LPN working as a CNA

[anglezwarmth]

I am a new LPN of 5 months in the field. I started out working as an LPN in a nursing home with my own residents. I was loving everything I was learning and absolutely love being a nurse. The residents would comment on how patient I am with them compared to other nurses. However, recently, I was put as a 3rd night shift nurse and I wasn't so ok with this. As the third nurse, I have no residents I am allowed to care for. The reason I got into nursing is to help people and to care for them. As the third nurse, I am only allowed to do paperwork and assist CNAs.

I went on vacation and when I returned I found that my schedule had me down as a third nurse or a CNA for the first two weeks of September and then I wasn't even on the schedule at all the last two weeks of the month. I wasn't even working as a nurse anymore. I was absolutely devastated. I may not be a perfect nurse, as I do not think there is such a thing. However, I love my nursing and am learning every day and am one of the friendliest nurses you will ever meet. I am no "nurse crotchet" as some call them.

I went to the administrator and discussed the schedule issues. I noticed other nurses were working at least four days a week with 12 hour shifts. This put them over the full time mark. I tried to ask why we couldn't split the shifts more evenly amongst all of the night nurses. I was only asking for 2 days per week during my RN schooling. He didn't want to hear any of it. He only wanted to know if I would work as a CNA or not. I told him I went to school to be a nurse, not a CNA. I had been a CNA for over 12 years. I didn't want to do full time work as one again.

To make a long story short, I guess it's time to quit this job. I am very upset and devastated. This is my first nursing job and I keep wondering what went wrong and what I did so wrong. Fellow workers just tell me that I wouldn't work full time is why I'm just a "filler." What happened to wanting to work part time through school to keep my nursing skills up and learn more to become a better nurse???

What ever happened to caring for nurses too and not just pushing us aside? I love being a nurse too much to become a CNA permanently again. I don't mind working as a CNA here and there and I always answer call lights and assist residents when CNAs are busy. I just don't want to BE a CNA completely again. The administrator wouldn't even consider rotating the night nurses as CNAs and third nurses. I was stuck with it.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

What happened to wanting to work part time through school to keep my nursing skills up and learn more to become a better nurse???

No employer is obligated to work around your scheduling needs. It sounds as if you work at a facility that is not willing to accommodate your school schedule.

I'm sorry this is happening. Perhaps you can find a PRN/per diem/casual job, or change your status to PRN at your current job. However, I wouldn't quit outright.

[BPerez32]

I agree you didn't go to school to be CNA your a nurse find a new job...I would quit but as soon as I found the new I would then....you have more education than a CNA that was the whole purpose of moving up....I definitely agree with you there...

[Bigmaine33]

I'm a firm believer in doing what my heart tells me. Remember"either you stand for something or, you stand for nothing".

[olive11]

Ugh. Talk about an administrator taking advantage of staff. He's not willing to work with your scheduling needs. He needs to staff CNAs and has decided to use you (probably because of your past experience, your new nurse status, and your scheduling needs) to fill the CNA gap. Myself, I'd find a place that could use my nursing skills that I worked so hard to obtain. There are tons of long term care facilities and nursing homes that would hire you. Look into them and be sure to explain your scheduling situation so you can be clear from the get-go. I've had great DONs and Admins and I've had terrible ones so I know what both sides can be like. Focus on what's best for you and your future. Good luck!

[ButterflyBreath]

Do you get any benefits as a part time nurse (when you worked as a nurse there)? It could be purely a numbers thing. Maybe it's cheaper to employ less nurses even if still getting a little overtime, than to employ you and them because of having to pay you benefits. I don't think it's right, but I've noticed that some facilities are so cut throat about the numbers. My agency ALLOWS me to be a part of their group insurance for anything over 30 hours a week, which is nice. I still have to pay $340 a month though and get zero sick or vacation. I guess the benefit is that it's a group policy. I think you are clearly justified in leaving if they don't promise to revert you back to LPN within a certain time. Future employers might wonder why you went back to CNA and it might work against you with future opportunities. I think they are taking advantage of you in some way.

[ButterflyBreath]

Never mind what I said about the hours thing. The issue is CNA vs LPN, not part time vs full time! Sorry

[FutureRN-GA]

Yea, I would definitely find a new job. I myself have been a CNA for about 10 yrs and am currently in a LPN program. Its one thing to work as a CNA during times when staff call out etc but not as a permanent fill in, thats a slap in the face. You have worked too hard to move up from that to be expected to perform at that level on a regular basis again. Move on hun. Get a PRN job.

[caliotter3]

Not seeing your name on the schedule at all for the last two weeks of the month told you more than the administrator said when he asked you if you would work as a CNA. I would resign as soon as I found another job, like yesterday. But for yourself, put in for unemployment benefits as soon as you finish your final listed shift. You are entitled to unemployment. Don't let them cheat you of that. Either the employer will give you work or they will lay you off altogether in response to you requesting unemployment. They can't have it both ways. Good luck finding something better.

[NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

Definitely find another position. You don't want to spend a significant amount of time here only to find that your resume in a year reflects no paid LPN experience. You have more than enough CNA experience. You now need to get paid for what your scope of practice is going to hold you to when you're on the clock whether the schedule reflects it or not.

A nursing friend of mine went through the same thing when she transitioned to the role of RN. The agency would not send her to the hospitals that she had been going to because those facilities required one year of paid RN hours, but they were more than willing to allow her to continue coming as an LPN. She refused to go and I don't blame her. How could she ever get the paid RN hours if she continued to work as an LPN? It made no sense at all, especially since she was going to be held accountable as an RN (scope-wise) since that's the highest valid credential in her possession.