Reflective Essay: Nursing And The Scope Of Practice

This case didn’t shock me when I read because I had the similar scenario witnessed in my clinic two years ago. I started my job at the clinic and was assigned to shadow “the best” LPN with 30 years of nursing experience. Before I start, I need to admit that I learned a lot from her. At first, I was impressed by her knowledge and confidence in her nursing job. Her interaction with patients, knowing them and their parents/relatives, and her easiness performing her duties were amazing example for me. She was loved by her patients and very respected by all physicians. She used to work with same doctor for 25 years which they became family friends over time. He relied on her knowledge and experience, so he used to let her do his duties which are not in scope of LPN’s practice. He gave me the compliment about her that I am lucky of having her as a preceptor and must learn from her as I …show more content…
Minnesota LPN Scope of Practice section 4 states that LPN has to implement interventions that are delegated, ordered, or prescribed by a licensed health care provider. While section 7 clearly states that LPN is accountable in providing safe and effective nursing care delivery (Minnesota State Board of Nursing, 2013). Is it safe to deliver care that is not the scope of nursing practice act? I might learned a lot from watching youtube and practicing on my dolls how to perform tracheostomy in CPR event, but I can’t do it on person. Finally, section 4 of the Minnesota LPN Scope of Practice points out that LPN is accountable for the quality of care delivered, recognizes his/her limits of knowledge, and has to implement skills typically expected of an individual who has completed an approved practical nursing education program (Minnesota State Board of Nursing,