Are Hospitals Fazing out the LVN's in your area??

mstigerlily · Jun 23, 2005

I have worked at two hospitals in the San Diego area (Palomar/Pomerado) and now Scripps. Palomar no longer hires LVNs for acute care, only for their SNF. They only hire RNs and CNAs.

Scripps hired LVNs but they seem to be indistinguishable from the CNAs. They do the CNA job while RNs do the nursing job (with the rare exception of two of our LVNs who have been there 20 years. They have some nursing responsibility). Don't know about the other hospitals.

Melissa

It is happening here in San Jose, CA at the larger facilities??
Curious if this is something to be worried about??

allnurses Guide · Jun 23, 2005

Nope, no phasing out here. We need all the nurses we can get.

steph

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 23, 2005

No phasing here.

DYatesRN · Jun 23, 2005

It is happening here in San Jose, CA at the larger facilities??
Curious if this is something to be worried about??

Already has happened here. I think we only have one LPN on the mother/baby floor that has been there several years. The rest of the floors have only tech's and RN's. To some extent I see the hospitals view--the RN can independently carry out nursing tasks such as initial assessments, hang blood, IV push meds, titrate cardiac drugs and heparin drips. I do not think the homecare or LTC areas of nursing will ever be able to phase out LPN's as they are the backbone! I recommend if you are worried to check into alternatives to obtain a higher nursing degree--it opens soooo many more new doors. I really think being an LPN has made me a much stronger RN. LPN's will forever be a valuable resource no matter what the latest trend is!

Denice

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2005

There's a hiring freeze on LPNs here. There are only RN positions available. Those LPNs who have jobs here are keeping them without threat.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 23, 2005

Central IL - few to no LPN's. When I first started in the ER 9 years ago we had five LPNs, now none.

jansailsea · Jun 23, 2005

Manatee Memorial (Bradenton) & their satellite Lakewood Ranch Hosp. Human Resources told me they prefer RNs & PCAs.

Today, an employee of Sarasota Memorial stated LPNs were going to be phased out & replaced with PCAs.

Our LPN program does the majority of upper level clinicals @ Sarasota Memorial!

jansailsea

**Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN** · Jun 24, 2005

Just went to a job fair, there's no LPN jobs in regular hospitals available around here. One place told me they replaced their LPNs with MST positions. :crying2:

caligirl2 · Jun 24, 2005

Just went to a job fair, there's no LPN jobs in regular hospitals available around here. One place told me they replaced their LPNs with MST positions.

I was afraid this was the case! Very Sad to what patient care has come to! :crying2:

Watsurf · Jun 25, 2005

]

What LPN program are you in, or were you in?

I'm starting at SCTI August 8th. I'm doing the online courses right now to get them out of the way.

jansailsea · Jun 25, 2005

]
What LPN program are you in, or were you in?
I'm starting at SCTI August 8th. I'm doing the online courses right now to get them out of the way.

SCTI Practical Nursing finish 07/29, although ceremony isn't till 08/25 to allow all Health Sciences classes to graduate at one time.

The A&P exam was harder than my classmates were prepared for & most took it more than once-not me, thank heaven.

DO NOT BE LATE FOR CLASS, CLINICALS, OR COMING BACK FROM CLASSROOM BREAKS -15MIN OR LUNCH!

Bring bottled water (SCTIs water tastes metallic & whiff of sulfur) and something like trail mix because you'll hit a wall around 9 or 10AM & wish you had brought something.

Get in the habit of completing the study guides & the chapter challenge at end of each chapter. It will only help you in the long run with tests.

Index flash cards you personally make of the chapters & lecture points were the key to many of my classmates success. NEVER TURN IN WORK LATE or you'll always hear about it. And NEVER, EVER leave a hospital bed in the up position even if you are in the lab with a mannequin who must be treated as if they were a live person.

Have a clean uniform & clean, white only shoes (no backless clog types) every day or hear about it over & over, your SCTI badge, stethoscope, penlight, bandage scissors, BLACK PENS ONLY, blue nurses book for clinical check offs ON YOUR PERSON at all times. They like to have surprise inspections. And the drug testing pee in a cup is for real, Sarasota Memorial staff conducts it from what I remember, and we lined up in the hallways outside the bathrooms with instructors keeping an eye on us & the testing person inside the bathroom with you.

I think it would not be a bad idea to purchase the NCLEX Review for PNs now & study whatever portion you are covering in class as an aide. You will be taking National League of Nursing pretests throughout the program every 3-4 mos. So, that can only help improve your scores come time for the state boards.

You will be a friend to your clasmates if you pass along this advice.

Good luck, jansailsea