How to Plan for LPN Care

As with almost everything in nursing, grab a pen and paper. Planning for care by a licensed practical nurse requires some preparation because of the limits of an LPN's scope of practice. Scopes of practice are legally established and administered by state boards of nursing for all levels of nursing: certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses and nurse practitioners. Planning for LPN care, therefore, involves comparing what a patient's nursing needs are against what the state nursing board allows a licensed practical nurse to do.

Things You'll Need

• LPN scope of practice regulations for your state
• Nursing care plan for patient

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Instructions

• 1

  Review a copy of your state's LPN scope of practice. Pay particular attention to issues involving administration of intravenous medication, beginning or restarting IV access and ventilator-related care.

• 2

  Conduct a thorough needs assessment for the patient or patients to receive care by an LPN.

• 3

  Write or update nursing care plans on the patient or patients to receive care by an LPN. Review specifically the nursing interventions required for each patient.

• 4

  Compare the nursing interventions required by the patient care plan against the state's LPN scope of practice. If any nursing interventions are outside of an LPN's scope of practice, arrange for RN care for that particular issue or for that patient entirely.

• 5

  Review the nursing interventions required by the patient care plan with the LPN who will provide the care to ensure he is familiar with each procedure, and can complete all care safely.