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LVN WorkTop LVN School Most licensed vocational nurses in hospitals and nursing care facilities work a 40-hour week, but because patients need around-the-clock care some work nights, weekends, and holidays. Licensed vocational nurses often stand for long periods and help patients move in bed, stand, or walk. Licensed vocational nurses care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. In addition to providing routine beside care, licensed vocational nurses in nursing care facilities help evaluate residents' needs, develop care plans, and supervise the care provided by nursing aides. In doctors' offices and clinics, they also may make appointments, keep records, and perform other clerical duties. Licensed vocational nurses who work in private homes may prepare meals and teach family members simple nursing tasks. Most licensed vocational nurses provide basic bedside care, taking vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate. They also prepare and give injections, monitor catheters, apply dressings, treat bedsores, and give alcohol rubs and massages. LVNs monitor their patients and report adverse reactions to medications or treatments, collect samples for testing, perform routine laboratory tests, feed patients, and record food and fluid intake and output. To help keep patients comfortable, licensed vocational nurses assist with personal hygiene, bathing, and dressing. In States where the law allows, LVNs may administer prescribed medicines or start intravenous fluids. Some licensed vocational nurses help deliver, care for, and feed infants while experienced LVNs may supervise nursing assistants and nursing aides. Licensed vocational nurses face hazards from infectious diseases, caustic chemicals and radiation. LVNs are subject to back injuries when moving patients and shock from electrical equipment and often must deal with the stress of heavy workloads. In addition, the patients they care for may be confused, irrational, agitated, or uncooperative. |
Board of Registered Nursing Prevails in Excelsior College Court Decision Sacramento - The California Board of Registered Nursing prevailed in a state Court of Appeal decision upholding the BRN's position that Excelsior College graduates, like other out-of-state school graduates, must fulfill all California licensing requirements, including supervised clinical practice, in order to qualify for licensure as a registered nurse in California. Ruth Ann Terry, BRN Executive Officer, stated, "This decision is of critical importance to the quality and safety of RN practice in California. It affirms the Board's position that there is nothing more basic to safe nursing practice than ensuring that students learn hands-on skills through sufficient hours of supervised clinical practice in patient settings." Read more about BRN's position that Excelsior College graduates must fulfill all California licensing requirements. |