Why don't people take LPNs seriously? - Page 8

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  1. Aug 14, '12 by
    There were factors in my choosing to become a LPN vs a RN 25 years ago: money(600 dollars for the course), the school was 10 miles from my home, preclinicals were half day and I could continue to work full time, small class(20 students in clinical). I had small children at the time and couldn't spend the time or money for college. I did go back and start my LPN to Rn bridge, but had to drop out for family reasons. I haven't given up the dream of finishing though, even if it's to say I did it. It will happen.
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  2. Asst. Admin
    Aug 14, '12 by
    I originally graduated from a ADN program. I was oriented by one of the best nurses I have met in my career.....she happened to be an LPN with a TON of bedside experience. I learned more from her than you could ever imagine. LPNs were, in my opinion, pushed out the LPNs out of the acute care setting by the growing population of "higher educated" or degreed nurses to pushed their own agenda of having an all RN staff " for the betterment of the patient" It of course had nothing whatsoever to do with increasing enrollment into their academic programs.

    I have always taken issue when a "study" is performed by the very people that benefit form the "studies" outcome....like all RN staff makes it safer for patients.........20 years ago that meant the ADN grad.......now it's "BSN grad only" graduate that is capable of "advanced" critical thinking to "improve patient outcomes" When in actuality it is just the availability of enough staff to care for the patient that will lead to improved outcomes.

    LPNs and RN's are completely different entities and have their own value in the health care food train. It's like apple and oranges......they may both be fruits but they are nothing alike. This subject of LPN vs RN vs ADN vs BSN vs MSN vs......blah, blah, blah has been talked out, debated about, argued about since the beginning of time......if we could all just value each other.

    A reminder!

    Allnurses supports a lively debate........ you are free to disagree with anyone on any type of subject matter as long as your criticism is constructive and polite. Additionally, please refrain from name-calling. This is divisive, rude, and derails the thread.
    Our first priority is to the members that have come here because of the flame-free atmosphere we provide. There is a zero-tolerance policy here against personal attacks. We will not tolerate anyone insulting other's opinion nor name calling.

    Our call is to be supportive, not divisive.

    We all need to play nice in the sandbox together.
    Last edit by Esme12 on Aug 14, '12
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  3. Aug 14, '12 by
    Please stop all these threads. 3 are going on right now. I am taken seriously, no, being an LPN is not "bad", and we are NOT!!!!!!!!!!being phased out. Lordy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:redlight:
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  4. Aug 14, '12 by
    People don't have to be all they can be if they don't want to be. Personally elitism from nursing students bores me. You haven't proven you can achieve anything yet so why criticize the achievement of others. Many nursing students end up saying "well I tried becoming a nurse but it didn't work out."
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  5. Aug 14, '12 by
    Quote from sidroc

    I do not pride myself as having a higher intellect than a LPN, nor have I alluded to it. I am a CNA starting a ADN program and do not know more than a LPN. What I will say is that it is a travesty that someone with the capacity to become an LVN or LPN does not advance to their RN. It to me is telling about their motivation. It makes me wonder if their in it for a paycheck big enough to buy their pizza and beer after a 12 hour shift, or if they truly want to make a difference and become personally successful as well as take pride in their status in healthcare as well as advance the cause of adequate patient care. I truly believe that anyone with the ability to obtain their LPN is capable of becoming an RN, however one who does not peruse higher education beyond the minimal will never have the same level of standing in my eyes.
    Many of you might respond that life was difficult when you finished your LPN and that moving on was impossible. I believe this to be a fallacy as I have met many many immigrants from Ethiopia and Gambia, as well as other 3rd world countries who came here in the late 90's with their wife and kids penniless and now are RN's and BSN's at major hospitals. If a penniless immigrant with a wife/husband and children on a green card can do it, We have citizens have little valid excuses. All things considered, I am disappointed by the level of discourse you have displayed Wild Irish LPN given the immediate resort to an ad hominem, If you must know, I generally post from my phone on lunch at work and this can lead to many types of errors.
    A "travesty?". Really? Me thinks you spend a bit too much time pondering other people's career choices and are a bit too overdramatic.

    The goal of a career choice is to provide a standard of living for you and you're family that you are comfortable with, and maybe enjoy the work along the way, not to do the most difficult thing you could possibly intellectually handle to prove something to someone.

    I think it's a travesty that people can't leave other happy, productive people alone.
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  6. Guide
    Aug 14, '12 by
    Quote from tothepointeLVN
    People don't have to be all they can be if they don't want to be. Personally elitism from nursing students bores me. You haven't proven you can achieve anything yet so why criticize the achievement of others. Many nursing students end up saying "well I tried becoming a nurse but it didn't work out."
    Tedious is the word I was thinking of - but I'm feeling a little stab of pity now and then. There are so many constructive things you can do on your lunch hour! In the end, we all have to live with who we are and reap the consequences, whether we're aware of the connection or not.
    Wild Irish LPN and Fiona59 like this.
  7. Aug 14, '12 by
    Quote from Hellostudentnurssee
    I understand that as "nurses", we're the bottom of the food chain. I don't want to sound like a cry baby or put myself or other LPNs on a pedestal but I'm tired of people with the "you're just an LPN attitude". I do know many RNs that have been supportive and understanding. I know when you're a nurse, you have tough skin (and I usually do) but there are some days (like today) when it just gets to you.

    I've been going to school for a long time - it's almost been 10 years from when I graduated high school. I've just been trying to get into any nursing school. I got my AA degree, became a CNA, worked, had to take pre-reqs over, and then the 2 years of LPN school. Now that it's all over, I realize how HARD it was...everything - emotionally, mentally, physically...especially if you had those really difficult instructors who made you feel incompetent. Anyhoo, the "problem" is mainly family members. I don't expect people to jump at my feet and floor me with compliments or attention but it's nice to be acknowledged. But if they don't, no big deal. I'm happy with myself with this accomplishment. I do get alot of "oh it's just LPN, no big deal" or "it's not an RN or BSN, so it's technically not a nurse yet." I do get what they're saying bc I have high expectations for myself and I know I'm not done in my career path but it really IRRITATES me and I think it's bc someone degrading the hard work I went through. Any kind of nursing school is HARD WORK. No offense but it's not like in CNA school...nothing compared to do that. It's almost like, "how dare you say that?" I think it's also a cultural thing to bc in my culture, it's like a stereotype to be a nurse. Anyhoo, sorry to be a debbie downer and vent but it really irritates me and I need to use my assertive, nursing communication "I-statement" skills now, should I?
    Maybe because some LPN/LVNs do not take themselves seriously!
  8. Aug 14, '12 by
    [QUOTE=sidroc;6820053.......This problem stems from the the very existence of lower classes of nurses. Many developed countries such as Canada have moved to only BSN's and America needs to follow in its place to ensure proper education, ensure adequate patient care, and protect the Salaries nurses have worked so hard for.[/QUOTE]

    Wow.

    Thank you for including Canada in your view.

    In Canada, to become an LPN, I attended College for two years. The BscN is the only route to becoming an RN. There are a limited number of bridge programmes available.

    We don't see the LPN as a "lower class of nurse". The scope of practice is very narrow in my province. The move is actually towards increasing the number of LPNs on hospital units due to the expense of RNs (currently topping at around $50/hour in my province). Financially, it makes sense. On many acute units we are now seeing two RNs and six LPNs working in harmony. My hospital has just hired four LPNs to work in NICU, so there are very few services left as RN only.

    Oh, and just so you know it's "aide"
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  9. Aug 14, '12 by
    Quote from sidroc
    .... As for starting as an Aid first, my state requires working as an AID by law before being accepted to a ADN or BSN program....
    I'm staying out of the rest of this discussion, but your statement here piqued my interest: what State requires that one be a CNA (or pct?) as a condition of acceptance into a nursing program? I would think the individual schools would make this determination, not any one State's BON. Of what law are you speaking?
  10. Aug 14, '12 by
    Yeah I was wondering that too. I would have though in my years on AN I would have heard if there was a legal requirement to be a CNA in any of the states. People don't keep quiet about those kinds of things
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