About to become "a nurse!"

Boston AGACNP · May 30, 2008

Smart move. Good for you! I am not an LVN, but I surely understand how you feel.

kstec, LPN · May 30, 2008

Now that you have your RN, assuming ADN, there will people who will wonder when you going to get your BSN, CNP, PA, or MD. I'm a LPN and darn proud of it. If we all were at the very top (md) then who the heck would take care of the patients? People who give me an attitude about me being a LPN, annoy the you know what out of me. I don't like the restrictions put on me, but if and when I do go back to school it will be because I'm perfectly capable and because I want more freedom to use my skills. People who make rude comments of course are perfect, NOT, so I just take it with a grain of salt and walk on by. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS, you're now a nurse with less restrictions.

Jules A, MSN · May 31, 2008

Fortunately when this happened to me it was someone that was well meaning but misguided. I'd just say "I'm a nurse now but about to become a RN" and wink. Getting my LPN license was one of my proudest accomplishments and I won't ever forget it. My RN paled in comparison, kind of like been there/done that, although I am totally jazzed about the extra opportunities I will have.

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · May 31, 2008

tbanurse: I think you handled that well.

I'm "guilty," if you will, of asking LPN's about going on for their RN. Not because I don't think LPN's are real nurses (I started out as one, and I count those two years in my 25 years as a nurse) or because I don't think we need all levels. If you don't want to go back to school, for whatever reason, that's your business, and I won't ask again.

I ask because I like to offer encouragement if it's needed. I've run across a surprising number of people over the years who have a desire to go on, but who have been beaten down or discouraged from trying- by life, family, circumstances, or whatever. Or who, for some of the same reasons, have never even thought it possible for themselves. I'm not talking about hounding someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do. I'm talking about encouraging a spark or a desire. I can tell you that the look on someone's face is priceless- the look that comes when you look that person in the eye and say that "I do believe you have what it takes to do this, if you want to." Some people have heard that all to seldom in their lives. (I was blessed to be raised by parents who, though they didn't say it explicitly very much, made it pretty plain that they thought I could accomplish just about anything I set my mind to).

Oh, and let me add that my LPN education is the basis for everything I've done since.

Jules A, MSN · May 31, 2008

I ask because I like to offer encouragement if it's needed. I've run across a surprising number of people over the years who have a desire to go on, but who have been beaten down or discouraged from trying- by life, family, circumstances, or whatever. Or who, for some of the same reasons, have never even thought it possible for themselves. I'm not talking about hounding someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do. I'm talking about encouraging a spark or a desire. I can tell you that the look on someone's face is priceless- the look that comes when you look that person in the eye and say that "I do believe you have what it takes to do this, if you want to." Some people have heard that all to seldom in their lives. (I was blessed to be raised by parents who, though they didn't say it explicitly very much, made it pretty plain that they thought I could accomplish just about anything I set my mind to).

I do this with super sharp CNAs all the time and like you said it isn't because I don't value their current position but to offer encouragement to continue on if that is something they might like. The nurses that have been welcoming and have encouraged me through school really made me feel good and I hope to pass that along.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jun 1, 2008

Several years ago, I was interviewing for an agency position attached to a local hospital. This hospital is notorious for having new RNs outnumbering their experiences nurses. At any rate, when she told me how much I would get paid, she only based it on my RN experience, saying something like, "Because you've only been a nurse for 2 years." When I pointed that I actually had more experience than that, because I had been a LPN for 7 years (in a level 1 trauma teaching hospital, no less) prior to getting my RN, she replied, "Like I said- you've only been a nurse for 2 years." I wouldn't have worked for that bitty for all the money in the world.

I ended up in a BSN program with a few of her employees later on, and trust me- I definitely had more nursing experience under my belt than they did, even with my 'lowly' 7 years as a LPN.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 1, 2008

Several years ago, I was interviewing for an agency position attached to a local hospital. This hospital is notorious for having new RNs outnumbering their experiences nurses. At any rate, when she told me how much I would get paid, she only based it on my RN experience, saying something like, "Because you've only been a nurse for 2 years." When I pointed that I actually had more experience than that, because I had been a LPN for 7 years (in a level 1 trauma teaching hospital, no less) prior to getting my RN, she replied, "Like I said- you've only been a nurse for 2 years." I wouldn't have worked for that bitty for all the money in the world.
I ended up in a BSN program with a few of her employees later on, and trust me- I definitely had more nursing experience under my belt than they did, even with my 'lowly' 7 years as a LPN.

That makes me so angry! Good for you not being willing to work for someone that ignorant.

tbanurse · Jun 1, 2008

Unfortunately, I think part of the problem is our uncanny ability of 'selective memory.' Many people have met nurses, good and bad, but for some reason, people often tend to remember only the "bad" LVN and the "good" RN. They associate bad nursing with LVNs and good nursing with RNs. I have even had people complain about a particular nurse and her lack of common sense, but once they found out that I was the LVN and the one with no common sense was the RN, the attitude completely changed. I will forever be puzzled about this! I certainly don't mean for this to be part of the never-ending us/them argument, just an observation of people and their behaviors!! I have more respect for those who have started out as CNAs, worked their way to LVN and then to RN. These are the ones that have paid their dues and have seen an opportunity to better serve their patients and in the process better themselves! And yes, I do believe that LVN experience should result in a higher starting wage than a new grad RN!

celestial1 · Jun 6, 2008

TBAnurse, I myself started out as a CNA am now a LPN and slowly working my way up to RN and who knows where from that point. Many times especially after going to LPN school with people with no medical experience that felt that changing someone or that CNAs were beneath them, I have said that I believe people should have to start at the bottom and work there way up. How else can you have respect for the CNA that does the dirty work? We have all seen nurses both LPN and RN that felt they were too good to change someone or do something as small as help someone change their gown. I work in LTC and on one particular evening shift we had 6 CNAs and 3 LPNs working, it was the middle of dinner and I had nothing to do so I went to pick up a tray to feed someone and one of the LPNs had the nerve to tell me that if I picked up a tray she would smack me because we had 6 aids. Should I have sat there like a lump or should I have done what I did and turned around picked up the tray and fed that person plus a few more helping the aids finish a little sooner and helping dietary get out of there sooner?

Caffeine_IV · Jun 6, 2008

Oh wow comments like that just burn me up. LPN/LVN are licensed by the freakin state board so we ARE nurses. I don't care what anyone says. And yes you were right to help the aids if you could. Those duties such as bathing, feeding, etc are within our scope of practice. I don't care for lazy nurses.

joyfulgrrl · Jun 6, 2008

I'm very excited to have found this thread! I was just speaking to an RN I work with today about this very subject. I am just completing my CNA course, starting LPN school in July - and plan to go on for my RN at a later date. I can't count the number of people who have asked why I'm not going straight for the RN - reason being, actually, that this is a faster, more feasible course for the immediate future to be able to be a nurse, which is a huge career change for me anyway! I try to take most comments as positive encouragement, but they often come across as somewhat derogatory.... I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who feels this way!