Scope of Practice for Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) in California and Across the United States - Paper Sample

Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), also referred to as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) in other states outside California and Texas, are care experts who work under the supervision of both physicians and Registered Nurses (RN). In the state of California, the Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians, a board under the section of consumer affairs, draws the LVN scope of practice. These practice guidelines are as well known as Business and Profession Codes and include the following.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The California Nursing Board only licenses individuals as vocational nurses after taking a practical nursing course from an institution accredited to offer such training. In California, LVNs are mandated to undertake the following duties under the supervision of a doctor. LVNS should possess the skill to give medication via oral administration and hypodermics injections. They should also have the ability to draw blood from patients only if the LVN has successfully studied a course in that specific area or has shown competence (NSG, 2020). LVNs in California are as well given the capacity to offer intravenous fluid medications, carry out supervised skin tests as well as giving immunizations. Permission to give immunizations is given after an LVN proves a proper understanding of emergency reactions and remedies to the supervising RN.

After application, all medical corps who have served in the military will be licensed as LVNs only if they had honorable and right conditions during their military service. During emergencies, any LVN who offers to help in good faith will not be responsible for any damages during the offering (NSG, 2020). The code applies to any LVN who offers their services during emergencies outside their customary workplace. The scope further states that any nurse in California can practice as VN in religious establishments. Despite their practice, these individuals have no legal privileges to be called LVNs since their licenses are yet to be approved by the board. The scope of practice in California have limitations as well; No LVN will have the authority to do surgical procedures or practice medicine. LVNs are also restricted from involving themselves in the treatment of pain, diseases, mental and physical injury without consulting a doctor (NSG, 2020).

The Association of Nurse Practitioners in the US defines three nurse statuses, namely full practice, reduced practice, and restricted practice. In California, nursing practice is restricted since all LVNs must have the supervision of either a physician or surgeon to practice medicine. In other states such as Colorado, nursing practice is full since nurses are given full privileges after accruing 1000 hours with provisional prescriptive activity (McClanahan et al., 2019). In regions like Alabama and Illinois, nursing practice is reduced since nurses only require collaborative agreement with the supervising medical professional.

Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP), LVN, and RN

Like LVNs, Unlicensed Assistive Personnel works under the supervision of registered nurses to offer direct care to patients through tasks such as taking blood samples of stable patients or keeping track of the patients’ medical records. Some UAPs perform other tasks if they possess other skills. LVNs, on the other hand, can perform other supplicated medical procedures like handling unstable patients, although under the supervision of a physician or a surgeon (McClanahan et al., 2019). Registered nurses are allowed to work outside the hospital setting without supervision from senior medical professionals. These medical experts can work in schools, clinics, adult homes, among other places, as well as specializing in areas such as labor and delivery, cardiac care, family practice, among other fields.

Works Cited

McClanahan, Rachel, Penny C. Weismuller, and Sandra Johnson. "Use of LVNs in California Schools: A Descriptive Study." The Journal of School Nursing (2019): 1059840519887413. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1059840519887413

Nursing Schools Guide. LVN Scope of Practice in California (2020). https://www.nursingschools4u.com/lvn-scope-of-practice-in-california/