Are They Jealous?

RNs are not the "boss." We can delegate tasks to LPNs and unlicensed personnel, but that doesn't make anybody the boss.

Depending on the facility, most LPNs practice independently of RNs.

I doubt they are jealous. It's probably more like new grads come in and think they know more than an LPN with years of experience and act like "bosses." I'm sure they're a bit antagonized from seeing many, many new grads with that kind of attitude.

LPNs with experience have a lot to teach new RNs. Maybe you should approach your co-workers with respect for their hard-won knowledge and ask for their help.

Okay, I have a new problem. I am very proud of my RN, which is brand new, but many LPN's feel the need to OUT-SHINE me. Everything I learned in nursing school about this was that the RN was the boss, but in the real world it is so different (of course!) Are they jealous of my higher salary with so little experience? Is their a big salary difference? Any advice as to overcome this so I can learn my job the right way, and to avoid getting into trouble?

Nurses, whether they are LPNs or RNs, can be very territorial. Also, if you are working with nurses (LPNs or RNs) who are older than you, you will many times find they are not thrilled about having you deciding what they should do, no matter what kind of title you have behind your name. This is the biggest obstacle I have come across since becoming an RN myself. I'm not 20 yrs. old but am younger than a lot of the nurses (and even CNAs) where I work, who are in their 50's. They question just about everything I suggest (and as bad as my self esteem is, I naturally assume they must be right, and this isn't always the case) and they believe that since they have been in the nursing field longer they know more than I do so who am I to come taking over? A lot of times they don't try to hide their disdain. Granted, there is something to be said for experience, but if LPNs could do the job I do as an RN they would have my job. Yes, I agree there is a certain amount of disrespect you get from a lot of people but on the other hand you will work with some wonderful LPNs who can and will save your butt if needed. The best nurse I have ever seen is an LPN. And like it or not, an LPN with years of experience is going to know more than a brand new RN. The thing is, don't go in trying to act like "the boss." Even with my humble attitude I still catch it. No doubt if you come in and try to take over they will resent it.

BTW, salaries vary. RIght now, there are LPNs in private duty making more than I make as an RN in home health. But they are putting in a lot more hours than I am. And an LPN who has been in a certain position for a long time is probably making comparable to what you are starting out as an RN.

I agree that lableing yourself as "thier Boss" is the wrong thing to do from the very start. We have 2 LPNS and 1 RN where I work and we all work together as a TEAM. The LPNs each take a med cart and do the med passes and the RN gets caught up on any paperwork. We ALL help with supper and feeding. In fact, many days we (the LPNS and RNs) are helping the aides to do pm care if we have time. It doesn't really matter where you work...if you have the attitude that "I'm the boss and I'm better than you" odds are you will not last there for a long time. Many of the LPNs you are working with may have many more years experience than you and could probably teach you a lot of things. I doubt that they are jealous of you. I am never jealous of the RNs that I work with. I love being an LPN. and as far as the higher salary goes....where I work the RNs make $3 more an hour than we do and at the hospital it was even less than that. Nothing to be jealous of there either.

Just my 2 cents.

Is the MD your boss in the hospital? Any resident or intern who takes that tone with me gets reminded that while I follow "orders" that are entered into the computer, I am neither a waitress, a secretary or their mother. I am a professional who works with them, not *for* them. (I say this nicely - it's a teaching hospital and these are kids right out of med school who don't know a beeping pump from a beeping tele monitor and G-d help us all, it's July...)

We learned that it is our job to delegate to UAP, but we were ultimately responsible for any and all actions taken by the UAP. For example, the tech (or aide, whatever) - takes vital signs and your neutropenic patient has spiked a temp. You, as the RN, are responsible for the next actions. It is your responsibility to follow up, take the appropriate measures (blood cultures, getting IV antibiotics ordered and sent up from pharmacy, obtaining urine cultures and getting a chest xray - etc.) It isn't about people doing what you say - they are there for you to be able to do your job more effectively.

When I was a new nurse (not too long ago) - I watched and listened and asked our techs all sorts of questions. We have one tech who has been working with oncology patients for almost 30 years, a few techs who are paramedics and ride with their local fire departments. They can spot a bad EKG rhythm as it is coming out of the machine (which I had a tech show me how to work, because they didn't teach that stuff in nursing school) and draw blood from the most difficult patients to stick. So listen to your techs and LPNs. Learn from them. Thank them, and wash out your patient's bedside commode or urinal when you see that it needs it. As the new person on the floor, you have to become a part of their team. As you get more comfortable in your role as the RN, you will find it easier and staff more receptive to your delegation. It will get better!!

Blee

Okay, I have a new problem. I am very proud of my RN, which is brand new, but many LPN's feel the need to OUT-SHINE me. Everything I learned in nursing school about this was that the RN was the boss, but in the real world it is so different (of course!) Are they jealous of my higher salary with so little experience? Is their a big salary difference? Any advice as to overcome this so I can learn my job the right way, and to avoid getting into trouble?

I am a CNA/cardiac monitor tech and I work on a telemetry unit that hires alot of new grad nurses. The biggest problem I've seen is that many of the new grad nurses feel they have something to prove. The feel they are expected to know and do everything and not ask for help. The LPN's, CNA's and other RN's can be very valuable to you as a nurse starting out. Ask questions, ask for help ( nicely!) and thank people for their time and effort. Also, no one is trying to outshine you. We all work as a team and we all do a very important job. It takes everyone on my unit, from the nurse manager right down to the janitors to keep that floor running and we all work very hard.

The biggest problem I've seen is that many of the new grad nurses feel they have something to prove. The feel they are expected to know and do everything and not ask for help. The LPN's, CNA's and other RN's can be very valuable to you as a nurse starting out. Ask questions, ask for help ( nicely!) and thank people for their time and effort. Also, no one is trying to outshine you. We all work as a team and we all do a very important job. It takes everyone on my unit, from the nurse manager right down to the janitors to keep that floor running and we all work very hard.

You made good points, but have you thought of the other side of the coin? It sounds like you are a very mature person who works in a good facility where the word team actually equates to more then one person!

I have worked in an environment much like the OP and I have found that if one asks for help when he/she is the higher-educated one who has responsibilities and tasks that needs to be delegated, but works on a team, and is not the boss.... (I could go on) you get no help. What you get is attitude!

Co-workers saying things like "She is the college graduate, why does she need to ask me for help?" Or, "She is not my boss, why is she telling me to do her work?" Unfortunately nursing is not the only field that this occurs. I worked in both IT and Social Work and I found this to occur in those fields also.

The bottom line, I dislike the idea of RNs delegating anything without being the boss. It is the stupidest thing to do because most co-workers that get the added responsibilities assume the RN (or Social Worker or Computer Programmer) is on some power trip when that is not the case.

I know you have nothing to do with this, but I just wanted to point out that the OP may not be asking questions because she won't get much respect or even answers. On the other hand, she might actually be working with mature people who are willing to show her a thing or two and when she delegates responsibilities, will not get angry as if she is trying to be the boss. This is not likely since she is going through what she is going through now.

You made good points, but have you thought of the other side of the coin? It sounds like you are a very mature person who works in a good facility where the word team actually equates to more then one person!

I have worked in an environment much like the OP and I have found that if one asks for help when he/she is the higher-educated one who has responsibilities and tasks that needs to be delegated, but works on a team, and is not the boss.... (I could go on) you get no help. What you get is attitude!

Co-workers saying things like "She is the college graduate, why does she need to ask me for help?" Or, "She is not my boss, why is she telling me to do her work?" Unfortunately nursing is not the only field that this occurs. I worked in both IT and Social Work and I found this to occur in those fields also.

The bottom line, I dislike the idea of RNs delegating anything without being the boss. It is the stupidest thing to do because most co-workers that get the added responsibilities assume the RN (or Social Worker or Computer Programmer) is on some power trip when that is not the case.

I know you have nothing to do with this, but I just wanted to point out that the OP may not be asking questions because she won't get much respect or even answers. On the other hand, she might actually be working with mature people who are willing to show her a thing or two and when she delegates responsibilities, will not get angry as if she is trying to be the boss. This is not likely since she is going through what she is going through now.

I too have worked in enviroments where a request for help was met with a blank stare . However, if I ask for help I do not take no for an answer. If someone asks me for help I'm there, because that is the only way I know how to do my job. None of us are an island, we need each other in order to do our jobs.

I have also seen the attitude that new RN's should not need our help.......and that is very wrong. I work on a very chaotic floor and it's a hard adjustment from student nurse to RN. Just a few weeks ago I had a new grad nurse who did not know how to turn on the O2 in the room and did not know how to put a nasal cannula on a patient. It did make me that she got through school without that basic skill........but I was happy to show her.

Attitude abounds in nursing and each of us gets to choose everyday whether we treat people with attitude and disrespect or treat people with kindness. My job is hard enough without locking horns with everyone on the floor.

I also have to say that if I worked in an enviroment where there was no team work at all that I would look elsewhere for employment.

They actually taught you in Nursing school that you were the "BOSS"..wow. The people(teachers and senior nursing students) i have talked to say that in RN school you learn leadership skills, but that is different from being taught that you are the boss over other people on the team. I personally do not want to be anyone's boss, lead the team yes, boss no.

Andy

Is the MD your boss in the hospital? Any resident or intern who takes that tone with me gets reminded that while I follow "orders" that are entered into the computer, I am neither a waitress, a secretary or their mother. I am a professional who works with them, not *for* them. (I say this nicely - it's a teaching hospital and these are kids right out of med school who don't know a beeping pump from a beeping tele monitor and G-d help us all, it's July...)

Blee

God bless you, Blee!!:) You sound like my kinda gal!!

Years ago, when I was a new RN, there were 2 seasoned LPN's on the floor that taught me a lot - more so than some of the RN's.

Now that I'm working LTC, there is one LPN who will not listen to a word I say! If I say it's black, she will insist it's white! I usually don't 'insist' on something unless I can prove I'm right - but it doesn't matter, she will argue about it.

The other day I said something about a certain person being on an oral anti-diabetic - I had the MAR right in front of me - and she argued that the lady was NOT on it!!

I'm sort of in the opposite situation. When I start my job next month, I'll be the lone RN with several LVN's. I'm petrified of being expected to delegate to people who have years more experience (and therefore knowledge) than I do. I hope they'll go easy on me! :)