The Role of Nurses, Scope of Practice, and Comparison of LPNs and RNs

The Role of Nurses, Scope of Practice, and Comparison of LPNs and RNs

The nursing profession has been rated as the most ethical and honest profession in this country for the past eighteen years (Reinhart, 2020). Nurses have many roles and professional paths that individuals interested in studying nursing can take. They include Registered Nurses (RN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) (Androus, 2016). It is critical to understand the roles and scope of practice of nurses to offer quality patient-centered care. This essay will explain the role of nurses and their scope of practice. In addition to this, it will compare LPNs and RN.

Role of the Nurse

Nurses fill so many roles. One of the significant roles of the nurse is to act as a patient advocate and offer equitable nursing care for all patients regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic status, or gender (American Nurses Association, n.d.). Nurses collect medical history and patients’ symptoms. Nurses advocate for patients and collaborate with interprofessional healthcare teams to develop a patient-centered care plan. In addition, nurses perform medical tests and administer prescribed medications. Most importantly, nurses educate patients concerning their medical diagnosis and educate them on ways of managing their conditions non-pharmacologically. Furthermore, according to the nursing program I am enrolled in, nurses should build a therapeutic relationship with their patients and effectively communicate

Scope of Practice

Every nursing State Board determines the scope of practice of nurses. The scope of practice aims to protect individuals and have registered nurses follow guidelines while offering quality and safe patient-centered care (Androus, 2016). The Minnesota Nursing Practice Act of nursing offers legal specifications to the scope of nursing practice.  According to this Act,  RNs assess the health status of patients,  collaborate with other healthcare professionals, develop nursing interventions, implement nursing interventions, delegate nursing tasks, provide safe nursing care, act as patient advocates,  evaluate the effectiveness of healthcare interventions, participate in policy development, provide health promotion and teaching nursing theory (Minnesota Board of Nursing, n.d.)

LPN vs. RN

RNs and LPNs differ in their scope of practice and years of education. RNs have an associate degree or Bachelor’s degree, while LPNs have a certificate after one year of schooling. Even though both follow physicians’ instructions, RBs have a broader scope of practice and freedom compared to LPNs who work under RNs or physicians’ supervision (Androus, 2016). RNs have duties such as planning patient care, administering and monitoring patient medications, evaluating patients, handling complex nursing tasks, and performing invasive procedures (Androus, 2016). LPNs, on the other hand, perform routine patient care tasks, including bed care, recording vital signs, wound care, and other duties delegated by RNs (Androus, 2016). They must report any changes they notice on the patient’s condition to the RN. They have no freedom to decide on changes in the patient’s condition or variations in routine.

Conclusion

Nurses are essential healthcare professionals. This essay discussed the role of the nurses and their responsibilities as their scope of practice. The nurses’ scope of practice varies depending on the state of practice. The essay further compared the scope of practice of LPNs and RNs. Both of them follow doctors’ orders, but they have significant differences. However, the most critical aspect is patient care. Once I finish my project, I hope to start my professional career as a nurse.

References

American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Care coordination and the essential role of nurses. ANA. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/health-policy/care-coordination/

Androus, A. B. (2016, October 25). RN vs LPN || RegisteredNursing.org. RN Programs – Registered Nurse || RegisteredNursing.org. https://www.registerednursing.org/articles/rn-vs-lpn/

Minnesota Board of Nursing. (n.d.). Scope of practice / Minnesota Board of Nursing. https://mn.gov/boards/nursing/practice/nursing-practice-topics/scope-of-practice.jsp

Reinhart, R. J. (2020, October 29). Nurses Continue to Rate Highest in Honesty and Ethics. Gallup.com. https://news.gallup.com/poll/274673/nurses-continue-rate-highest-honestyethics.aspx.

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The Role of Nurses, Scope of Practice, and Comparison of LPNs and RNs

Prepare a two to three-page written assignment that includes the following:

Content:

• Introduction to the assignment (sections of the assignment; roles of the nurse, scope of practice, compare and contrast scope of practice)
• Describe the roles of the nurse for the program you are currently enrolled
• Identify the scope of practice for the nurse in the state where you intend to practice
• Using the Nurse Practice Act for the state where you intend to practice, compare and contrast the scope of practice for the LPN and RN
• Conclusion (reflect on the assignment, including how you will use the scope of practice to support your role)
• Use at least two credible resources to support your findings. For example, one of the resources could be the State Board of Nursing website, and another resource could be a textbook. These resources must be integrated into the body of your paper using at least two in-text citations. Be sure to use proper APA format and style.

Format:

• Standard American English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.)
• Logical, original, and insightful
• Professional organization, style, and mechanics in APA format and style