Re: LPN Petition to Take RN Boards Originally Posted by Woodenpug 
The difference between LVN/LPN and RN is difficult to explain to someone who as not "been there, done that." I mean real experience as an LVN/LPN as opposed to doing it while earning the RN or for a few months prior to getting into RN school. I've been an RN now for a little more than a year and can assure you that it is quite different, however, all of the learning for me has been "on the job." With the exception of learning better formal writing and formal speaking skills, the RN school was of little use. (again, for me.) As I posted earlier in this thread, I still support the petition and have signed it.
For part of the answer as to how RN is different - I spent most of my patient advocacy time as an LVN convincing my RN of what is better for the patient. As an RN, I spend most of my patient advocacy time with MD's, Pharmacists, Nursing administration and lab techs. I don't have to convince myself to get a needed order, pass a PRN med, etc.
In rehab/ltc you do all that. Our admissions have often spent only a few days in the hospital, and are not always stable. We assess them, we call the docs, we pass prns, we make all the decisions. The RN is 'available', but it is not like the Hospital setting you talk about. Thanks for signing by the way!
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