Are LPN's being phased out?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I know people have been saying for years that everyone would need a BSN and LPN's would be a thing of the past, etc. Well, so far, where I work (a large, magnet hospital) there are still many, many nurses without a BSN -but there are veeery few LPN's. I attended a meeting last week where my supervisor was lecturing RNs about signing off on LPN's charts and she mentioned that there are very few LPN's and even mentioned that some of those LPN's are about to graduate to be RN's. I overheard other RNs in the cafeteria complaining about LPN's basically saying, "what's the point when we have to go behind them."

They are definitely being phased out where I work. They aren't hiring LPN's anymore although the ones who are there aren't getting fired or anything. What is it like where you work? Do you think LPN's have a future?

Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.
Why would a hospital hire an LPN (or diploma educated RN for that matter) even though they do not have have a degree?

Simple. They might be excellent nurses and the best fit for that position. The degree does not make you a better nurse than an LPN or a diploma prepared RN.

Lets not go by exceptions. Yes, no matter what the title is, there are good and bad ones out there. If we look at it in your way, then LPN's shouldn't complain about MA's replacing them ( I saw many topics here about that, that's why I am saying this). There may be just awesome MA's that are better fit for the position for the employers if you ask why they hire MA's instead of them...

I don't want to go into personal level and say, a better LPN, worse RN, etc, that's why... I am talking about higher education, not a good or a bad nurse.

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Specializes in Adult ICU/PICU/NICU.
Lets not go by exceptions. Yes, no matter what the title is, there are good and bad ones out there. If we look at it in your way, then LPN's shouldn't complain about MA's replacing them ( I saw many topics here about that, that's why I am saying this). There may be just awesome MA's that are better fit for the position for the employers if you ask why they hire MA's instead of them...

I don't want to go into personal level and say, a better LPN, worse RN, etc, that's why... I am talking about higher education, not a good or a bad nurse.

I tried to explain to you why an LPN could get hired over an RN based on her/his experience. If you wish to discuss MAs do it where its applicable, its not applicable here. I'm taking about bedside nursing in an acute care setting. MAs do not work in that environment, they work in ambulatory settings. They certainly don't work in critical care nursing, yet there are still veteran LPNs who work in critical care. My example was from my own background in critical care nursing. A young RN with little experience would in no way be hired for a position in the PICU where I worked, even with a BSN, over an LPN with many years of critical care experience. That's not an exception in states where LPNs have a broad scope of practice.

Best to you,

Mrs H.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.
I tried to explain to you why an LPN could get hired over an RN based on her/his experience. If you wish to discuss MAs do it where its applicable, its not applicable here. I'm taking about bedside nursing in an acute care setting. MAs do not work in that environment, they work in ambulatory settings. They certainly don't work in critical care nursing, yet there are still veteran LPNs who work in critical care. My example was from my own background in critical care nursing. A young RN with little experience would in no way be hired for a position in the PICU where I worked, even with a BSN, over an LPN with many years of critical care experience. That's not an exception in states where LPNs have a broad scope of practice.

Best to you,

Mrs H.

In the area I live, none of the hospitals hire LPN's no matter how many decades of experience they may have. No way a hospital would hire them for any type of critical setting. RN with experience or not is hired for critical care settings.

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Specializes in Adult ICU/PICU/NICU.
In the area I live, none of the hospitals hire LPN's no matter how many decades of experience they may have. No way a hospital would hire them for any type of critical setting. RN with experience or not is hired for critical care settings.

That's nice but you need to learn that not all states have the same scope of practice for LPNs. There are states that the scope is very similar to that of an RN and some that are more restrictive. The only thing I couldn't do was do the admission assessment (so I didn't take new admissions), train to be an ECMO tech and run the pump, be charge nurse, serve a patient's primary nurse, or give IV chemo products or anesthetics. Otherwise, I did it all. These are the states where experienced LPNs would be hired over RNs who lack the experience. Do you now understand why an LPN could be hired over an RN like you originally asked? MAs have nothing to do with it, neither does your state or area because they are not all the same. Got it?

Best to you,

Mrs H.

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I live on Cape Cod in MA. I spoke with my old nursing instructor recently and she told me a lot of the new LPN's are unable to obtain jobs because the hospitals on the cape are only hiring BSN so all the Associte degree nurses are working in LTC. I am working for a visiting nurse company who had 1 LPN when I started and they never had her case manage or manage complex patients. When I started working per diem they started realizing how valuable LPN's are and are now paying for my RN and have hired more LPN's. You can always make a place for your self if you put yourself out there and show people your skills, so don't get discouraged.

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I have been an lpn for 25 years now, and they have been saying that since i got my license. I can honestly tell you i make more than many rn's. In my area i can't see them phasing out lpns. There just isn't enough rn's to accomplish the patient load. In my area its us lpns who have to clean up after the rn's. Lpns have been drilled on procedures while the rn's have been drilled on paperwork. Hope this helps.

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I don't think so. LPN's still have a role in healthcare. In my work they are basically equal to RN's, it even shows in their pay its only a one dollar difference. Though their union contract guarantees a pay raise while the RN's are non-union which is strange.

The only things they cannot do is sign off on an initial assessment, hang blood (can't even do that in our place), and start IV's (need the certification like the RN's do).

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Specializes in cvicu.

sad to say but the 2 large hospital groups in central Florida no longer let LPN's work on floors doing patient care. I know last LPN's

that were left were let go this year most with over 25yr experience each.

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putting my 2 cents worth in, here in tennessee lpns are still working in all healthcare facilities including hospitals. on med surg specifically there are on average 4 lpns, 2 rns, and 4 cnas on a 25 patient floor/wing. as far as wages, in this area lpns can make anywhere from $11-20/hour depending on where they work. hospitals usually are in the median. highest paying jobs are in agencies. for this rural area, that is good money.

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thats fine if you dont mind moving. Not always an option for some

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just gonna say our hospital worked best on Med-Surg w/ 2RN 4 LPNs and 2 CNA

everyone worked in their scope of practice and no one ever left overwhelmed.

RNs did admissions, reviewed all labs and handled all the problems that required

calling Drs. They would meet with ea Pt and review the care for the day.

LPNs would pass meds, dressings,IVs,FS,-write notes

CNA would get the VS and do care ( we all helped the CNAs as they ea had

12-15 on there assignment-but the RNS helped them the most). We never

had issues such as RNs thought they were better or LPN felt RNs did not

think they were real nurses or CNA felt they were slaves. It's easy to work

on a team when the roles are CLEAR

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AND......a lot of RN's have diplomas.That's not a degree. I agree LPNs are being hired less and less in hospitals, BUT outside of hospitals they are very much in demand. I know of plenty of places that don't hire RN's but simply have 1 or 2 on staff for initial assessments and all the other nurses are LPN's. LPN's can do a lot more such as IV and MED ADMIN. Many ppl are confused by this phasing out LPN thing.....trust me its only in the hospital..and whats funny about that is in my area hospitals are bringing LPNs back. because they can do 95 percent the same job. boy we have jealous RN's.why cant we all be a team. If i would have known nursing was like this i would have never went in to it. all it is is who's better than who....Instead of what many nurses lose site of.....quality effective patient care..?Hmmm i think that's what we should be doing rather than bickering. I know of some RN's and LPN's that are so good at there jobs and work very well together..you never hear them fighting about credentials. They have told me "a nurse is a nurse", were here for the patient. why most nurses aren't like this i don't know.but its a down right shame.

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