Are LPN's being phased out?

[JSlovex2]

I know people have been saying for years that everyone would need a BSN and LPN's would be a thing of the past, etc. Well, so far, where I work (a large, magnet hospital) there are still many, many nurses without a BSN -but there are veeery few LPN's. I attended a meeting last week where my supervisor was lecturing RNs about signing off on LPN's charts and she mentioned that there are very few LPN's and even mentioned that some of those LPN's are about to graduate to be RN's. I overheard other RNs in the cafeteria complaining about LPN's basically saying, "what's the point when we have to go behind them."

They are definitely being phased out where I work. They aren't hiring LPN's anymore although the ones who are there aren't getting fired or anything. What is it like where you work? Do you think LPN's have a future?

[MizzERRN]

Sounds like yet another insulting, flaming post. Your reasoning is baseless, one hospital out of how many? LPN/LVN's ARE NOT BEING PHASED OUT! Go find some other fairytale rumor. I do high tech pediatric homecare, guess what? They do not want RN's to do my cases, because LPN's are just as capable and the rate per hour is less. Your hospital may not hire LPN's, it doesn't mean we are being wiped off the face of the earth. Please do valid research before stating things that you perceive to be true.

You sound very angry. The OP isn't making this up actually. I recently read a news article that supports his/her statement.

[Brandieelynne]

Unfortunately at my hospital, a large teaching hospital, they are phasing out LPN's. They have given the LPN's a certain amount of time to complete their RN to keep their jobs. One of my LPN co-workers is working on her classes now to make the transition on time!

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

I gave kudos to both mizzRN and Realnursealso because while Realnursealso sounds angry she like alot of other LPNs are tired of hearing about the whole " LPNS are being phased out" I don't think the OP was trying to be hurtful but mainly stressed on LPNs being phased out of the hospitals but not as a profession as a whole. I too get tired of hearing it. I value my position as a LPN but I honestly can't wait to become a RN because sometimes you just get fed up with misconceptions about LPNs.

[systoly]

My employer has a new sneaky way of phasing out LPNs. They now offer a $800 referal bonus (paid after 100 hrs worked).

[realnursealso/LPN, LPN]

I am angry. If you do a search on AllNurses, you will find hundreds of threads with the same topic. I have been an LPN since 1980, and a member of AllNurses for over 10 years. I've never been without work, never had trouble finding a job in what ever area I chose. The term "phasing out", implies that LPN's are no longer going to exist. In February of 1979, when I started my LPN Program, I began to hear this fairytale. Here it is, over 30 years later, and LPN's are still here and going strong. LPN's aren't going anywhere, and it will never be a hospital that decides if our profession exists or not. Have a blessed Easter everyone.:flwrhrts:

[TinyHineyRN]

I may have only been a nurse for 3 years, but I have actually only worked with an LPN one time in my hospital. The hospital I work for is a large teaching hospital and there are only 8 LPNs employed. I know this to be true because I currently am the PICU Rep for our Nurse Congress and we were just discussing this topic. Our hospital no longer hires LPNs and hasn't for many years. The LPNs that are currently employed are not being fired and are not being forced to become RNs, but they aren't being replaced. The only experience I can speak on with any authority is in the hospital. I do think LPNs have a substantial role in the healthcare system but I think we would be remisr to ignore the fact that the truth is many HOSPITALS no longer hire LPNs. But, then again not all nurses want to be hospital nurses!

[Barbara Hessinger]

Here are my 2 cents.

With the aging population in the US and the increased need for home care and LTC I can't imagine that LPN's will disappear. Why would a for profit corp pay for RN's when the same work can be done by LPN's.

Health Care is a business after all.

[Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN]

Yes this has been a rumor for many many years. It use to annoy me when I was a LPN when I heard this, now that I am a RN the rumor is "hospitals are phasing out ADN nurses and wanting BSN only." I feel like I cant win! I plan to go back for my BSN, and im sure when that happens hospitals will want MSN only, LoL! Oddly enough when I was a LPN I never had a problem getting a job, but the RN jobs seem to be harder to get - weird right? Only time will tell......

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Our hospital only employs two LPNs. Well...now one because she is actively in school. The other one was laid off because he never kept his word when it came to going to school. The reason being LPNs, in our hospitals are so restricted on what they can do.

I went from a CNA to LPN to RN. I never regretted taking the long way to my RN. I think walking in all shoes has made me a better nurse.

[mazy]

this is exactly the attitude i've seen lately. with RNs working short staffed, they are tired of "babysitting" the LPN's so to speak. at one time, there were enough RNs on the floor that it wasn't such a big deal for them to "cover" the LPNs, but now - they're lucky to get their "own job" finished without having to go behind a LPN. i've even seen brand new grads be charge nurses over LPNs who have years of experience. it just makes no logical or financial sense.

I guess I am most ticked off by this comment. And the attitude. RNs do not babysit LPNs. LPNs are members of a team effort who have specific job duties that in doing them frees up the RNs to do their specific job duties. By this same logic I could say that as an LPN I'm sick of having to go "behind" the CNAs and make sure they do their jobs, and how much that sucks because I can't handle my responsibilities because I always have to be watching them.

I don't have to "babysit" them; I respect the job they do and recognize that I couldn't do MY job if it weren't for them.

I've worked in the hospital setting and I can tell you that we LPNs run ourselves ragged, not only trying to do our jobs of passing meds, monitoring patients, monitoring lab values and vital signs so as not to give the patient a med that needs to be d/c or changed, doing trach and vent and PEG care, doing wound treatments, dealing with supply issues, talking to patients and families, filtering information to the appropriate people, charting, AND helping the CNAs, AND helping RNs and notifying them of patient issues so that they can do their jobs better.

If they have to sign off on it, so be it, that is their job. We're a team.

And the same holds true in SNFs and LTCs, except the number of LPNs is greater and the scope of practice much more broad. And also, a lot of RNs wouldn't deign to work in those facilities.

I'm also going to say that I think this quote represents a minority view among RNs. The majority of the RNs that I've worked with and spoken to and seen on this site respect the hard work that LPNs do.

[Isabelle49]

I don't think LPN's will ever be phased out as long as medicine is run as a business, in most cases, for profit. Most medical businesses, hospitals, clinics, doc offices, home health, ALf's, etc. have LPN's instead of RNs because it is cost saving.

I have frequently said I wish I could trade in my RN for LPN. I would have a much easier career life.

[punkydoodlesRN, BSN, RN]

I was the last LVN that my current employer will hire - came down the pipes last week that No MAS. I am beginning my BSN program in August. And for what it's worth, most of the facilities in my area are RN and higher. *especially* in the med center. Even the 4 outlying hospitals in my suburb are refusing LVNs. Trust me, I had an awful time finding a job in acute care.