What are the REAL limitations between an RN AND a LPN?

[stronginchrist]

Hi my wonderful and inspiring nurses. I always have heard about what LPN can and cannot do and only heard of the real difference is the fact that LPNs get paid less than an RN . however , my professor told me that LPN and RNs work together and LPNs would supervise patients and CNAs/PSWs and would almost do the same thing like what an RN would do . so exactly why do the majority so badly want to be an RN instead of staying as a LPN?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Any limitations between the RN and LPN role are highly dependent upon the scoop of practice in the state where you're working. I worked as an LPN in Texas, a state with a wide open scope of practice. I received my LVN schooling in California, a state with a very restricted scope of practice.

So it all varies greatly depending on location. Good luck to you!

[OCNRN63, RN]

I have also asked why is it that individual's want to upgrade to RN and not stay as an LPN? The question was to observe if the majority is willing to upgrade only because of the salary or if it is for other benefits .

I'm not clear on what it is you're really asking. Work isn't measured by quantity. Money is important, and I can see that alone being a factor. There are many opportunities that are closed to LPNs. Most specialty certifications require you to be an RN. Those are benefits that may not necessarily be able to be quantified but are important to a lot of nurses.

I'm disappointed that your professor has done such a poor job of delineating the differences between the two levels of licensure.

[stronginchrist]

Nothing what my professor have stated was wrong, I have not been exactly detailed on what she have told me ; the main point to that statement was to see why the majority of graduates or LPN had wanted to upgrade to an RN and not stay as an LPN for the rest of their lives. But as I have seen through previous comments I understand why there are many Individuals who would prefer continuing their education.

I really wanted to see and know that being an LPN is an respected nursing career just as much as being an RN with or without limitations

[HazelLPN, LPN]

I'm not certain that I understand your question. If you are asking if being an LPN is a respected nursing career, I can say that it depends on the individual nurse if they are respected on not.

Once you are a practicing nurse with experience, you will see that there are nursing assistants that are respected and others that are not....LPNs who are respected and others who are not....RNs who are respected and others who are not. Same with the unit clerks, pharmacists, lab folks,...even the docs. It's based on how one does their job. When I did NICU, one of the best members of the staff who could get feeder growers to eat was an aide who had worked there for 40 years. She was the only aide that took a patient assignment with an RN as they made sure they gave her the really cranky kids who just didn't PO well. She did a better job than any RN or LPN on the staff...like she had magic in her hands. She learned on the job and could feed a rock. By instinct, she knew what these babies needed. If she said "can you please look at so and so, something isn't right" you KNEW that you better get your rear end over and check the kiddo out. Everyone respected her for her knowledge, despite that fact that she had little formal nursing education.

I also worked with a CCRN who had a masters in nursing. I dreaded to have to follow her because she was such a slob and the first hour was spent cleaning up her mess. She clearly had plenty of book smarts, but was a terrible bedside nurse...extremely disorganized...very messy. She would suction the kids until they about coded...it was scary to watch. When she was scheduled, we had to select her assignment very carefully...usually kiddos who were ready to go upstairs....rarely anyone who was really sick. What was worse is that she liked to talk theory during report to the point that I would cut her off and say "Well, help me clean up a bit first and you can talk while we get organized" as I lifted some meds off the chair on top of the nursing notes on top of an ink pen on top of a toothette on top of a sterile towel. Our unit clerk wrote a Christmas song about her to the tune of the 12 days of Christmas what it was like working with her ("On the first shift of Christmas (so and so) left for me....an infiltrated IV")

Nobody respected her, despite her formal nursing education and book smarts.

Again, I'm not sure if I understand your question, but this is my version of respect.

Best to you,

Mrs H.

[stronginchrist]

Honestly I can tell you that you had answered my question completely and thank you so much

I respect it a lot and even given me a lesson . thank you thank you.

[LittleCandles]

LPN's here cannot start IV lines, we cannot give medications through IV lines, we cannot do medicaid/medicare things either...

[caliotter3]

In two different areas in my state, I have noted a 3 - 1 difference in available positions listed on employment web sites. Same ratio 20 years ago as today. In a dismal economy, many people choose RN over LVN for this reason alone. It makes sense.

[loriangel14, RN]

The OP mentioned PSWs ( Personal Support Workers).Tthis makes me wonder of she is in Canada.Tthis will have a big effect on the difference in scope of pratice for PNs. PNs can start IVs, hang IV mesa and blood, do assessments and access PICC lines.

I would imagine that what route you picked would dpend on your goals. If you wanted to go into managment or be an NP you would go the RN route

[CaliBoy760]

Having worked in health care for more than twenty years as an EMT, a Sleep Tech, a Hyperbaric Tech, and, finally, an LVN, and having worked around both RN's and LVN's during that time, I can honestly state that what initials you have behind your name is in no way indicative of how good a nurse you are. I have known RN's who I wouldn't let take my temperature, and LVN's that I would let suture me up if need be. As a Diving Medical Technician, I could start central lines, push IV narcs and cardiac meds without a physicians order, more so than a garden variety RN.

Unfortunately, management is blind to this fact. Always has been, and always will be. And they will continue to insist on hiring only RN's until financial incentives force them to re-evaluate that stance. I am sure that they can justify only hiring RN's, and in some instances they may be right. But, at the end of the day, the "N" in LVN stands for Nurse. And it's a crying shame that we have been ostracized from so many institutions and professional avenues available to some 22 year old whose grasp of the English language is tenuous at best simply because they passed a test.

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

There are a good number of LPNs in my BSN program. Most of them are doing it for a greater choice in career options, better pay & benefits, and to further their education as they had always planned.

In my ER, they are not hired because of the amount of IVP meds that need to be given on a daily basis. Even with IV certification, they would need to ask an RN to do all of their IVP meds and to hang blood.