LPNs | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

Major Responsibilities of LPNs

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) monitor the patient, seriously injured, convalescent and handicapped in many different health care settings like hospitals. In some states they are known as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs).

LPNs/LVNs provide hands-on care to patients under the direction of RNs or medical doctors. LPN prep programs include a year of education at a healthcare facility, vocational-tech school or community college. Once they meet the education, students are then qualified for licensure as an LPN or LVN. Once certified, they are allowed to work at a hospital.

LPNs’ duties are restricted and they also have to work under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse or doctor. Most LPNs deliver standard bedside care. They get vital signs like temperature, blood pressure level, heartbeat and respiration. They also prepare and provide injections, apply dressings, provide alcohol rubs and massage therapy, use ice packs and keep track of catheters.

LPNs monitor patients and document complications or adverse reactions to medicines or treatments. They gather samples for assessment. They also execute routine laboratory tests; give food to patients and fluid intake. They assist patients with bathing, dressing and individual hygiene, they help keep them secure and care for their psychological needs. In states in which the law permits, they may provide prescribed medicines or commence intravenous fluids.

The majority of LPNs in hospitals and nursing homes work for 40-hour week, but due to the fact patients need around-the-clock care, some work nights, holidays and weekends. They frequently stand for very long periods and assist patients to move in bed, stand or stroll. Their job is physically and mentally demanding but may open doors for career development and satisfaction.

LPN Challenges

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are a few of the most crucial individuals in the nursing care field. They assist the RNs with their tasks and make their job a lot easier and improve the quality of services. However, LPNs do face certain challenges once they make an effort to execute their jobs. A few of these challenges are the effects of the legalities of nursing. LPNs are restricted with what they are should do, which sometimes make challenges for an LPN who needs to rely on the RN for a lot of things.

One of the difficulties for LPNs, particularly in this tight job economy, is locating a spot to work. Many hospitals restrict their employment to registered nurses alone, which is frustrating for LPNs who wish to operate in acute care settings. Some hospitals do hire LPNs, usually in roles which have less authority and therefore task-oriented.

LPNs will find jobs in nursing homes, however they don’t have the authority, and they will still work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Again, the LPN might be reduced to roles like medication nurse or treatment nurse rather than getting full care of the patients. Some centers, like dialysis facilities only hire RNs to operate the dialysis machine and care for patients. For many LPNs, this lack of diversity in job possibilities could be a challenge.

LPNs are frequently restricted with what they are able to do because, legally, they are bound with the task of delegation. An LPN cannot assess, identify or evaluate care since this is the job of the RN. Sometimes, this is often frustrating to have an LPN who may have heard what must be done and can’t really get it done. An LPN may even disagree with their supervisory RN, and can be powerless to alter the duties they’re assigned to accomplish.

This concern is surmountable, though you can’t alter the laws and regulations regarding patient care, however, you can cultivate a good working relationship with the RN, to supply the very best care for that patient. Simply because an LPN is assigned a particular task it doesn’t mean that she or he can’t do anything like when a patient is getting breathless. When the assigned RN does nothing or ignores the problem, the LPN can assist the patient. Despite the fact that LPNs are technically beneath the RN within the chain of command, they are able to still impact a patient’s care.

In certain situations, an LPN with two decades of experience will discover that the new grad nurse is their supervisor. This can be a challenging situation since the LPN likely knows a little more about patients, their diseases and just how to perform than an RN who has limited experience. Again, it’s a legal anomaly that needs the RN to delegate towards the LPN. If the RN doesn’t have a good deal of experience, an LPN must understand how to approach the problem.

Communication between your RN and LPN is essential towards the proper care of the individual. An LPN who assumes that the RN knows what they’re doing can harm the patient. An LPN must be a good communicator along with a nurse who understands how to manage people. Good communication will resolve this issue and will improve the quality of the health care.

Difference between LVN and LPN

There are different health care workers in a certain hospital or clinical site. They have different jobs and responsibilities to help patients recover. This includes Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN). Many are confused with the two. Some think that they are just the same. However, they might be correct. They may just differ with their names, but not on their functions. Here we will be discussing further the two courses.

LPNs are nurses who have passed the academic requirements to acquire their license with the next phase within their profession as being a Registered Nurse (RN). LPNs are usually found working under a doctor or RN’s supervision in hospitals or treatment centers. They can also provide home healthcare and practice in nursing care facilities. LVNs are also nurses who passed the state’s educational requirements and the exam to get a license as a registered nurse. LVNs perform their nursing responsibilities in a variety of hospitals, nursing facilities, physician’s clinics, and surgical centers.

Nursing programs today that provide LPN/LVN training possess a moderately intensive listing of subjects which are needed for certification, for example communications, critical thinking, dosage information, drug reference and interactions, ethics, along with other areas. In Texas, the academic needs for that title of LVN require students to accomplish 20 contact hrs every 2 yrs, along with a specific (once-off) two hrs of contact in Ongoing Education for LVNs who are employed in Emergency Rooms and Forensic Evidence Collection. California requires 30 contact hours of Ongoing Education, every 2 years, for license renewal.

The rest of the 48 states have different requirements in terms of continuing education and also the title given by these states is LPN. Some states, for example New York, require LPNs to complete three contact hours for infection control every 4 years. Yet others, for example Florida, require additional study in Prevention of Medical Errors, HIV/AIDS and Domestic Violence, to acquire the LPN title. Essentially, the academic requirements of both LPN and LVN are extremely similar, as well as their responsibilities are consistent.

Actually, the only variation between the two is the state where the course is being offered. In Texas and California, the academic needs are identical, however the title is LVN whereas, other states with similar educational requirements, give the title of LPN. Both jobs require no less than a high school graduation certificate, or GED, just before entering nursing school.

LPN Training

The LPN or the Licensed Practical Nurse works under the supervision of a physician and/or a registered nurse. They take care of the sick, injured, recovering and disabled in a variety of health care settings. The LPN’s job includes measuring and recording of the patient’s weight, blood pressure, height, pulse, rate of respiration, and temperature as they enter the hospital. These data is needed by the physician to have an accurate diagnosis of the patient’s diseases or illness and to know the right medication for them.

There are states that allow LPNs to prescribe medication, operate devices and conduct basic laboratory tests. The direct care provided by LPNs is supervised by doctors, registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. The student can either take the LPN preparation program in a hospital, community college or vocational-technical school. When the students fully satisfy the required training, they are then eligible to take the license examination as an LPN. They are immediately allowed to apply and work in a hospital.

It’s quite easy to get the LPN certification, but it requires much effort when it comes to the work requirement. Most of them are required to work a 40-hour week, but in graveyard shifts or sometimes in weekends and holidays. They sometimes need to work standing and moving, to assist fully the patients who need care and monitoring. This job requires physical fitness for the LPN in order to fulfill the job requirements.

The LPNs can either continue with their studies or remain in the same position. The work requires patience to deal with a stressful workplace just like any other healthcare job. If you want to be an LPN, make sure you have the passion for patient care for you to last long with the job.

Growth of In-Home Senior Care

The impressive number of elderly people across the nation opting to stay in their own houses as they age is developing a positive impact on the economy, driving growth not only for businesses that are dedicated to various aspects of senior care, but also resulting in significant job creation. By 2020, the rankings of house wellness and individual care aides will have grown by more than 1.3 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. BrightStar Care, a full-service house care series that provides both healthcare and non-medical care to sufferers from babies to elderly people, has hired more than 23,000 people since 2011, developing 10,000-12,000 jobs each season, with programs to create 60,000 new jobs over the next five years.

In addition, according to majority of folks by the U.S. Census Bureau, the healthcare market generated $1.7 billion dollars in complete revenue this year and included nearly 17 million jobs across the United States. BrightStar Care is supporting these statistics with 258 franchised and corporate locations across 36 states. In total, BrightStar Care utilizes more than 16,000 healthcare teams, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and home health aides (HHAs), including 2,000 RNs, 2,300 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). Nearly all adults over the age of 50 feel that staying in their own houses as they age is important, according to a latest survey by AARP. With the demand for in-home senior care rising, in addition to the fact that the in-home healthcare profession provides flexible working hours and the ability to develop strong, individual relationships with sufferers, the market is growing.

“Each year, more and more elderly people are starting the process of ‘ageing in place’,” explained Shelly Sun, Co-Founder and CEO of BrightStar Care. “At the same time, many healthcare teams are looking into alternative career options to working in a hospital. BrightStar Care is one of the only in-home healthcare care businesses that provide highly-skilled therapy to sufferers in their houses, allowing healthcare teams to utilize their skills in a non-traditional, growing sector of the market.” BrightStar Care identifies a need within the healthcare care market for homecare solutions that offer high-level, medical skills. Consumers are looking for expert and sympathetic care that only BrightStar Care provides.