What is the difference between a Licensed Practical Nurse and a Registered Nurse?
Job Description The expectations of performance are much higher for registered nurses than they are for licensed practical nurses. On the floor, LPNs and RNs may have similar duties, but an RN usually has more medical responsibilities. For the specific legal differences, refer to your states nurse practice act. Learn more about LPN training. Bedside care is the primary scope of practice for a LPN/LVN. LPNs tend to be more task oriented, while RNs must see the big picture. They must analyze issues deeper and consider underlying conditions and how they relate to the here and now of a patient’s status. Some of the tasks performed by RNs that cannot be performed by LPNs are: hanging blood, pushing IV’s, titrate drugs, and hanging chemo; however these vary from state to state. Registered nurses usually perform the initial assessment of a patient. LPNs can also perform their own assessment, but the initial assessment must be performed by a RN. LPNs may also work in conjunction with RNs in pa
