Are LPN's being phased out?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I know people have been saying for years that everyone would need a BSN and LPN's would be a thing of the past, etc. Well, so far, where I work (a large, magnet hospital) there are still many, many nurses without a BSN -but there are veeery few LPN's. I attended a meeting last week where my supervisor was lecturing RNs about signing off on LPN's charts and she mentioned that there are very few LPN's and even mentioned that some of those LPN's are about to graduate to be RN's. I overheard other RNs in the cafeteria complaining about LPN's basically saying, "what's the point when we have to go behind them."

They are definitely being phased out where I work. They aren't hiring LPN's anymore although the ones who are there aren't getting fired or anything. What is it like where you work? Do you think LPN's have a future?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

LPN's being "phased out" has been a rumor for more years than I've been in nursing. Unfortunately rumor's sometimes get repeated until they become fact, and I am seeing this actually happen in my area. Especially in the hospital setting. There are very few postings for LPN/LVN positions on any of the local hospital websites, and even some LTC facilities are going to an RN manager/med tech model with maybe one or two LPN's to perform treatments, manage feeding tubes and any other task a med tech can't perform. My facility is unusual in LTC in that it is mostly RN, we haven't hired an LPN in a long time, and the last two that were hired were in the process of becoming RN's. Even clinics and doctor offices are hiring more techs and PA's because they are more cost effective. The only positions I really see advertised for LPN's are in home health, assisted livings and occasionally as charge nurse in LTC. Even the nursing schools no longer have strictly LPN programs, one school does however have an option to test as LPN after one year with the option of continuing the second year for ADN. While I personally believe LPN's are a vital part of the health care team, I can't recommend anybody start school with the objective of choosing that as a life long career.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

i wanted to get my LPN while i finished nursing school, but my nurse manager told me that she would have to fire me if i did.

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Why-in our MA. ERs many LPNs work as criticial care techs and have the hospital pay for there RNs. Is ur boss a jerk? Or does she just think LPNs are not nurses.

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Generally once you are an RN or on track to be one you dont drop back and be an LPN for convenience. Some boards do forbid this. I find it hard how to understand if you were in one educational program and working on the side how you would be able to have time for another.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Generally once you are an RN or on track to be one you dont drop back and be an LPN for convenience. Some boards do forbid this. I find it hard how to understand if you were in one educational program and working on the side how you would be able to have time for another.
Some state BONs permit people to take the NCLEX-PN to become an LPN if they have completed the first year of a professional registered nursing program. Working as an LPN is a good way to earn some decent money and accrue some nursing experience while finishing off the RN program.
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Specializes in LTC, MDS, plasmapheresis.

In 1987 they told us the day we graduated 'go for rn they are getting rid of LPNs'. Then LPN IV certification evolved, and LPN use went up and up. So why pay RN pay when you can get RN work for LPN pay? Now, with depresed wages, why not pay RNs less than LPNs, then do away witth that pesky IV issue once and for all?

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, plasmapheresis.

And BTW- the naysayers re: LPNs? LPNs have vastly more practical clinical skills that a LOT of BSNs, due to the longer clinical times. (I once saw a BSN try to irrigate a cather by starting at the end of the urine drainage bag tube, believe me or do not). But anyway- it's nonsense the wildy varying scope of all nurses from state to state, so there will always be this antogonizing array of beliefs about who is what or better or more qualified. Also nonsense if the seemingly random sets of rules BONs follow.

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I have had many RNs tell how shocked they were at the amt of hospital hrs we put in. My BF who is an RN ( we both went to school at the same time 22 yrs ago) said she glad she never did the LPN program cause (this is her quote not mine) "that seems way harder than what I'm doing. My daughter who went to LPN school last yr ( again shocking an LPN mom would encourage her daughter to do it also) had a CRAZY amt of summer homework prior to starting that I never had. I really hate this post. The answer is it depends on where you live. Just recently UMASS-MEMORIAL again on MONSTER INC. 2 jobs in the actual hospital on an actual floor for LPNs ( of-course with exp.). There has not been a large amt of hospital jobs in MA for LPNs in the last 15 yrs, but several small community hospitals do hire us to maintain there budget-that statement is from the DON at Marlboro Community. If you choose to get your LPN is probably wise to plan for your RN. But money is the factor at every hospital and scope of practice is different in every state. A nurse I work with, her husband works in Conn. he is the charge nurse at night in a hospital on a floor. He had 2 exp. LPN with him every night he worked. He said it's the easy job he has ever done. This is because EVERYONE works within there scope of practice. He does admissions, pushes IV meds and does the blood transfusions; and checks labs and charts. That is it, the LPNs divide the floor. If nothing is going on-he says his job is way easy. He's been a nurse for over 30yrs

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Today I really felt the effects of LPN's being phased out. :crying2: I'm an LPN, currently not working though, to be a stay at home mom. I volunteered for (RAM) Remote Area Medical a couple of years ago as an LPN & loved it. I called them today to volunteer again, as they are doing a health fair in my area soon... and got turned down!!! The lady on the phone said they were only taking RN's now! "I'm thinking are you kidding me?! To volunteer?! OMG!" All I did the last time was admit people to be examined. We did BP checks, & wrote down their symptoms & what meds they were on. That was it. Why can't an LPN do that as a volunteer?! I was really looking forward to it... I guess we are being phased out. I know there are still lots of LPN jobs, but when they're phasing us out even as volunteers, that can't be good....

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Basicly the type of personnel used comes down to the employer. One of the big issues in nursing and elsewhere is hospital license. In other words hospitals make their own policy about what personnel may do on their premises and it is ok. You will find that some hospitals teach cna's to draw blood and have certain ones who take this job over at various points in the day. Things like this have been a sore point for regulatory agencies and national nursing organizations for years.

I believe you will find that the apparent demise or not of LPN's depends mostly on whether you are employed or not.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, plasmapheresis.

At the same time these 1000's of schools continue the same course, churning out people with little job opportunity and saddled with non dischargeable debt.

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I just e-mailed a nasty letter in behalf of LPNs to RAM

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