The future of nursing. Everybody is impacted. Big discussion in SK.

[magnoliya]

Dear nurses

I would like to introduce a new and immensely important topic for discussion. There is a big discussion going on in SK, Canada about roles of Registered nurses(RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses(LPNs). Everything started when LPNs decided to update their bylaws. Should LPNs be given new privileges and roles? Should LPNs go back to school to study more? What will be the role of RNs then? What is the benefit of having two types of nurses? Is it fair to give certain privileges to somebody who studied less than somebody who studied more to acquire those privileges?

Some people call it a turf war and hysteria, others job creep and patients safety issue. Some LPNs want their bylaws updated while others don't as it means more responsibility.

Here is an article that describes the issue.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/registered-nurses-say-proposed-changes-could-hurt-patients-1.2769608

Please share what do you think about all this? Perhaps this should be a global nursing topic but as this discussion is currently going on in SK, Canada, I started it in "Nursing in Canada" category.

you can probably find some more information here.

http://vimeo.com/channels/fromthedeskoftheed

or follow Treacy Zambory SUN ED on twitter who advocates in the favor of RNs

or follow Lynsay Nair executive director of SALPN who advocates in the favor of LPNs

Patients first , safety always!!!!

FYI: LPN in SK is an equivalent of RPN in Ontario.

RPN in SK means Registered Psiciatric Nurse

[vintage_RN, BSN, RN]

@canadian yes I'm at Mac

[CanadianGirl79]

@canadian yes I'm at Mac

I thought so! I went there too. :)

[ANnot4me]

Almost every nurse I know has no interest in the Nursing Profession. They view nursing as a job and have not dedication to advancing the profession.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

We might be more dedicated to advancing the profession if the higher ups actually valued and listened to nurses concerns and ideas.

[Johann Engelke]

I read this thread..

[Fiona59]

I read this thread..

... and ...

[magnoliya]

AnonymousLPN

maybe you think differently. how i supposed to know how you think.you are funny

all other people I will reply when i have time

[lemur00, BSN, RN]

This isn't the typical turf war, though the media has definitely portrayed it as one. What is really happening is a conservative government trying to pit two unions against each other (note that only LPNs are going into RN roles while the RN and RPN designations are unchanged, being in the same union) to weaken them, make more positions that they know are unfillable (as there are already not enough LPNs), force retire older RNs and I suspect eventually bring in unlicensed staff to fill the gap. Being as cynical as I am I suspect that when quality of care plummets they will then turn around and say "well if we could go private, care would be SO much better". The real needs in our system are already seriously unfunded in favour of showy displays that don't improve the system and only cost more.

This is not nurses against nurses, it's government against healthcare and unions by pitting nurses against nurses. SUN is a very powerful union and we knew it was a matter of time before the gov't tried to undermine it. If you notice, SUN is in fact the driving force of protest, not the SRNA--that's not coincidence. They know they're being targeted. This same government recently overhauled all our labour law into a mess that even labour lawyers can't sort out, and the SK courts actually ruled that they are violating people's charter rights with their essential services act. This from historically having the best labour laws in the country for the last 70 years, which they are actively dismantling.

As far as I'm concerned, it's plain divide and conquer tactics, and a big argument for why LPNs should belong to the same union as RNs. Also why we need to listen to one another and not allow ourselves to be played like this. The concerns of RNs have been twisted to say that they think LPNs are inferior; while it's true some old RNs do feel this way, this is not what is being said. LPNs are not inferior, but their role and education is different as is their understanding of the same. Again call me a cynic, but I really think these proposals were made with no concern for patients OR nurses. That's why they're as strange as they are. Normally LPN expansion has to do with skills and other things that would fit easily within their role. This proposed change is going to make them into something else entirely (ie RNs with a weaker union).

Interestingly my unit has one of the broadest scopes for LPNs almost anywhere. We can never keep them because they don't want that broad scope. And many of my LPN colleagues and friends also think the expansion is unsafe, though it's rare their voices are heard. They realize they're going to be expected to do things they weren't educated to do, and in particular became LPNs because they didn't want to do them (eg charge, staff assignment, research). While many are supportive of the planned changes, many more get that while RNs might be out of jobs, their jobs are going to be much much more difficult. They're the ones who are going to be in charge of keeping the care aides from killing acute patients in 10 years.

As an aside the college of physicians has historically actively blocked nurse practitioner activity outside of rural areas. And the SRNA does not have any apparent interest in expanding the RN role. This would be a very difficult avenue to follow as well because of course NPs are still part of SUN. I do think it is about time, but is really wanted is to push remaining RNs into managerial roles, so that they no longer belong to a union.

[lemur00, BSN, RN]

Additionally, I think LPNs can probably do most bedside nursing. AND I really support them doing immunizations because then PH can be about something OTHER than just doing immunizations all the time. But I also think the community/PH role should be HUGELY increased and become truly comprehensive to prevent hospitalization. But as we saw when this gov't stalled the primary health care initiative of the previous one then tried to relaunch it as their own, I'm not convinced they want to really improve health care at all. And that's the sticking point.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

That is precisely the trend with RNs.....education, administration, research. We discussed these trends in my BSN program. A handful of RNS will remain in critical care areas, but as time goes on, RNS will be replaced there too.

[Fiona59]

I'm old. I remember back in the 1970's when the four year degree was being heavily promoted. Degree RNs were told they would be the managers, researchers, etc.

It's the "future" but 30 odd years late.

No LPN I work with ever wants to be Charge in acute care, it's bad enough being Charge in LTC. Most of us don't want to work ICU, etc. We enjoy direct, hands on care.

[Novo]

Uhhh.....ICU is direct hands on care..