Analysis Of The LPN In The Charge Nurse Role

Lauren K. Trudell

Professor Holly Boylan

Practical Nursing 129

7 December 2015

The LPN in the Charge Nurse Role

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are often placed in the charge nurse role within certain types of of clinical settings, mainly skilled nursing centers. In order to better observe and understand this type of role an LPN can take on, I had a preceptorship at the Wellsprings Lutheran Home in Monroe. I had two preceptors during this month long precepting experience who demonstrated in their own ways how to be an LPN in a nursing home setting. Throughout this preceptorship I learned from both of my preceptors Angie and Tricia. They demonstrated key points of the Lutheran Home’s LPN job description, critical thinking skills, communication

A certain amount of thoughtfulness is required to think critically and the ability to do so is something we hone throughout our lives. This mode of thinking is utilized in nursing almost every day when providing care for patients. Patients are constantly being assessed from head to toe and based on these assessment findings a nurse is required to make judgement calls on how to proceed with patient care. During my time at Wellsprings Lutheran Home I saw critical thinking utilized by both of my preceptors after abnormal findings were found. Such a case involved a resident experiencing pain in her right flank that had progressed to her whole abdomen throughout at two day time span. Tricia assessed the resident first taking vital signs, blood sugars and performing a quick assessment of her all of her body’s systems. She then made a decision based off of these findings and the previous day’s findings to call the resident’s physician and suggested sending the resident out to an acute care

Leadership is the ability to influence and pursue the follower by guiding, motivating and directing to achieve organizational effectiveness (Negussie 49). In nursing there is a need to be a leader and in practical nursing with many CNAs under your supervision it is important to know what type of leadership style you as a person subscribe to. Both of my preceptors fall into the democratic format of leadership, involving everyone in the healthcare team in making group decisions and utilizing effective communication throughout the chain of command when working. When assigning tasks to the CNAs my preceptor, Tricia, communicated what needed to be done that day in a professional and respectful way to the CNAs. When troubles arose with one of the night shift CNAs she made sure to approach all of the CNAs privately discussing the matter with them and an issues they might have had in caring for the residents that involved this particular CNA. Both of my preceptors utilized a provided spreadsheet that was handed of to each following shift that contained each present resident and gave a short summary of their statuses during that nurse’s shift. They both also kept a sheet of paper and wrote areas of concern, vitals, and appointments involving the residents so they could better manage their time and resident