Are UK RN's considered LPN's in America?

blackcomb · Feb 13, 2013

I have an answer for you. I have been here in he USA since 2000 and I have been a RGN since 1983 and an RN here since 2004. Disregard what you have or have not done in your training, if you are a RN you will also be classed as one here. The LPNs have only 10-20 months training only and are no where near RN level. RN's also do a 2 or 3 year course, so yes you are an RN here.

That's actually quite accurate, though 3-4 yr degree course for RN's in the UK, and in Canada.. Unfortunately in Canada some employers have cut back from wanting to pay out RN wages for RN's and prefer to pay out less by taking on LPN's, in the UK we don't have enrolled nurses just RN's and carers and it's actually better, just don't work for those employers taking LPN's over RN's to save them money! Many of them are agencies. They're taking short cuts and the patients are not getting the best overall care obviously, but that's their neck not mine or yours. Similarly, some LPN's do have an attitude that they like to 'think' they are at an RN level when obviously they are not, it's just an attitude problem that is rife unfortunately. The answer to that is if any LPN does not like to be paid LPN wages and wants more responsiblity as per RN's, then do the full training and become one, but don't state things that are not true and that are not valid as that just annoys us RN's who did not work hard to gain our RN status for nothing. And the fact someone trained in 1984 is highly worthy too especially if still registered, they have many years of knowledge and experience and that is not to be taken lightly either. My recent employers, two which are ALSO agency jobs have only RN's or RN's, and care givers and I have to say they are wonderful to work with too. I get paid my full rate of pay too, rightly so.

Fiona59 · Feb 21, 2013

That's actually quite accurate, though 3-4 yr degree course for RN's in the UK, and in Canada.. Unfortunately in Canada some employers have cut back from wanting to pay out RN wages for RN's and prefer to pay out less by taking on LPN's, in the UK we don't have enrolled nurses just RN's and carers and it's actually better, just don't work for those employers taking LPN's over RN's to save them money! Many of them are agencies. They're taking short cuts and the patients are not getting the best overall care obviously, but that's their neck not mine or yours. Similarly, some LPN's do have an attitude that they like to 'think' they are at an RN level when obviously they are not, it's just an attitude problem that is rife unfortunately. The answer to that is if any LPN does not like to be paid LPN wages and wants more responsiblity as per RN's, then do the full training and become one, but don't state things that are not true and that are not valid as that just annoys us RN's who did not work hard to gain our RN status for nothing. And the fact someone trained in 1984 is highly worthy too especially if still registered, they have many years of knowledge and experience and that is not to be taken lightly either. My recent employers, two which are ALSO agency jobs have only RN's or RN's, and care givers and I have to say they are wonderful to work with too. I get paid my full rate of pay too, rightly so.

Where in Canada do you work????

Are you saying that provincial healthservices that employ LPNs in hospitals are cost cutting??

Are you even aware that in Ontario and Alberta the PN education is the old two year RN diploma course?

You do realize that most agencies don't even pay union rates?

If anything with the expanded scope of practice of LPNs across Canada, the various RN unions are pricing their members out of the hospitals.

When the four year degree was introduced to Canada graduates were meant to become the managers and planners not the bedside nurses. The old two year diploma RN were still graduating up until 2009 and those graduates will be working for at least another 20 years. They don't have the university management and statistics courses. By your logic they aren't providing safe care either.

Under my scope of practice, I start IVs, prepare and hang my own IV meds, ECG's, and have cared for more unstable patients than I care to remember and I have advocated to get them beds in OBs and ICU. On my unit, the only role I can't perform is Charge and I never want to be Charge in Acute Care. I've Charged in LTC and the job just isn't worth the aggro. I've also orientated new hire RNs to my unit.

Which province do you work in??

loriangel14, RN · Feb 21, 2013

[They're taking short cuts and the patients are not getting the best overall care obviously,]

This is a very offensive comment.Practical nurse provide excellent care.We are still nurses even if we are not RNs.Where I work I quite often assume the patient load of an RN that was on shift before me. My scope of practice is almost as wide as the RNs I work with. We assume our own patient load and make our own decison reguarding the care we give.Myself and the PNs I work with are treated with just as much respect and have just as much responsibility as the RNs we work with.I have cared for patients that ended up getting sent to the ICU. So much for caring for only stable patients.

JustANurseNurse · Apr 23, 2013

Does anyone here know anything about ANP programs in the UK? I am a US trained RN, and I want to continue my education. I'd like to do it in England, for travel fun, but I'd plan to come back to the US when I am done. Is there a particular school or program that is close to a US equivalent?

IrishErin · May 7, 2013

I'm a RPN in Ontario, my course was a full two years plus 4 months of preceptored consolidation. I now work in emerg where I do all my own IV starts, IV meds and hang blood as well. Our scope is very broad and the few comments I've read in here that more or less degrade our education are ridiculous. The RPN program here is the old RN degree program. Yes, there is still a bit that I cannot do here as an RPN, but that doesn't make me an idiot, or less of a nurse. Often, we will get critical parients under the assumption that we will go to the RN for help when needed, which we do because that's what team work is. Nurses need to stop cutting each other apart. It's not just RPN's that need the attitude adjustment, I think.