Louisiana state board of practical nurse examiners: Scope of practice. (n.d.)
Retrieved February 1, 2003 from http://www.lsbpne.com/scope_of_practice.htm

• Reviewed by Nan Turner

This article provides a brief definition and description of the practice of practical nursing in the state of Louisiana. Of particular interest is their statement that “the scope of practice is a fluid concept.” Fluid in that the scope of practices changes as knowledge and technology expand. The article also states that the scope of practice actually comes down to the competency of the LPN in that the LPN must possess the knowledge, skills and ability to perform their duties. It also stresses the point that scope of practice is not just a list of tasks/skills. The use of such lists is discouraged and in fact is believed to result in limitations to practice.

Application of this article: as we proceed we should think of the scope of practice as being fluid; limit the use of lists of tasks and skills to define scope of practice, and determine what level of competency is required for the entry level EMT at each level (including knowledge and skills).