LPNs: Myths And Misconceptions (Part IV)

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) play a significant role in the delivery of healthcare in the United States and other countries. However, people continue to perpetuate nasty falsehoods regarding LPNs. This is the fourth and final article of a four-part essay that will expose the biggest myths and misconceptions that plague today's LPN workforce. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have made significant contributions to the nursing profession in several different countries for many years. However, a multitude of myths and misconceptions exist that threaten to tarnish their importance to healthcare.

The first article of this four-part essay lists several persistent myths regarding the role of the LPN, and the second article mentions a few more. The third essay in this collection also contains a handful of myths about LPNs. Keep reading, because more misconceptions exist.

Myth number ten: LPNs cannot see the big picture.

I recently read an article that attempted to describe the differences between LPNs and RNs by mentioning that the LPN is task-oriented, while the RN sees the bigger picture. Again, the ability to see the big picture is not an innate ability. Rather, it is something that is cultivated with the passage of time and the accrual of experience. In other words, this varies from nurse to nurse. I have met RNs who are very task-oriented and worked with LPNs who can analyze everything that is occurring with their patients to see the big picture. Of course, I have also met the stereotypical task-oriented LPN many times.

Myth number eleven: LPNs cannot touch IVs.

This privilege is totally dependent on the state in which the LPN practices nursing. Some state boards of nursing, such as the ones located in Texas and Oklahoma, will permit their LVNs/LPNs to engage in intravenous therapy and even perform skills such as the pushing of IV medications. Other state boards of nursing, such as the one in New York, are very restrictive regarding the LPN's participation in intravenous therapy.

Myth number twelve: LPNs cannot teach or be educators.

With the right mix of experience, LPNs are allowed to become instructors for nursing assistant (CNA) training programs. In addition, LPNs are permitted to secure employment as instructors in medical assisting programs at trade schools and adult education centers. In fact, I attended a state-approved medical assisting program approximately 12 years ago at a trade school that was owned and operated by an experienced LVN. She also taught the medical assisting courses and served as the director of education for the school.

The main goal of this four-part essay has been to debunk and/or challenge common misconceptions about LPNs. Please correct the next person who makes half-baked statements about LPNs. We all must share accountability for erasing the myths and misconceptions about the LPN's special role in the nursing profession.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'm so fortunate that I was trained by several RN's who used to be LVN's when I was in school. Some of them had worked their way all the way up to the MSN level and they really understood fundamentally they were the same nurse all the way through but they just added layers of experience and knowledge.
Yes. I love working with accomplished people who have not forgotten where they came from.

I cannot stand the snobby people who had humble beginnings, but renounce their start in life. My friend has an aunt who was an LPN for many years prior to becoming an RN. When my friend announced that she had gotten accepted into the LPN program, the aunt replied, "Why are you going to bother with getting a petty LPN license?"

0 Votes
Specializes in Rehab, LTC, Peds, Hospice.

What I meant was after graduating, education is spent more at facilities I've worked at for the RNs. I believe that although it would be a financial burden for some, CEUs should be a required part of maintaining your LPN license. The school I went to had a lengthier program then many states require for LPN schools and our clinicals definitely compared to an AD program.

I didn't find the MD'a article to be an overly derogatory one. I think it had some good suggestions worth examining.

0 Votes
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

CEU's ARE are a required part of maintaing my LVN license at least in my state and I assumed all.

0 Votes
Specializes in Rehab, LTC, Peds, Hospice.
CEU's ARE are a required part of maintaing my LVN license at least in my state and I assumed all.
Nope. There is a wide disparity between states.
0 Votes
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
CEU's ARE are a required part of maintaing my LVN license at least in my state and I assumed all.
I've been licensed as an LPN in Oklahoma, which required absolutely no CEUs upon renewal. Some states do not have any CEU requirement.

On the other hand, I've been licensed as an LVN in CA and TX. CA required 30 CEUs upon renewal and Texas requires 20 CEUs prior to each renewal of licensure.

0 Votes
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Well so goes California so goes the nation (so they say). You really should have to prove you've made some effort to stay current to keep your licence current.

0 Votes
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Click on the link below to scroll through the different CEU requirements set by each state's board of nursing. A staggering number of states have no CEU requirements.

http://www.pearlsreview.com/requirements.html

0 Votes
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

UGH just another card they have against us. Though glancing through that link it does look like a lot of the states that don't require CE's from LPN don't need them from RN's either so at least thats some what equal.

0 Votes

Nosing around NYS's website came upon this:

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/dialysis-lpns-and-end-stage-care.pdf

Just a bit more information, do with it what you will.

0 Votes
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.
Nosing around NYS's website came upon this:

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/dialysis-lpns-and-end-stage-care.pdf

Just a bit more information, do with it what you will.

I do believe for a brief period of time LVN's were allowed to IV push certain medications in a dialysis center but CNA or one of the pro RN lobbying bodies got that struck down.

Though realistically they do need to be able to find a way to provide good dialysis care at an affordable price.

0 Votes
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Though realistically they do need to be able to find a way to provide good dialysis care at an affordable price.
Yes, especially with all of the Medicare and Medicaid cutbacks. In the future, I suspect that freestanding dialysis centers are going to find ways to operate with less RNs and more dialysis technicians and LPNs. After all, these facilities are already being pinched to the max.
0 Votes
Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Absolutely and with Type II diabetes becoming more common we are going to start seeing more and more patients on dialysis so price wise somethings got to give. Might as well transfer some responsibilities to the LVN than to expand the dialysis technicians role.

Economics are going to have more of an influence on the LVN/LPN role than any nursing union or public opinion. LPN's haven't been completely phased out and are dominant in certain areas like LTC and home health.

Personally I would like to see the LVN role/education to be expanded to fit the niche the transition away from ADN to BSN have left. Expand the length and content of the education required but keep the accessibility the same. Meaning have the core disciplines such as A+P integrated into the program so there isn't that 1 year prereq bottleneck before application. I feel we lose a lot of good nurses that way because the barrier to entry is so high

0 Votes