Are LPN's being Phased Out?

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I have had other people tell me that going to school to become an lpn would be a waste of time because they are being phased out by CNAs. Is this true?

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

Angel,

I have not been an LPN ever in my career, but I will say this -- I have seen this sentiment get tossed around on a regular basis. It comes up, it goes away, it comes back again. I do think that many hospitals have phased out LPNs in acute care because the acuity these days in hospitals is such that LPNs are not qualified to care for many of the patients (too many IVs, too much patient assessment, etc.) However, there are tons of jobs in LTC for LPNs and always will be, as well as clinics, homecare, and other non-hospital areas. As far as licensed nursing staff, LPNs are cheap. For that reason alone, I think LPNs will always have jobs, especially in the near future, when you consider that all the baby boomers are retiring or near retiring. A lot of them are going to be in LTC as it is no longer the social norm for the elderly to live with their extended families.

I would not worry one bit.

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Not true.

A CNA is a nursing assistant and has a certificate and an LPN/LVN has a license. LPN's are always going to have jobs working in LTC, SNF, home health care, working for the county, etc. because it would be cheaper for a company to hire an LPN compare to hiring a RN.

Being an LPN is not a waste of time because you can get experience working as a nurse and go back to school to get your RN. You can do a LPN-RN bridge program or you can do a LPN-BSN program. Some hospitals still have LPN's working the floor, but only in certain units.

Good luck with your decision.

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I think it depends on your geographical area.

When I lived in Kansas, I worked with maybe 4 LVNs in the hospital, and when they retired, they weren't replaced. LVNs mostly worked in nursing homes and doc's offices.

When I moved to Austin, the HCA chain used them, but only sparingly in the m/s floor. The non-profit hospital group didn't use them at all.

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Specializes in ICU.

Anectdotal, I know, but my hospital just hired 4 LPN new grads last month - 2 to cardiac/tele, 1 to wound care team, and one to ortho.

We also have LPNs that charge nurse, and LPNs that float to ICU and ER often. Our hospital loves and uses LPNs.

CNAs can not phase out LPNs - LPNs have a much broader scope of practice. RNs might phase out LPNs, but facilities like mine will have to put up a lot more money for that to happen, and its just not necessary since we have competent, awesome LPNs.

I work at a 300-bed non-profit hospital in Oklahoma.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Like CNL2B said, this statement comes and goes. An instructer I had in LPN school told me that people were saying that in the 50's!! There will always be jobs for LPN's----CNA's can't do an LPN's job as they have no license. Good luck in your nursing career!

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It is going to depend on your area. I live in NC and the director of nursing admissions at my school told us a while back that he was told by "someone from the state" that CNA's are going to asked to take CNA II, medication aide courses, and phlebotomy and will be replacing LPN's. I don't know how true this really is, but all the schools in the area have discontinued their LPN programs. Also, LPN's here are only hired in LTC.

But, it is true that the rumor about "phasing out LPN's" has been circulating forever.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

might depend on the area, my hospital currently does not employ any LPNs but are looking into hirring LPNs into the ER to replace the CNA. As CNAs to work in the ER we had to become CNA2, take a splint class and some are taking a phlepbotmoy course to due lab draws.

They have currently formed group to investigate the cost of hirring LPNs veruses training the CNAs, as the LPN can do more than the CNA. I think that they are leaning toward LPNs becasue I believe that is what the RNs are requesting, due to LPNs can do more skill and give some meds

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I've been hearing this since I was 18 years old (I'm 65). It might happen or might not.

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Where I work at, they were let go last year. Most of them were there for over 20/30 years! It's sad.....

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NYS is making it very hard for LPNs to work in hospitals and is limiting their scope severely in LTC. There are certainly jobs, but I knew that in NYS I was never going to get off a med cart as an LPN and I hated it so I bridged to RN.

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I have had other people tell me that going to school to become an lpn would be a waste of time because they are being phased out by CNAs. Is this true?

It really depends on where you live and where you would like to work.

The larger hospitals in our area do NOT hire LPNs but they are hired at nursing homes, clinics, and rehabilitation centers.

LPNs are only hired at rural hospitals here (not the larger hospitals).

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