Licensed practical nurses (LPN 's) fill an important role in modern health care practices. Their primary job duty is to provide routine care, observe patients’ health, assist doctors and registered nurses, and communicate instructions to patients regarding medication, home-based care, and preventative lifestyle changes (Hill). A Licensed Practical Nurse has various of roles that they have to manage on a day to day basis, such as being an advocate for their patients, an educator, being a counselor, a consultant, researcher, collaborator, and even a manager depending on what kind of work exactly that you do and where. It is the nursing process and critical thinking that separate the LPN from the unlicensed assistive personnel. Judgments are based …show more content…
It is important to evaluate which learning style your patients prefer in order for them to best understand what needs to be done for the maximum appropriate outcome. Licensed practical nurses are advocates and that’s someone who supports and supplies information to their patients. Advocacy often involves standing up in support of a patient and their rights. This is especially true when patients are not able to protect their own rights. When filling the role of counselor, Licensed Practical Nurses can help patients and families explore ideas and feelings towards healthcare and illness (8 Roles of the LPN). Some patients have a difficult time accepting a disease or its treatment options. As a practical nurse you consult with RN supervisors regarding patient care and assessments. In some settings LPN 's communicate directly to physicians. Communicating information to the proper people assists in increasing the effectiveness of care plans (Role). As practical nurses we are only one part of a patient care team. Other important members include RN 's, CNA 's, physicians, physical/occupational/speech therapists, dietitians, volunteers, and more (8 Roles of the LPN). With such a large team, every member has their own scope of
The comparisons of Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) and Registered Nurses (RN) are simply the bases for all nurses. LVNs and RNs protect the patient’s privacy, provide safe environments, and administer medications and treatments. The Texas Administration code (2007) says all nurses will, “accurately and completely report and document: the client’s status including signs and symptoms; nursing care rendered; physician, dentist or podiatrist orders; administration of medications and treatments; client response(s); and contacts with other health care team members concerning significant events regarding client’s status”(D). Nurses are to maintain a professional nurse-client relationship; it is their responsibility to know and recognize what that entails. Nurses are bound by law to provide nursing care without discrimination regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religion, health problems or socioeconomic status. Some other similarities include measures to prevent the spread of infectious pathogens, collaboration with other health care team members and patient, prevent patient harm.
There are two kinds of nurses LPN and RN. RNs are responsible for the patient’s health and needs. RNs also record medical records and analyze conditions. They perform diagnostic testing on patients to come to a conclusion of their condition. Patients get their care plans created by registered nurses.
The nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse with graduate education and advanced clinical training. The NP has acquired knowledge and clinical skills to diagnose and treat illness, and provide individualized, evidence-based care to a particular population (Chism, 2013). Throughout the past decades, the responsibilities of the NP have expanded and evolved due to the advances in healthcare. NPs are responsible for understanding the complex life processes of patients and must integrate evidence-based research into clinical practice (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006). NPs focus on meeting the current and the future health needs of the patient population.
Once upon a time, my best friend, Bryan Martinez, often heard his mother’s medical conversations with friends. One day at school, our teacher confronted Mrs. Martinez and told her that she was able tell that Bryan was a son from a nurse. Apparently there was an incident at school where a little boy was acting out and Bryan told our teacher that the little boy was agitated, and to give him some medication to calm him down. As demonstrated by Bryan, nursing is ongoing profession that promotes the health and well-being of individuals.
Nurse practitioners have not necessarily more but different responsibilities than those that are held by registered nurses. NPs have more freedom to make and oversee the carrying out of health care plans for patients. NPs are also able to follow guide lines more closely to those of a physician. Registered nurses (RNs) are able to advise and aide less skilled medical personnel. They are also able to order, examine, and explain different diagnostic tests as directed by a physician. All nurses have the responsibility to monitor and chart the conditions treatments and reactions of the patients. Nurse Practitioners are able to perform all these responsibilities along with many others not granted to less trained
Nurse practitioners do more than you’d actually think. They diagnose and treat acute, episodic, or chronic illness, independently or as part of a health care team. They may focus on health promotion and disease prevention. May order, perform, or interpret diagnostics tests such as lab work and x-rays and provide services such as health and wellness counseling, screening and referrals, and physical exams. They also may prescribe medication dosages, routes, and frequencies based on patient characteristics such as age and gender. They analyze and interpret patients, histories, symptoms, physical findings, or diagnostics information to develop appropriate diagnoses. As well as provide primary and some acute care and are qualified to meet the majority of patient’s health care needs.
Sarah should determine the LPN’s knowledge base regarding the current patient cases she is responsible in caring for. For instance, the LPN may have extensive knowledge regarding the care of the diabetic patient and may be able to provide patient education to them on her own. However, Sarah should still assess the LPN’s knowledge regarding the teaching and may be able to advise the LPN of specifics to educate on. Additionally, Sarah should still speak with the diabetic patient and assess their understanding of the teaching and serve as a resource for any questions the patient might
“Nurse practitioners assess, diagnose, treat, and manage acute episodic and chronic illnesses. NPs are experts in health promotion and disease prevention. They order, conduct, supervise, and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, prescribe pharmacological agents and non-pharmacologic therapies, as well as teach and counsel patients, among other services. As licensed, independent clinicians,
In Nursing, there will always be instances where the patient's nurse needs to advocate for their patient. There are numerous reasons why a nurse would advocate for their patient ranging from getting the doctor to change the patient’s orders, helping the patient’s treatment team understand what it is the patient is requiring for the day, to expressing the patient’s last wishes before death. In every situation, the nurse should do what is in the patient’s best interest. Tomajan (2012), “Advocacy skills are the ability to successfully support a cause or interest on one’s own behalf or that of another. Advocacy requires a set of skills that include problem solving, communication, influence, and collaboration”(p. 2). With those skills, the nursing staff will be able to work together to advocate for their patients. Along with those skills, nurses need to keep in mind the three core attributes that are: safeguarding patients’ autonomy; acting on behalf of patients; and championing social justice in the provision of health care. (Bu & Jezewski, 2006)
Saying that you are a registered nurse is a broad statement. Registered nursing is a job that has many aspects. Registered nurses work in many different settings and they carry out many different routines. As a registered nurse you could be exposed to many different opportunities. My goal is to be a registered nurse but, I need to learn a lot. Becoming a being a registered nurse requires a lot of hard work and effort but, if I focus on my goal I will be able to achieve it.
The following essay is a reflective paper on an event that I encountered as a student nurse during my first clinical placement in my first year of study. The event took place in a long term facility. This reflection is about the patient whom I will call Mrs. D. to protect her confidentiality. Throughout this essay I will be using LEARN model of reflection. I have decided to reflect on the event described in this essay since I believe that it highlights the need for nurses to have effective vital signs ‘assessment skills especially when treating older patients with complex medical diagnoses.
To improve my understanding of maintaining my capability for practice as a RN, I set a goal to learn in depth from my classes, related units, and through interacting with my friends and tutors. There were many setbacks on the way, but as I became more acquainted with the matter I began understanding better. In this reflection I’ll use Gibbs reflective cycle (Gibbs, 1988) to address my experiences as a student nurse in fulfilling the maintenance and capability for practice. Description Through tutorials, lectures and simulation classes every semester, our practice is enhanced and maintained so that the skills and knowledge we learnt is always nurtured while new ones are gained.
“The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival” (Aristotle, n.d.)
I am working as a staff nurse at one of the Integrated Management System (IMS) accredited hospital in Sarawak since 2014. I qualified as a Registered Nurse with a Diploma in Nursing in year 2007. My first year I have been working in a multi-disciplinary ward. We cover a range of specialties including minor and major surgeries. The health care team in my ward consists of 1 Unit Manager, 20 staff nurses and 15 care assistants.
I plan to observe a small group of LPN nurses. I want to observe them because this may or not be my future I am very interested in the way they act and how they came to do what they do. The girls I'll be observing mean a lot to me and with 1 in particular I have become extremely close. Brittany, Sam, and Jen all LPN nurses and all I'll get to see and observe weekly. I am interested in their home life as well as how they act in the workplace I plan to observe them in a variety of settings with different patients. The main one being Allison Rose, Allison is a student at mead high school with Rett's syndrome and she has some of the most beautiful eyes you will ever see. These nurses have truly inspired me and I am going to enjoy observing