difference between a PSW and a LPN

Fiona59 · Aug 16, 2014

I'm going to put it bluntly. Two years of college level education and a national exam

Fiona59 · Aug 16, 2014

LPNs are nurses. PSW are support workers/aides

Tell us what you think the differences are, didn't you do any research before you applied to train?

loriangel14, RN · Aug 16, 2014

An LPN is a nurse. A PSW is not.WE are regulated and have 2 years of college. PSW programs are about 8 months.

mylove87 · Aug 17, 2014

LPNs are nurses. PSW are support workers/aides
Tell us what you think the differences are, didn't you do any research before you applied to train?

In my province there was a discussio on one of the Facebook pages and there were a bunch of PSWS saying there could do everything an lpn could do minus one it two things, what's why I decided to ask on here.

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2014

At my work PSWs turn patients, bathe them, assist with activities of daily living, walk with them etc. A very important and needed job, but not that of a nurse. I assess patients, administer medication, assess wounds, do dressings, start IVs, draw blood....the list goes on and on. There are just tasks but need to have a lot of knowledge behind them. I also need to be on top on my patients and recognize when something isn't right and intervene/notify the doctor. There is a lot more responsibility involved. Nursing isn't about tasks but knowledge.

Mewsin · Aug 18, 2014

Once you go to school you will see the difference between a PSW and a LPN. There is no amount of telling people that can or will convince them if they are so positive that LPNs are just glorified aides. I can tell you that coming back to work as a CCA for the summer, I can tell the difference between what I do now and what I'm going to do in a few short months.

CanadianGirl79 · Aug 19, 2014

The PSWs saying that on the FB board are deluding themselves, frankly. As LPNs/RPNs, we are nurses, registered with the college in our province. We are trained to not simply perform tasks, but to understand how the way our patient looks/acts correlates to what is going on with them medically, and what that means or may mean down the road, and to act accordingly.

PSWs are very important as well, and valued members of a health care team, but they are NOT nurses. Not even close.

LabellaRN · Aug 19, 2014

I must agree with what others are saying, PSWs are valued members of the HCT but are unregulated and do not have the judgement, training

, knowledge and skills that RPNs are trained to have. Two years of education makes a huge difference belief me . Now it will be harder to tell the difference between an RN and RPN (2 years of schooling)in my opinion but definately not PSW.Now I'm an RN and did my first year placement in long term care as a PSW and in my second year most of the (nurses) I worked with were RPNs and till now working as an RN , it's hard to distinguish between an RN or RPN scoop of practice as I have come to realize RPNs are incredibly skilled and knowledgeable but the difference is obvious when it comes to PSWs.its like comparing apples and bananas!!

xokw, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2014

I run into aides with that view so often, it is very frustrating. BahoRN explains it so beautifully in this post, I couldn't say it better if I tried.

https://allnurses.com/showthread.php?t=921775

IrishErin · Aug 19, 2014

I'm sure that the lines can become blurred at times as it is becoming more common (and somewhat dangerous in my opinion) to have aides give out medications and eye drops in retirement home settings. However, PSW's receive very little training in this aspect and although they are very valuable to the health care team, they are not nurses and shouldn't allude themselves into thinking that way.