Are LPN's being phased out in hospital setting??

[fozziebear]

I have read several articles where the inference was that LPN's are being phased out and replaced with R.N's in the hospital setting. Is this happening? Reason being - the RN needs to leave her own duties to assist the LPN in a clinical skill that LPN's are not trained in. It was suggested that in years to come that L.P.N's would most likely be predominately in the LTC setting. Any thoughts? Is this happening in some states?

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

And here's a tidbit that will upset a few. In my health authority up here in Canada, the only person that can push IV meds are RN in ICU, ER, and Dialysis. The floor RN is not permitted to. If a patient requires IV push meds they are deemed to be too ill to be on an acute floor. I think I've seen one doctor do it in the last ten years.

So, the IV push argument is worth nothing in my world.

It works the exact same way in my hospital in New York. Only ICU and ER Registered Nurses can do IV push. If a patient on med surg needs one, the doctor has to do it, and then, the patient is immediately transferred to ICU.

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

The hospital where I work phased out LPNs ages ago. We have ONE left on our floor, and they changed her title to "ICU tech". The only patient care she is permitted is to assist the NP with PICC dressing changes. It's a darn shame. She straight up RUNS the unit. She knows everything about everything, where to get supplies the depot says they're out of, how all the politics work, everything.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

Sad but true fact at my facility. I know of only 2 left where I work. They're wonderful, competent, and have a great deal of responsibility and their scope of practice is (almost) the same as the RNs they work with.

I think more and more it's a movement by hospitals to make themselves more "marketable" by alienating a good portion of the healthcare sector. LVNs fill a need in healthcare, but are being shut out at major facilities without rhyme or reason.

[asoonernurse]

I have heard stories like this time and time again.

There are competent and incompetent nurses in both camps; however, I believe the dividing line here is that RNs have gathered together and consolidated their power in unions.

LVNs have not.

Best of Luck.

Michael

The hospital where I work phased out LPNs ages ago. We have ONE left on our floor, and they changed her title to "ICU tech". The only patient care she is permitted is to assist the NP with PICC dressing changes. It's a darn shame. She straight up RUNS the unit. She knows everything about everything, where to get supplies the depot says they're out of, how all the politics work, everything.

[lindarn]

Here in Spokane, Sacred Heart Medical Center laid off all if their LPNs several years ago. Deaconess still has a few that have been there for years. about the only places left for LPNs in Spokane are Nursing homes and Lakeland Village, a home for the developementally disabled.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

[linzz]

They tried to do this in Ontario but now that the RN program requires at minimum a BSN which is four years long, it is leaving the hospitals very short and some are hiring RPN's to fill in the gaps but up here our scope is pretty open and RPN's go to school for 2 to 2.5 years. The other issue is that our hospitals are not allowed to run a deficit for any length of time and to do this, staffing must be a mix of RN's and RPN's. Who knows what the future holds though.

[swee2000]

Not at my hospital....or at least not on my unit(Med/Surg). In fact, hiring LPNs has become my manager's new "fad". :wink2:

[lyshRN]

Let me tell you,

Like everyone else I thought, "Hey there's a nursing shortage, there is NO way that the hospitals would ever be able to get rid of LPN's when there aren't enough RN's to work on busy floors" but today, there was a "meeting" at our hosptial where the administration told all the LPN's that by January they would no longer be employed. They would either have to go into a "subacute" setting or find another job.

So now all of the AMAZING LPN's that I've had the pleasure of working with, who know everything there is to know and more then some RN's are being forced to find new employment.

Don't be fooled it is starting.

Now I'm worried b/c I have my Associates, so I can no longer say they won't phase me out....I better go back to school.

[Kashia, ASN, LVN]

Lots of LVN's working acute care in California!

[Nacki, MSN, NP]

Yes, they are. I got my Associate's RN degree about 2.5 yrs ago after finding it very,very difficult to find a LPN job that was outside of the nursing home or LTAC in Okalahoma City. I'm working on my BSN now, so I won't be "phased out."

[asoonernurse]

Lots of LVN's working acute care in California!

Not for long. Everyone in Cali will follow Kaiser's and Mercy's lead. Both of these hospitals have already let their LVN staffs go.

Regards,

Michael

Sacramento, CA

[DebanamRN, MSN, RN]

Now I'm worried b/c I have my Associates, so I can no longer say they won't phase me out....I better go back to school.

I'm halfway to my RN and already planning on my BSN. If you are a CNA, you get pushed to get your LPN. If you're an LPN, you get pushed to get your RN. If you're an ADN, you get pushed to get your BSN. If you have a BSN, you get pushed to get your MSN. And so on. In NJ, the rumor has been for years that all RNs will have to have a BSN. All this pushing is pushing nurses out of the field.