Can lvn get fired if facility goes to RN only facility??

Nurses LPN/LVN

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So I'm a lvn working at a SNF for 8 months right out if school. New DON starting soon an the word at work is the are turning facility to all RN facility. Can they fire LVN because they are not an RN?? Has anyone heard of this happening?? Thx

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Do you have a union? Is it a "right to work" state?

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

You wouldn't be fired for not being a RN--you would be fired because they have eliminated the LVN positions. If there's no positions that you are capable of working with your license, they aren't going to keep you around.

Perhaps they will grandfather the existing LVNs in when they make this change, and just not replace them when they leave.

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That has happened at a lot of facilities especially hospitals. At one hoapital where I live at, all of the existing lpns were grandfathered in and were able to keep their jobs and just didnt hire new lpns. At another hospital, theyve gotten rid of all of tbeir lpns. Well good luck hun

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they should give you time to look for a new job or they should give you a job by assigning you to a diff dept. OR should give you the opportunity to take the RN programs so that they will keep an experienced employee whom they trust already..

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
So I'm a lvn working at a SNF for 8 months right out if school. New DON starting soon an the word at work is the are turning facility to all RN facility. Can they fire LVN because they are not an RN?? Has anyone heard of this happening?? Thx
If you live and work in an at-will employment state, your employment can be terminated at any time and for any reason the company sees fit.
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Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.

Sure your position can be terminated and you can be terminated at any time, however, remember that in nursing homes (and other places) that rumors are rampant, and until you see it in writing, take it at face value. Also, An ALL RN staff is expensive, and nursing homes aren't really into shelling out big bucks for more staff than they absolutely need to, so I would be surprised if they go the all RN route.

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Specializes in ICU.

Typically, LVNs are grandfathered in when a facility turns to all-RN. It's like when a facility goes all BSN. ADNs are typically grandfathered in. It's expensive to hire and train a bunch of new people, some of whom won't stay.

Having said that, I'll echo the comments above. Nursing homes are generally run for as little as possible. I've never seen a nursing home use all RNs. I would honestly be very surprised if there are any nursing homes that are 100% RN. I used to work in nursing homes and they were always very heavy on LVNs. RNs were used for DON/ADON only. Some placed used an LVN for the ADON even. An ex of mine is an LVN and is the ADON in a SNF.

Please let us now how this develops. I'm very interested in what becomes of this. Also, if it's not too intrusive, can you list what state you are in?

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Specializes in Clinical Documentation Specialist, LTC.

In my state (MS.) every nursing home I know of heavily employs LPNs as Med. nurses, Supervisors (I myself as a LPN am employed as Head Nurse in an Alzheimer's Assisted Living Home), Treatment nurses, Staff Development nurses, Restorative Nurses, Wellness nurses and other roles which do not require an RN license, with the RN roles being that of DON, ADON or RN Unit managers. As iLOVEbees said, some LPNs even act as ADONs here, esp. in Assisted Living homes and smaller rural nursing homes.

My direct supervisor is a LPN with an Administrator's license who is the Director of the AALF.

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