LPN's just glorified nurse aids in LTC? Huh?

Specialties Geriatric

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I recently had a couple of nurses tell me that LPN's are just basically glorified aids in LTC settings.

I though that LPN's did mostly the same work as RN's in the LTC setting.

I know that everyone needs to be a team and pitch in and get whatever needs to be done, done. But LPN's as glorified aids? Why go to LPN school then?

What are typical LPN duties in a LTC setting?

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I recently had a couple of nurses tell me that LPN's are just basically glorified aids in LTC settings.

I though that LPN's did mostly the same work as RN's in the LTC setting.

I know that everyone needs to be a team and pitch in and get whatever needs to be done, done. But LPN's as glorified aids? Why go to LPN school then?

What are typical LPN duties in a LTC setting?

This is just their snotty opinion, and has no basis in truth. If this had any weight THERE WOULD BE NO POINT IN GOING TO LPN SCHOOL. I would disregard what they're saying.

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

LPN's in LTC pass meds and do treatments, etc. Sometimes there is only one RN in the facility. People that say that probably have never worked in LTC.

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I recently had a couple of nurses tell me that LPN's are just basically glorified aids in LTC settings.

I though that LPN's did mostly the same work as RN's in the LTC setting.

I know that everyone needs to be a team and pitch in and get whatever needs to be done, done. But LPN's as glorified aids? Why go to LPN school then?

What are typical LPN duties in a LTC setting?

I am going to school to become an LPN in the fall. this same reason is why i am second guessing the entire thing. the way that some RN's treat LPN is just not right. Whomever is being treated unfairly should report this type of behavior to their human resources dept. When i become and LPN I am going to be darn proud. All the hard work you put into it and then to be told something like this! the next time they say something like that just ignore their ignorance! :angryfire

Carleen

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Lately, I feel like that statement is true. I'm giving some serious thought to applying for the facility bus driver job. There is only a 2 dollar per hour difference in the rate of pay. Besides taking residents to there medical appts, I would get paid for taking them on outings to places like the casino or restaurants or rides in the country in the Fall when the tree leaves are turning or out to see the Christmas lights. :stone

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I recently had a couple of nurses tell me that LPN's are just basically glorified aids in LTC settings.

Those are usually the couple of nurses that tend to peezed everyone off at a job with that kind of holier-than-LPN attitude.

In other words, they're beyond misinformed.

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Lately, I feel like that statement is true. I'm giving some serious thought to applying for the facility bus driver job. There is only a 2 dollar per hour difference in the rate of pay. Besides taking residents to there medical appts, I would get paid for taking them on outings to places like the casino or restaurants or rides in the country in the Fall when the tree leaves are turning or out to see the Christmas lights. :stone

I know this is off topic, but that actually sounds like a cool job.

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As an LPN who works in LTC, this is not true. I pass meds, do treatments, etc. Yes on occasion I pull an assignment (code word in our place for an aide job). But that is usually because we have too many nurses or not enough aides. I'm in a big facility so we have RN's on at all times, but in the smaller facilities, there are only RN's on in the day. Besides, what's wrong with being a glorified aide? I'd hate to be an aide under those nurses, if they feel that way. We all do bed baths, dress patients, feed them, etc. If that wasn't part of the job, why would we be trained in those skills? And yes those are skills. We are responsible for the whole patient. Next time you see those nurses, ask them to explain what they mean.

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but in our hospital (all floors) LVNs and CNAs are interchangeable. THey do the CNA job, the only advantage being that they are available to pass PO meds when the RNs are busy.

It's really sad, I don't understand why LVNs and CNAs are treated the same at our hospital, it's a tremendous waste of nursing staff.

Melissa

I recently had a couple of nurses tell me that LPN's are just basically glorified aids in LTC settings.

I though that LPN's did mostly the same work as RN's in the LTC setting.

I know that everyone needs to be a team and pitch in and get whatever needs to be done, done. But LPN's as glorified aids? Why go to LPN school then?

What are typical LPN duties in a LTC setting?

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but in our hospital (all floors) LVNs and CNAs are interchangeable. THey do the CNA job, the only advantage being that they are available to pass PO meds when the RNs are busy.

It's really sad, I don't understand why LVNs and CNAs are treated the same at our hospital, it's a tremendous waste of nursing staff.

Melissa

Wow..that is a waste. Not that being an aide is a waste, but if you go to LPN school and can't utilize that education..it is a waste. You must have a lot of RNs in your state to not utilize LPNs as they are trained. We have a heck of a time keeping and hiring RNs at our place. Most nursing homes in this area only use LPNs as LPNs..mine is the only that I know of that occasionally uses us as aides if needed.

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Wow..that is a waste. Not that being an aide is a waste, but if you go to LPN school and can't utilize that education..it is a waste. You must have a lot of RNs in your state to not utilize LPNs as they are trained. We have a heck of a time keeping and hiring RNs at our place. Most nursing homes in this area only use LPNs as LPNs..mine is the only that I know of that occasionally uses us as aides if needed.

LVNs are used almost exclusively at LTC, they only have I think 1 RN for the whole floor and she does paperwork. LVNs do all the nursing care. Hospitals here are a different story. Palomar/Pomerado health system has phased out their LVNs entirely, (2 hospitals) they don't hired them for acute care at all. Scripps (where I work - 5 hospitals) hire LVNs for the CNA job, they are on the schedule interchangeably used as CNA/LVNs. The other huge system in our are (San Diego) is Sharp, they also have 5 hospitals and I don't know what their policy is on hiring LVNs but I think it's much the same after looking at their job website online, there is not much for LVNs at all.

Melissa

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LVNs are used almost exclusively at LTC, they only have I think 1 RN for the whole floor and she does paperwork. LVNs do all the nursing care. Hospitals here are a different story. Palomar/Pomerado health system has phased out their LVNs entirely, (2 hospitals) they don't hired them for acute care at all. Scripps (where I work - 5 hospitals) hire LVNs for the CNA job, they are on the schedule interchangeably used as CNA/LVNs. The other huge system in our are (San Diego) is Sharp, they also have 5 hospitals and I don't know what their policy is on hiring LVNs but I think it's much the same after looking at their job website online, there is not much for LVNs at all.

Melissa

They do hire LPNs here at hospitals too and they do the same job as an RNs..although that can't push IV meds. But it isn't easy to get a job in the hospitals, especially if you have limited experience. The CNA's at the hospital are actally PCTs (patient care technicians) and can do EKGs, BGs, foleys, etc. in addition to ADLs.

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