Well I've been doing alot of research on this. And it appears that the real difference between RNs and LPN/LVNs is not so much in the clinical scope of practice as people think the difference is in the style of education. RNs are educated through the university route.They take college level language classes and English classes and biology and economics and are educated at a very professional level before nursing school. Where as LPNs are evaluated for basic competency in these areas (high school level). RNs are the college educated professionals with a college degree. LPNs are they everyday, more down to earth and more middle class, Nurses, who are highly knowledgeable
And skilled in there trade, who isn't going to know college level sentence structures, or the whole periodic table, but are very competent and highly knowledgable about real world everyday frontline nursing, with a vo tech diploma. I think RNs are paid more not because they are better Nurses, but because of there more professional non nursing educational background. From my experience as a CNA dealing with both LPNs and RNs, RNs tend to know alot about healthcare facility policy and procedure and are better at than LPN floor nurses do. But like I said when it comes to to Practice and skills, minimal differences.'
