LPN-RN partnership in nursing-a gentle reminder

Marijke · Jan 26, 2002

You are absolutely wright, I apologize for any RN's who treat LPN's rude. Nobody deserves to be treated like that. It is almost as if RN's adopt poor behaviour from dr's. Nursing is and should be teamwork, where there are no higher and lower powers, just team members taking care of the patients and eachother.

Grace Oz · Jan 27, 2002

12 comic sans purple

greetings from australia. i think you have articulated perfectly the need for us all to work cohesively. no room for bickering & inflated ego's in the nursing workforce.

in australia we are called enrolled nurses. i believe that's the equivalent of your lpn. e.n's are the most abused members of the nursing workforce here in oz. we get put into & pulled out of the "closet" as the need suits the particular health facility! one minute we are expected to do the job as equal to an rn, next, we're being told, "no, you can't do that"! very confusing, and, unfair!...e.n's in australia work under the direction & supervision of the r.n. that's law all over the country. some hospitals allow you to have autonomy & treat you with respect & acknowledge your skills, knowledge etc. others.....less so. i've been an enrolled nurse for 34 years! :eek: i'm still nursing in acute care hospitals as an agency nurse. what a great website this is. came across it by pure good luck. g'day to all from down under!:)

Paprikat · Feb 4, 2002

I work in a nursing home. I do ALL the same work as the RN, except IMI's which I am learning how to do now. I came into the facility as an "experiment", the first LPN they hired, four years ago. I guess I was a success story. I was treated fairly well, except for one nurse, who was quite rude and has the attitude of "you're only here because we can't find RN's", the other's recognize me as a competent nurse and value my opinion.

When I was in nursing school, my first placement was in acute care and there were a few RN's who refused to "deal" with LPN students. This was quite a depressing situation. But it helped me learn to not treat people like that. I value the expertise and wisdom of my care aides. They are overworked and unappreciated. We are all a part of a health care TEAM!

ingrid · Feb 5, 2002

HEY YOU ARE SO RIGHT AND THE SUBJECT IS SO SAD. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH I HAVE WORKED AROUND THOSE TYPES OF RNS BEFORE I MUST SAY ON THE SHIFT THAT I WORK, WHICH IS EVE/NIGHT 12HRS, ALL THE RN'S APPRECIATE THE LPNS AND THEY DEFINITELY ON A DAILY BASIS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT W/O US, THEY WOULD SINK. I GUESS WE HAVE TO PRAY FOR THOSE POWER HUNGRY TYPES OF PEOPLE. I REALLY BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO POWER OR CONTROL IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES AND THIS IN THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THEY CAN BE IN CONTROL. SAD BUT TRUE IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CASE.

INGRID, LPN-B 6 YEARS

Cubby · Feb 5, 2002

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SENTIMENT. I AM AN RN, BUT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IS AN LPN-AND A DAMN GOOD ONE! I WAS HAVING LUNCH ONE DAY WITH JIM AND MY BOSS CAME OVER TO THE TABLE, AND SAID (paraphrase) 'LPNS AREN'T REALLY NURSES'I WANTED TO CURL UP AND DIE. NOT ALL LPNs ARE GOOD NURSES BUT THEN AGAIN ALL RNs AREN'T EITHER. IT'S NOT THE INITALS AFTER YOUR NAME IT IS THE DECENCY IN YOUR SOUL

rebel charm · Feb 5, 2002

Hi! I'm pretty new here. Love the site. I'm a new lpn- just got my license in Sept. and I'm working in ltc. I've been really lucky. All of the RN's I work with don't have attitudes about working with lpn's. We all do the exact same job and help each other out when needed. The RN that I work the closest to is really great about showing me how to do things I don't know how to do, and she has the patience of a saint:) I'm really sorry to hear that this is not the norm. It should be. After all, we're all in it together, for the good of the patients.

Agnus · Feb 10, 2002

I worked as an LPN for a year before getting my RN. Now our facility no longer hires inexperienced nurses. However, they do hire LPNs. Now that should tell you something. I was hired back only because I has worked there previously as an LPN.

I work with a number of LPN I am amaized the knowledge base they have. As a new grad LPN I didn't have this. There are some RN's with years of experience that I work with that have no clue. Give me a good LPN any day.

You have saved our (RN) buts more than a few times.

I am appolled to hear that some of you must have your charting co- signed!!! Give me a break. The only co-signing that goes on here is with students. With the exception of a few types of verbal orders, like DNR phone orders, nurse pronouncements, and such, then technically it must be 2 RNs but when there was only one RN and an LPN on then the LPN signed.

Brownms46 · Feb 14, 2002

I have worked in a hospital where they have RN/LPN teams...and many times...it's great. But the times it has been a wonderful experience...is when the RN I'm working with...believes in working together as a team. I can work the same unit with the same set of pts. but with a different nurse, and the difference is amazing! The times when I have worked with a caring, professional nurse has made all the difference in the world. But some hospitals turn even a good thing bad. One hospital gave the RN and myself (13) pt. MED-SURG pts. with one getting 2unit PRCs. on the 3-11 shift. Thing is..I won't go back...but that nurse I'm sure did. She and others who work there FT..?? I for the life of me can't figure out why? (12) pts. as day is the norm for them. Why would anyone RN or LPN allow themselves to be abused like that everyday??

Brownie

nursedawn67, LPN · Feb 21, 2002

I whole heartedly agree with this. Parts of this could even have the same effect with nurses and nursing assistants. Just because your the nurse doesn't mean it all has to pushed off on the nursing assistants. Everyone is part of a team, I do get tired of some thinking they are better then others. Thanks for the great post!

Originally posted by leesonlpn
A Gentle Reminder.....

Hello RN, it's me LPN. (Not JLPN..JUST an LPN.) Don't look behind you, I'm not there. Don't look down, I'm not there either. Look beside you, that's where I am.
We're on the same team. I help you, you help me, and together we get it done. Vitals need to be taken.If I'm busy, and you have time,you can take them. Putting a patient on a commode is not strictly an LPN duty, nor an RN duty - it is a nursing duty. Emptying commodes is a nursing duty. Please do not leave them in the room, hallway, or service room for me to do. Stool gatherer, urine collector, sputum catcher, yes I am, as you are. If you don't know which container, ask me, and I'll show you. There will be things I'll want to ask you too. Don't roll your eyes, or become impatient with me. No one knows everything. I have things I must get done too. My nursing duties are just as important as yours. I have things to chart, assessments to do. I have my own governing body and standards of practice, to which I hold myself accountable.. Please don't ask me to do something just because you'd rather not do it yourself. That's not what LPN's are for. Besides, it's not fair. I love nursing and I hope you do too. When LPN's and RN's work together it's a wonderful nursing partnership, and a very productive team. So come and work with me, .........
Partner.

:rolleyes:

Agnus · Mar 8, 2002

Agnus · Mar 8, 2002

Employers get a real bargin hiring LPNs. Most do an RN job as competently or more than any RN. It is a small thing in comparison for me the RN to pick up the few tasks that the LPN is not allowed to do. After all I'm getting paid a LOT more.

I went from LPN to RN with a 40% pay raise at the same hospital. There are very few things an LPN cannot do that I must do for her. It's a crime.

Grace Oz · Mar 8, 2002

You are dead right there Angus! Here in Australia, us EN's ( same as your LPN's) do ALL the hard work, the manual work, the "dirty" work, as well as the writing of casenotes, taking observations & recording them, doing wound dressings, treatments etc etc. We are THE most abused members of the nursing workforce!!...When it suits management to utilise our knowledge / skills etc, they do. But when it doesen't, they shove us back in the 'closet' & then pull us out again as it suits. No matter we've perhaps lost confidence OR the ability to perform certain tasks!!...Yep, we're real value for money, that's for sure!!...

Cheers, Grace.