How many LPN's Don't Plan To Pursue the RN Title?

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I have been an LPN going on a year now and am quite frankly happy with the way my career has progressed so far...I started out doing private duty cases and agency work which I still do. I recently got hired by the VNA to be a crisis care/hospice nurse. I am IV and phelbotomy certified. I plan to obtain certification in hospice/palliative care since this will be my nursing specialty. I thrown around the idea of pursuing an RN degree, but I realized my heart isn't into it, that I would be doing it under societal/family pressure. Just wondering if I am the only one that is content being an LPN, or are there others that feel the same?

Specializes in Home Health, Education.
Thanks for the update!

I do think that if someone is an LPN and they are happy or don't choose to become an RN it doesn't signify that they aren't moving forward, though. You'd need to know a lot more about a person's life to determine that. There are people on this board who are LPNs, don't plan to become RNs who have such accomplished real lives that I cringe when they are the recipient of put-downs or the target of assumptions about their work ethic no matter how politely they are framed.

Far be it for me to put down LPN's as I am still one myself. Even when I become an RN, I will never forget my LPN beginnings as I strongly believe I wouldn't be as confident in advancing my nursing education without a solid foundation beneath me. Truth be told, I am not exactly thrilled about returning to school. I've forced myself to go back due to the writing on the wall that in order to have any chance at career advancement or bump in monetary compensation, like it or not, one must obtain an RN license. There is simply no way around it. And in South Florida where I live, the role the LPN across all settings are getting smaller and smaller. Trust me, if I knew I had job security as an LPN, I would happily remain one forever. However, I feel that if I'm going to be working as a nurse for the next 50 years, I might as well at least obtain a BSN so that when I'm finished with school, I'm done for good and I'm considered educationally capable of doing my job. So in a nutshell, if one wants to remain an LPN, more power to him/her. But for the reasons I mentioned, I feel that I am doing what is right for me by becoming a registered nurse.

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Specializes in Med-surg.

true!!! when I was in the LPN school, the BSN students used to say that LPN's are NOT nurses. That offended us. They should NOT look down on us because they work with us.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Far be it for me to put down LPN's as I am still one myself. Even when I become an RN, I will never forget my LPN beginnings as I strongly believe I wouldn't be as confident in advancing my nursing education without a solid foundation beneath me. Truth be told, I am not exactly thrilled about returning to school. I've forced myself to go back due to the writing on the wall that in order to have any chance at career advancement or bump in monetary compensation, like it or not, one must obtain an RN license. There is simply no way around it. And in South Florida where I live, the role the LPN across all settings are getting smaller and smaller. Trust me, if I knew I had job security as an LPN, I would happily remain one forever. However, I feel that if I'm going to be working as a nurse for the next 50 years, I might as well at least obtain a BSN so that when I'm finished with school, I'm done for good and I'm considered educationally capable of doing my job. So in a nutshell, if one wants to remain an LPN, more power to him/her. But for the reasons I mentioned, I feel that I am doing what is right for me by becoming a registered nurse.

I'm sorry CLUVLPN I should've made it more clear that my "thanks for the update" and the paragraph that followed was not directed at anyone personally but I can see how you would've interpreted it that way. I have a really long history of reading posts from people who do assume that. One memorable post said "if you stay an LPN it makes me think you're only in it to pay for your after-work beer and pizza". :android:

I know there are LPNs here who are lawyers, MBAs, accomplished writers, etc! I only hope there comes a day when all those with a nursing license of any type drop the internal destruction because we have far more against us as a group than one faction of us can ever hope to overcome. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

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Specializes in Orthopedics, and Home care.

I enjoy my position as an Lpn .. I'm still fairly new at this position.. I think about going back to school, but I just can't afford it , right now..

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Specializes in Home Health, Education.
I'm sorry CLUVLPN I should've made it more clear that my "thanks for the update" and the paragraph that followed was not directed at anyone personally but I can see how you would've interpreted it that way. I have a really long history of reading posts from people who do assume that. One memorable post said "if you stay an LPN it makes me think you're only in it to pay for your after-work beer and pizza". :android:

I know there are LPNs here who are lawyers, MBAs, accomplished writers, etc! I only hope there comes a day when all those with a nursing license of any type drop the internal destruction because we have far more against us as a group than one faction of us can ever hope to overcome. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

Yes, I guess I did misinterpret your post. I apologize as well. I've always enjoyed reading your threads/posts, by the way:)

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I'm in Texas and hospitals (the home of RN's) are pushing for accreditation so nurses need to have a bachelors or masters to work there. RN's with associates degrees are being pushed into LTC and Dr's offices which were where LVN's traditionally worked. I love being an LVN and I HATE the thought of going back to school but I'll have to eventually.

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Absolutely no intention. I plan to retire in the next six years. I'd have to work full time for ten years to repay my student loans, re-coup lost wages and pension benefits.

I already have a degree in another subject and don't have the need to torture myself with nursing school in my mid-50s.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Float pool- in all areas.

I have over 27 years working in the health field, starting out in a retirement facility, then making my way through the hospital setting, working from E.R, ICU, CCU, PACU, PSYCH, MED SURG, TRIAGE, OB/GYN. ONC.,PEDS.,LD, MOTHER/BABY, NEURO., Sitter ect.... I've worked as a C.N.A PCT 1,2 and 3, Nurse Tech. Psych Tech. mental health worker and Clinical Partner. And I have worked in some of the best hospitals, from Fla, Ga, NY and now Los Angeles. I am in the process of re-locating back to the South and I will be doing the Method 3 (from CNA to LVN). at this point, I could careless with getting a R.N license, and the only reason I'm pursuing my LVN license, is because I get paid very well as a C.N.A, I make 25.00/hr. here in Cali. at Cedars medical center and I don't want to go back down to 11 or 12 bucks in the South. Also thinking of going to Texas, because they pay their LVN's better. I already have a B.A in another study, and I don't plan on going back. I'll also settle for the Nursing home position, if need be.

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I have been a nurse since 2009. I have struggled with this very question a lot. Im currently working as a School Health Associate (LPN title for School Nurse) now for two hears. I absolutely love my job. I am contracted by an esc for a local school district since in Ohio to be a "School Nurse" you have to be RN BSN or SNC. The pay stinks, $16 an hour for 181 days (9months of school) contract is nothing. I am a single mom of two. Although the hours and days off for holidays and summer are great. I don't have to pay a baby sitter during these times. I still would like to make more money just making ends meat isn't living. I went to nursing school so I could provide for my kids and do it well. I have looked into online RN programs but really don't see me being able to do it and work full time also. I think it bites that LPN's are not better paid than they are.

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Nope! I have been an Lpn for 20 yrs I'm good with being a practical nurse I see what the RNs go thru ...no thank you and just for a few bucks more not worth it

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Specializes in Psych, LTC/SNF, Rehab, Corrections.

I wouldn't mind staying an LVN.

Career mobility isn't an issue. There's plenty to be had in HH, LTC, Hospice, etc....

I suppose people don't take advantage of it because some people stay on the floor and others just don't care to work LTC. ADON is an option and I happen to like 'business' but the management side of LTC is, like, 'BLECHHH'.

I like to manage systems, numbers and operations. 'Things'. Not ...'people' and the baggage that comes with. I figure, if I decide to 'manage' anything, it'll be a hospital. At least, I'd be paid well for the headache.

Money is something of an issue. I want to make as much as I can. RNs rec'v more.

I may find my way back to LTC but I know that I'd rather be an RN vs an LVN. There's virtually no diff between us and the RN, I swear it. Sometimes, I don't even 'get' why we have LVNs and RNs. Why not just make everyone an RN? All of these 'points of entry' into the field - it's unnecessary, in my opinion. For the record, I support the BSN as a standard...or, I would, if they paid BSNs what they're worth.

Anyway, the whole 'lvn charge' thing? I think the lines are especially blurry because my DON was an LVN, beforehand. It's not just a 'title', to her. I swear, we only have a Charge RN because the BON demands it. It's a formality.

Every nurse/staff meeting we, the LVNs, get lectured on two things: 'Prudent Nursing' and 'Being Charge Nurse'.

I wish the (rn) charge would handle the families, speak to the providers and pharmacy, deal with the aides, chart, take TOs and transcribe orders, admits/re-admits, do my feedings/cleanings/wound care, hell - take an assignment, help out on the floor with the residents when the aides are under-staffed, etc...

They don't, unless they're working the floor. We do. We manage the floor. If we didn't have med aides (thank god, for them), we'd be doing 40-person med passes by ourselves, too.

No, the charge (RN)? They're like 'med support'. They supervise and assist. They back us up but they take a back seat to everything while we drive. I don't feel any sort of way about it. No. I'm just telling you guys how things run in the LTCs where I've worked. Pretty sure it's like that everywhere.

So, here's what it is: Either, I want to stay an LVN, earning the same pay while doing significantly less... or I want to be an RN doing the same as an LVN/a charge RN on the floor doing less than the charge LVN and earning significantly more. LOL

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true!!! when I was in the LPN school the BSN students used to say that LPN's are NOT nurses. That offended us. They should NOT look down on us because they work with us.[/quote']

To that I would say I BEG YER FLIPPING PARDON? In my school, PN students had a bevy of BSN "mentor" students who follow us around during clinicals and attempt to, well, "mentor" us or some such. What my classmates and I found was that most often, these BSN students hadn't even yet had classroom instruction on most of the skills WE were already proficient in, and just about every questioned would ask them, they had to google. Most of them were on their phones most of the time (we were forbidden to carry one) and showed up with hair down, colored socks, colored undies visible under scrubs, and in general were very poor examples for us PN students. Facilities begged for PN students from our school because we were known for our professionalism and food attitudes.

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