LVN Responsibilities Go Well Beyond Just Physical Care

If you’re already an LVN or working on becoming one in the Glendale area and beyond, you know that the training you’ve received or are receiving is designed to prepare you to be ready for anything, including situations where you may need to provide 24-hour care.

Licensed Vocational Nurses are often called to go beyond simply providing basic medical care and nursing services to a client. They talk with them, learn about their life, help them in different areas, and sometimes take on the role of an advocate or a qualified go-between with a client’s other providers to make sure they receive quality care as well have any of their questions answered.

Accredited Home Care is always eager to add LVNs to our skilled staff, which helps us continue in our mission of being able to assist as many Southern Californian residents as possible. We’ve been providing quality home care to thousands of residents for the last 30 years, stretching from San Diego to the San Fernando area, north of Los Angeles.

Our trained staff, which includes RNs and LVNs as well as a variety of aides and therapists, offers a variety of skilled services as well as the ability for clients to remain independent in their homes instead of having to relocate to an assisted living facility.

We also enjoy working closely with a client’s family members, loved ones and caregivers, plus any of their providers, to ensure the client always has optimal care and support at every level.

Beyond nursing

Because we provide the ultimate in professional care services and licensed home health options, we’ve already earned a reputation for quality and service among many of the other home care agencies in the region.

Part of what we do well is to encourage our staff to try to provide the best possible medical care to all our clients, such as checking vital statistics, changing wound dressing, keeping and updating records, and offering similar basic care. Then they’re encouraged to go beyond this by providing other important duties.

Some LVNs may be asked to assist clients with:

• Dressing. Clients in poor physical health or suffering from dementia may sometimes need assistance with their morning or bedtime routines. Although the services of an occupational therapist can be made available to help them develop, re-learn or practice these skills on their own, an LVN can help make sure these tasks are always done safely until someone is comfortable doing it on their own.
• Grooming. If needed, LVNs can assist clients with tasks like shaving or basic hygiene, although an occupational therapist can also help someone learn how to perform these tasks themselves. Being dressed and clean-shaven, with their hair combed or brushed, or perhaps light make-up, can go a long way in making a client feel better about their appearance and life in general. It may help reduce anxiety as well.
• Listening. Once the basic medical needs are taken care of, an LVN may enjoy engaging the client in conversation. Clients will especially enjoy and appreciate an audience eager to their adventures and may be appreciative especially if their ‘regular’ audience (including family members) has heard these tales plenty of times before. An LVN may also enjoy the experience of having a ‘listening’ break from their client.
• Other emotional needs. Although most LVNs don’t have extensive mental health therapy training under their belt, clients sometimes often seek reassurance from them. Part of being compassionate is being able to take the time to listen, learn and help them as much as you can. For instance, a client may be worried about their health, their future, their family, their finances or other sorts of other concerns and anxieties. An LVN may be able to recommend local resources that might be able to assist or connect them with other peers in the industry that may be able to assist.

Spread good cheer

Although LVNs and other medical professionals can be appreciated anywhere they visit, this month even more so. July 11 is “National Cheer Up the Lonely Day,” an opportunity where everyone is welcome to look for people in their local communities who may be feeling down and find ways to make their lives a little better and brighter.

These terms are certainly very open-ended and subjective, but the point is for everyone to look for ways to help other anywhere they can, especially those who feel all by themselves such as shut-ins or others who live alone. You can do your part by visiting someone who is feeling unhappy or a little down. It could be sending a card or flowers or making a phone call if you don’t live nearby. It could involve bringing a meal or a snack for them if you do live nearby.

But to many nurses and medical professionals, including LVNs, every day can be thought of as Cheer Up the Lonely Day. If you feel this way, you might be a perfect candidate to join our organization. We offer many areas for advancement and have a strong reputation for quality care and integrity spanning 40 years.

If you’re an LVN and want to know more about our organization, we’d love to tell you!