Nursing Discussion on LPN and RN

Nursing Discussion on LPN and RN

Both the LPN and the RN are involved in the nursing process since they all care for the patient. There are similarities and differences between the LPN and the RN, which also help define their roles in the nursing process when caring for patients. LPNs only train for about 9 to 12 months to receive a certificate, making their scope of nursing narrow compared to RNs (Kruschke, 2018). LPNs are therefore taught simple nursing skills such as administering simple medications, turning the patient, and taking vitals, among other simple procedures. RNs, on the other hand, are trained for a long time, usually 18 to 24 months, making their scope wider than the LPNs (Kruschke, 2018). RNs have more skills in caring for the patient and perform more complex duties such as educating patients and handling some diagnostic equipment. RNs use the knowledge to assess the patient and develop a plan of action and interventions based on the assessment findings.

A Registered Nurse and LPN can collaborate in the nursing process to provide quality care to the patient. Every nurse has a role to play in each step of the nursing process. The nursing process includes assessment, nursing diagnosis, action plan, nursing intervention, rationale, implementation, and evaluation (Karaca & Durna, 2019). In this case, both the LPN and the RN can assess the patient to develop assessment data. The assessment includes both objective and subjective data. Simple assessments, such as taking vital signs, can be done by the LPN, while the RN can do complex assessments. It is the RN that comes up with a nursing diagnosis and a plan of action. RNs also come up with the best nursing intervention based on the assessment data and the nursing diagnosis using skills taught (Karaca & Durna, 2019). The implementation can be done by the LPN, who can implement simple interventions such as giving medication and monitoring the patient. Complex interventions such as inserting the catheter are done by the RN (Kusi‐Appiah, Dahlke & Stahlke, 2018). The RN also has a role in ensuring the LPN implements the intervention in the right way and evaluates the outcome of the intervention.

References

Karaca, A., & Durna, Z. (2019). Patient satisfaction with the quality of nursing care. Nursing Open, 6(2), 535-545.

Kruschke, C. (2018). Regulatory Compliance and the Role of the Licensed Practical Nurse. In Leadership Skills for Licensed Practical Nurses Working with the Aging Population (pp. 23-33). Springer, Cham.

Kusi‐Appiah, E., Dahlke, S., & Stahlke, S. (2018). Nursing care providers’ perceptions on their role contributions in patient care: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(21-22), 3830-3845.

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consider the role of the LPN and the RN in the nursing process. How would the LPN and RN collaborate to develop the nursing plan of care to ensure the patient is achieving their goal? What are the role expectations for the LPN and RN in the nursing process?