LPN scope of practice by state: Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania rules compared
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 4 min read · Updated November 2026
Checked against official sources: November 2026
Rules, fees and deadlines differ by state and change without notice. Check with your state board of nursing before you rely on them.
Short answer
LPN scope of practice is set state by state, in each nurse practice act and its board rules, so the same task can be legal in one state and barred in the next. In the three states checked here, the LPN works under RN or provider direction and contributes to assessment, while IV push rules differ the most.
Where is the LPN scope written down?
Each state has three layers. The statute (the nurse practice act) gives the legal definition, board rules add the detail, and some boards publish position statements or FAQs that explain how they read their own rules. Employers then add policy on top, and policy can narrow what you do but cannot widen it past the law.
| State | Main rule text | Who directs the LPN |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | Texas Occupations Code 301.002(5), Board Rule 22 TAC 217.11, Position Statement 15.27 | RN, APRN, physician, physician assistant, podiatrist or dentist |
| Florida | Florida Administrative Code chapter 64B9-12 for IV therapy (amended July 20, 2023) | RN or other health care practitioner defined in rule 64B9-12.002 |
| Pennsylvania | 49 Pa. Code 21.145 (functions) and 21.145a (prohibited IV acts) | RN or a provider authorized to order care, such as a CRNP, physician, PA, podiatrist or dentist |
Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and every other state not in the table have their own act and rules; read your board's before you rely on this page. This page covers only the three states whose rule text we opened and could confirm is current.
Can LPNs assess patients?
Yes, within a focused or data collection role, and the wording matters. Texas Position Statement 15.27 says the LVN performs a focused assessment of the patient's status or situation at hand, which may feed the RN's comprehensive assessment, and states plainly that the LVN cannot perform independent assessments because the scope is directed and supervised.
Pennsylvania rule 21.145(a) says the LPN participates in planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care using focused assessment, and must contact an RN when a patient's needs exceed LPN scope or the patient's condition changes significantly. The Florida chapter we opened deals with IV therapy and does not define LPN assessment, so check the Florida statute and board rules.
Which states let LPNs push IV meds?
This is where the three states split most clearly. Pennsylvania lists IV push as a prohibited act, while Texas leaves it to facility policy after a validation course, and Florida ties IV work to a 30 hour course and the employer's approval.
| State | IV push | Training rule | Other limits named in the rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Not allowed: 21.145a(5) bars push or bolus | IV curriculum in 21.145b before IV functions | No initiating blood or plasma volume expanders, no titrated drugs, insert or remove only a peripheral short catheter |
| Texas | Up to facility policy | A validation course before any IV therapy; the board does not define the course or an IV certification | No PICC or midline insertion or removal |
| Florida | Not singled out; IV-certified LPNs may give IV therapy except listed acts | At least a 30 hour post-graduation course plus supervised clinical practice witnessed by an RN; at least 4 hours of central and PICC line instruction, which may count within the 30 | Without direct supervision, no initiating blood, chemotherapy, plasma expanders or investigational drugs |
Florida LPNs who have not finished the 30 hour course still have a limited IV role under rule 64B9-12.004: calculating and adjusting flow rates, watching for adverse reactions, inspecting the site, changing the dressing, removing a peripheral catheter and hanging hydrating fluids.
Employer policy sits on top of the state rule
All three states send you back to your employer. Texas 15.3 says giving IV push or titrating drips is up to facility policy, Florida's rule makes IV therapy subject to the employing institution's approval, and Pennsylvania 21.145(a)(3) requires the LPN to follow facility policies that are consistent with applicable law.
The practical test is two questions in order. First, does my state's rule allow this task for an LPN at all? Second, does my employer's written policy allow it and have I been trained and checked off? A yes to only one of them means you do not do the task.
Sources
Texas Board of Nursing Position Statements 15.27 (LVN Scope of Practice) and 15.3 (LVNs and IV Therapy). Texas directed scope, supervisors, focused assessment, no independent assessment, IV validation course, IV push up to facility policy, no PICC or midline insertion or removal
Florida Administrative Code chapter 64B9-12, Administration of IV Therapy by LPNs. 30 hour course, 4 hours for central and PICC lines, RN-witnessed clinical practice, acts outside IV-certified LPN scope, limited IV role without the course, rules effective July 20, 2023
49 Pa. Code 21.145, Functions of the LPN. Pennsylvania focused assessment, when to seek RN guidance, facility policy, IV under supervision
49 Pa. Code 21.145a, Prohibited acts. Pennsylvania LPN IV push ban and other prohibited IV acts
Common questions
Where is the LPN scope written down?
In your state's nurse practice act and the board of nursing rules under it. Some boards, such as Texas, also publish position statements that explain how the board reads its rules. Your employer's policy can narrow the scope further.
Is the LPN scope the same if I move to another state?
No. Each state writes its own rules, and this page shows how far apart they are: Pennsylvania bars LPN IV push by rule, while Texas leaves it to facility policy after a validation course. Read the new state's board rules before you take an assignment there.
Does an IV certificate from one state carry over?
Not automatically. Florida, for example, requires a 30 hour post-graduation course plus supervised clinical practice, while Texas does not define any IV certification. Ask the board in the state where you will practice whether your course meets its rule.