LPN Practice Act in Pennsylvania

Licensed practical nurses in Pennsylvania get instruction and supervised practice in many nursing tasks but have less training than registered nurses. They work as part of the health care team, usually under the direct supervision of RNs. The Pennsylvania Professional and Vocational Standards code (Title 49, Section 21.245) sets forth duties and responsibilities for LPNs in the state.

Basics

• Pennsylvania LPNs can provide medication and other therapy to patients under written or oral orders from authorized medical practitioners, the code says, as long as the orders conform to medical facility policies. The LPN must question the practitioner about orders she thinks unsafe or unclear, and if the practitioner is not available she must alert an RN or other supervisor to the problem. The LPN must not accept an order she does not understand or one outside the scope of her permitted functions.

Accountability

• An LPN immediately transcribes doctors' orders onto patients' medical records, signs them and gets the practitioner's counter-signature under the regulations and policies governing the medical facility.

Immunizations and Skin Tests

• Pennsylvania LPNs may administer shots and do skin testing under the written orders of an authorized physician. LPNs are responsible for knowing the medications and testing agents involved and for being alerted to situations in which administering them might not be a good idea. They also have to be ready to deal with adverse reactions.

Intravenous Fluids

• Pennsylvania LPNs can perform venipuncture (start IV lines) and work with intravenous fluids under the written orders of an authorized physician. The orders must conform to policies listing the fluids LPNs are authorized to administer intravenously.

  Pennsylvania LPNs are not authorized to administer antineoplastic agents (including chemotherapy drugs); blood and blood products; total IV feeding; medications where the dosage starts small and builds up; or medications injected into IV lines (except for the heparin flush that keeps the line clear.)

Updated Information

• Each year, Pennsylvania's state Board of Nursing gives LPNs detailed information about what tasks they may perform in connection with immunization, skin testing, venipuncture and intravenous fluids.