LPN Scope of Practice: What are the Responsibilities of an LPN?
Having to report to, and work under supervision of a licensed professional, such as a physician, nurse practitioner, psychologist or a registered nurse, the LPN scope of practice is somewhat restricted compared to that of an RN. Depending on the state where you practice, LPN duties may vary, according to the level of responsibility allowed by the state nursing board.
Task allocated to, and delegated to an LPN will also depend on the training and skills of the individual. Some, who have been fortunate enough to have received more training than the required minimum, will be deemed more capable, and entrusted with more responsibility than their counterparts without similar training. If any tasks are of particular interest to you, get some more training, and you may very well be offered the responsibility at some stage, expanding your LPN scope of practice.
The main task of any LPN is direct, basic patient care, taking instruction from (and providing feedback to) qualified professionals on the team. These professionals are authorized to diagnose and prescribe treatment, and the LPN has to administer most of this medical care, and act as observer and communication channel between physician and patient.
Depending on the situation, the practice scope for a licensed practical nurse can include a wide variety of tasks, as instructed by senior medical personnel. The LPN will typically be concerned with collecting patient information, and reporting to superiors. She may be expected to assist in compiling a nursing diagnosis and coming up with a nursing plan. She will then, following instructions, be involved in implementing this plan.
In most states, the LPN scope of practice is not set, because specifying tasks might be limiting, preventing the use of some capable individuals for tasks they are able to perform. The state nursing board will usually have guidelines of tasks typically assigned to an LPN, but as the training of individuals vary in different job scenario’s, extra responsibilities are left to the discretion of the supervisor, who can make an assessment of the capabilities of the individual.
Any questions regarding the LPN scope of practice can be clarified by either consulting the policy manual of the employer, or the state nursing board.
