A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) cannot diagnose any medical condition or prescribe any medication. Their role is primarily focused on providing direct patient care under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or physician.
Scope of Practice for an LPN
The professional scope of an LPN is well-defined, distinguishing their responsibilities from those of higher-level medical professionals like Registered Nurses or Doctors. While LPNs are crucial members of the healthcare team, certain critical tasks fall outside their legal and professional boundaries.
Key Prohibitions for LPNs
- Diagnosing Medical Conditions: LPNs are not authorized to assess a patient's symptoms, interpret test results, or make a formal medical diagnosis. This complex task requires extensive medical training and falls within the scope of practice for physicians and, to some extent, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
- Prescribing Medications: LPNs cannot write prescriptions for any type of medication. This responsibility is reserved for licensed physicians, physician assistants, and certain advanced practice nurses who have prescriptive authority.
- Performing Independent Medical Assessments: While LPNs gather patient data and observe changes in condition, they do not perform independent comprehensive medical assessments that lead to a diagnosis or a primary care plan. Their assessments are typically focused on data collection and reporting to supervising healthcare professionals.
- Developing or Modifying Care Plans Independently: LPNs implement established care plans. They do not independently develop, evaluate, or significantly alter a patient's overall care plan. These tasks are typically performed by registered nurses or physicians.
- Administering Certain High-Risk Procedures: Depending on state regulations and the specific facility's policies, some highly complex or high-risk procedures, such as initiating blood transfusions or administering certain types of intravenous (IV) push medications, may be outside an LPN's scope of practice.
What LPNs Can Do
While their scope has limitations, LPNs are indispensable in the healthcare system, handling a wide range of essential daily tasks.
| LPN Cannot Do | LPN Can Do |
|---|---|
| Diagnose medical conditions | Monitor patient vital signs |
| Prescribe medications | Administer medications (oral, injections, etc.) |
| Independently develop care plans | Perform basic wound care and dressing changes |
| Perform complex surgical procedures | Assist patients with personal hygiene and mobility |
| Make independent medical decisions | Document patient observations and care provided |
| Collect specimens for laboratory tests | |
| Educate patients on basic health practices |
For more detailed information on the roles and responsibilities of an LPN, you can refer to resources like WebMD. LPNs are vital in providing routine, hands-on care, ensuring patient comfort, and meticulously documenting patient status to support the broader healthcare team. Their work allows more advanced practitioners to focus on diagnosis, treatment planning, and complex medical interventions.
