs, except for solutions that were mixed- involved giving cardiac or antibiotic IV medications. On the dementia unit, LPNs gave medications, treatments such as wound dressings, etc. In LTC where I worked, the LPNs did not do peri care, change beds, give bedpans, clean patients, the CNAs did all that kind of patient care.
LPNs are vital members of the patient care team.
LPNs are vital members of the patient care team.