LPN Scope of Practice & Standards
This document outlines the key standards and conditions that guide the practice of LPNs in acute care settings.
What is the BCCNM LPN Scope of Practice: Standards, Limits and Conditions?
These are the key components of a comprehensive nursing assessment for a client with acute illness?
What are: health history, physical examination, diagnostic testing, and observations. Principles of medication administration include the "5 rights" (right patient, medication, dose, route, time).?
This process involves assessing patient data, recognizing patterns, and making decisions to ensure that interventions are appropriate and timely in an acute care setting.
What is clinical judgment?
How would you convert digoxin dosage from 0.125 mg to mcg for administration?
what is 0.125 mg = 125 mcg
an abnormal finding in the respiratory assessment of a client with pneumonia
what are wheezing, crackles, shortness of breath, or a high respiratory rate?
This document is key for entry-level LPNs working with clients in acute care settings to provide safe and effective care
What are the Entry-Level Competencies?
These are the principles of medication administration for clients in acute care
What is understanding pharmacokinetics, correct dosage calculation, patient education, and monitoring for side effects?
This practice uses the latest research, clinical guidelines, and best practices to develop care plans that improve patient outcomes and increase safety in the acute care setting.
What is evidence-based practice?
this is the correct dosage for Amoxicillin 400mg when the stock medication is 200mg/5ml?
Amoxicillin dosage: (400mg/200mg) X 5mL = 10mL
abnormal gastrointestinal findings could be indicative of an acute illness such as appendicitis
What are pain in the right lower quadrant, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
This is the role of Professional Standards and Practice Standards in guiding LPN care for patients experiencing acute illness.
The Professional Standards guide LPNs in providing ethical and competent care, while Practice Standards provide detailed guidance on care delivery in specific settings.
The common tools or frameworks used during nursing assessments in acute care
What are tools like the Glasgow Coma Scale, Braden Scale (for pressure ulcer risk), and DAR documentation are used in acute care nursing assessments.
In the nursing care process, this phase involves carrying out planned interventions, providing hands-on care, and ensuring that treatments are delivered as prescribed, all while educating patients.
What is the implementation phase?
the correct amount administered if you have 50 mg of dimenhydrinate and need to administer 100 mg.
Dimenhydrinate dosage: (100mg/50mg) X1 = 2
cardiovascular findings in a hypertensive patient
What are elevated blood pressure, headaches, and dizziness.
This helps LPNs manage their responsibilities and limits in an acute care setting.
The BCCNM standards provide the framework for LPNs' legal and ethical responsibilities, ensuring they work within their scope of practice.
The role a musculoskeletal assessment plays in the nursing process for acute illness
What is inspecting for deformities, range of motion, and strength.
Nurses assess whether goals are being met, review objective data (e.g., lab results, vital signs) and subjective data (e.g., patient feedback) to evaluate the effectiveness of a care plan.
What is evaluation of a nursing care plan?
This is the drops per minute if you are administering IV fluids at a rate of 1000ml in 8 hours with a drop factor of 20 gtt/ml
1000ml/8 hrs = 125ml/hr
(125ml/hr X 20 gtts/ml) / 60 minutes = 42gtts/min
abnormalities you might expect in a patient presenting with a stroke
What are unilateral weakness, facial drooping, or speech difficulties.
This principle in the LPN Scope of Practice focuses on ensuring that LPNs do not perform tasks beyond their level of competence or legal boundaries, and highlights the importance of knowing when to seek guidance from other healthcare providers.
What is the Limitations and Conditions of the LPN scope of practice?
This type of assessment is conducted as the first step in the nursing process, gathering data such as vital signs, patient history, and any presenting symptoms.
What is a comprehensive nursing assessment?
A nurse uses this type of clinical judgment when they assess a sudden change in a patient’s condition, prioritize urgent interventions, and act quickly to prevent further harm.
What is critical thinking in an emergency?
When calculating IV flow rates, this measurement refers to the number of drops per milliliter, and it helps determine how quickly the IV fluid will infuse.
What is the drop factor (gtt/mL)?
In a cardiovascular assessment, this abnormal finding involves the presence of a third heart sound, which may suggest heart failure, especially in older adults.
What is S3?