Attitudes towards LPN's

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Hi, I am a nursing student, and after year 1 of my RN, Ive realized I can't afford to finish RN so I'm doing the 2 year LPN course instead. One day I do hope to upgrade but for now it will just be LPN. I've been reading alot of discussions on here and alot of what i read is people (RN's) talking about how bad LPNs are and how unsafe they are. I don't want to end up in a career where I have no respect from my colleagues. I thought we were all nurses, and although RNs do have a greater scope of practice what is the purpose of disrespecting LPNs?

Thanks

Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

Hi there pagandeva, here in Ontario, Canada, there are lots of both RN and LPN (RPN here) programs. I don't think it is that difficult to get into either program, depending on where you live. We don't run waitlists in most universities and colleges that last for years. If you have at least a B average, you will have no trouble finding acceptance at most four year RN programs and two year PN programs.

University tuition here is about 6000. per year plus books, but it is going up and because most facilities are unionized, it takes some time before full time employment can be secured. This is a very real consideration for those needing to pay back large student loans accumulated during four years of full time school which doesn't leave much time, except summers for earning money. This summer has been very tough for students needing summer jobs as our economy is also in a slump.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Thanks for answering my questions! And, I wish the OP luck with whatever decision she makes.

What fascinates me the most about this subject is that I don't often hear that UAPs are a drag. It is discussed often when the UAP is horrible, but past that, you hear "A Good CNA is worth their weight gold", and then, there are the comments that it is too troublesome to work with LPNs, who, in most cases have been trained to do much more than the CNAs. Makes no sense to me! It leads to the wars where (some) LPNs say "I do as much as they do, but am not recognized or paid" and (again, I say SOME) RNs saying we are as useless as 3 dollar monopoly bills.

This is why I can't let the talk push me to do something I am not interested in. You can't please anyone, so, I have to be comfortable in my own skin whether I am nurse enough for some people or not.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Pagan:

I've been working nearly ten years now and have met only two RNs with the "LPNs are a drag" attitude. One was fresh out of retirement and didn't know what our scope had evolved to over the last decade (her manager had a major chat with her after I reported the comments) and the other oddly enough was from a US RN who had moved up here to work (who was also spoken to by her manager when the entire LPN staff of the unit basically said it's her or us).

Alberta is one of the most progressive provinces in PN utilization. We are everywhere. It is easier to say where we're not than list the areas we do work. We don't work NICU and some areas of our Cancer Clinics. I've met LPNs who do work in the ICU and some who have obtained the first LPN positions in our Cancer Clinics. The only real division on the floor is who is allowed to pierce the Travisol and blood bags. Since it still requires two signatures to verify the contents, the RN will hang it and walk away from the LPNs patient, leaving the rest of the fluid run, up to the LPN to monitor and halt if required.

Our PN education has evolved into the two year diploma/hospital based RN programme. When a new PN graduates in Alberta the diploma includes the required Arts transfer classes for the BScN.

In the major cities there are waitlists for the PN and RN programmes. Last info I heard was there was roughly 1500 applicants for 150 RN spots. This leads to incredibly well qualified applicants for the PN seats. In the rural areas, such as where the OP lives, it is easier to get into a course. I know of one LPN who was turned turn in by two RN programmes in my city and moved to a smaller city, in the rural area, who was accepted without any problem into the degree course. Not everybody had the option to sell up, and move to a country town to go to school.

Thanks, Fiona! Is it easy for the PN to bridge into the RN program in Canada? Is there some sort of advanced standing?

In theory it's easy but reality is another issue.

A PN has to apply to a degree programme. Some programmes require 1200+ hours of paid employment as a LPN in order to be accepted. Now here's the kicker, you only get placed into year two of the four year degree AND if there is a seat available for you in the course.

On paper it looks good but depending on where you live and which course you apply to it can be difficult. That's why there has been so much unease up here with the recruitment of overseas nurses. It actually would have cost health regions less money to fund an LPN through a degree than it did to pay the fees and financial incentives for foreign nurses to come over as temporary workers.

Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

When I read the first reply to this thread . . .I knew it was going to get ugly. . .

Let me share a bit of info here. . .

I am an LVN, and I am proud to say that I am. A lot of LVN's do work their way up to RN. I chose to do it this way, as I wanted to see what it was like on every level on the way up. I am GLAD I am doing it that way. I think it helps to prevent SOME of the attitudes we see on this very thread.

I will be working my way up to RN, and I will have respect for any hard working person in the healthcare field.

RN's stating that they have no respect for LVN's is a lot like LVN's saying they have no respect for CNA's. I know a lot of CNA's that love the job they do, and they are darn good at it.

Other LVN's that I know are content where they are at, and there is not a thing wrong with that.

Every day I go to work, and I run my butt off. If there is something that needs to be done out of the scope of my practice, most RN's that I work with are happy to do it, in turn I will do something to help them out. It is not a hard concept. It is called teamwork, and it is called respect.

Sorry if I seem blunt, but some of these replied are just a bit to ignorant to not say anything about.

Specializes in Geriatrics.

Some of us LPNs are happy exactly where we are. If I went back to school; in the small town where I live,i would hope to get a job right where i am at. Problem there is I would take a cut in pay- Yes top pay LPNs make more than beginning RNs. I would not have full time, no positions available. It took me over 10 years to get full time. Plus, I sure wouldnt get the shift I like. Plus, I would have to pay for my schooling, my daughter and step son are in college, my step daughter is going next year, and the year after that, my son. So financially it doesnt work for me either. Most importantly though, I am one of the best LPNs that facility has ever had. I was told that by my DON and the administrator. And the nearest tech school is 1 1/2 hours away. Gas is expensive!!

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I think that we should celebrate the fact that we are ALL NURSES and focus on the teamwork rather than who is the weak link, because there aren't any weak links in title.

The CNAs, LPNs and RNs that are lazy and complacent are lazy and complacent by CHOICE, not because of their vocation.

Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.
I think that we should celebrate the fact that we are ALL NURSES and focus on the teamwork rather than who is the weak link, because there aren't any weak links in title.

The CNAs, LPNs and RNs that are lazy and complacent are lazy and complacent by CHOICE, not because of their vocation.

Very well said.

Specializes in Med/Surg.

As a LPN myself for two years now, the disrespect only makes me want to finish my RN faster ;) I had a patient's wife who was a "CNA" say "O your not a nurse, just a LPN" to me just a aweek ago. I just stated I am working towards my RN and left it at that.

Some facilities overstaff LPN's which overburdens the RN's which I understand there grief. However you also get lazy RN's who don't belong working as nurses to begin with whom dread LPN's due to having to push narcs for us.

The LPN role is expanding beyond what it should tho. For one year of education we can now do that of an RN minus the specialities and narc pushes.

Specializes in med/surg , hospice and oncology.

Just wanted to add my thoughts. I'm an RN and have worked with many LPN's on a very busy fast paced 31 bed med/surg unit. I have absolutely no problems working with LPN's. In my opinion, we are both equal nurses who have the same goal of providing quality patient care. Sure, I understand that I will have to push all their IV meds, start blood or tpn, etc. The LPN's apoligize to me because I have to do this for them when I have my own team of patients. No apoligies required! We work as a team. If I am doing something for their patient they will in turn hang an antibiotic for mine or pass meds for me. I have the utmost respect for all LPN's. :redbeathe

Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..
Just wanted to add my thoughts. I'm an RN and have worked with many LPN's on a very busy fast paced 31 bed med/surg unit. I have absolutely no problems working with LPN's. In my opinion, we are both equal nurses who have the same goal of providing quality patient care. Sure, I understand that I will have to push all their IV meds, start blood or tpn, etc. The LPN's apoligize to me because I have to do this for them when I have my own team of patients. No apoligies required! We work as a team. If I am doing something for their patient they will in turn hang an antibiotic for mine or pass meds for me. I have the utmost respect for all LPN's. :redbeathe

Thank you for your support. It is really appreciated by this LPN.

In the facility that i work at lpn's and rn's pretty much do the same amount of work except the lpn's are not able to take care of the patient's picclines or central lines. Where i workthey are also supervisor'slpn's work on the vent unit as well thcan work on the ventilator unit as well as be supervisors but iam going back to school for my rn only because there is alot more job choices and of cousre the pay is much better but as others have said there are good and bad lpn's and rn's.

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