Final answer:
LPN/LVNs must refer to the Nurse Practice Act of their licensing state to understand their scope of practice. It contains regulations on the duties they are legally allowed to perform and varies by state. Other references like the Interstate Compact, ANA, or institution policies are secondary and cannot override the state's Nurse Practice Act.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine what LPN/LVNs can and cannot do within their scope of practice, they would need to refer to c. The Nurse Practice Act of their licensing state. Nurse Practice Acts are laws in each state that define the scope of practice for nurses, including LPNs and LVNs, within that particular state. These acts contain specific regulations regarding the duties that a nurse is legally allowed to perform, and they vary from state to state. It's essential for every nursing professional to be familiar with their state's Nurse Practice Act to ensure they are practicing within legal boundaries and maintaining patient safety.
While the Interstate Compact may allow for multi-state practice for RNs and LPNs/LVNs within compact states, it does not define scope of practice. The American Nurses Association (ANA) provides guidance and standards for the nursing profession but does not regulate scope of practice. Finally, employing institutions may create policies that are more restrictive than the state's Nurse Practice Act, but they cannot authorize nurses to perform beyond it.