Last week, I was attending a post-conference (for clinical) and my clinical instructor was discussing on how one of the LPNs on the unit didn't take out the foley catheter correctly and she made a comment about LPNs. She said something like no offense to LPNs but there are some things that they need to improve on. My mother is a LPN and I know that my clinical instructor didn't know that my mother is a LPN. After she made the comment, I didn't say anything. After I went back home from clinical, I felt sad (and offended of course). My mother is wonderful at her occupation.
Statements like that do not reflect on the ones the statement is made about.....it reflects on the one who MADE the statement.
Just WHAT is it anyway that makes SOME RNs hate us so???
And before I get flamed for making THAT statement, please note I said "SOME" RNs.
I agree.
However, I think "hate" is a strong word, but many RNs have a superiority complex.
But RNs get it too. Some BSNs think they are better than ADNs. Some RNs in ICU think they are better than RNs in med-surg. Med-Surg nurses think they are better than nursing home nurses. Some doctors think they are better than RNs.
It all goes back your sentiment that it says more about the person themselves.
However, I think "hate" is a strong word, but many RNs have a superiority complex.
But RNs get it too. Some BSNs think they are better than ADNs. Some RNs in ICU think they are better than RNs in med-surg. Med-Surg nurses think they are better than nursing home nurses. Some doctors think they are better than RNs.
It all goes back your sentiment that it says more about the person themselves.
Yes, "hate" may not be the right word. Having a feeling of "superiority" over other nurses is probably a better term.
I may be subordinate to my DON RN but she's not "better" than me, not as a person OR a nurse. She may be more educated, but I, too, am a nurse in my own right.
I just really dislike it when nurses talk about students, put them down for not knowing certain things, etc.......we all had to learn, NOBODY was born a nurse. Students will one day enter the workforce and eventually replace those of us who are working now, and they need to be treated as essential to nursing. If we don't teach the students we're not going to have any future nurses.
I just don't understand why that is such a hard concept to grasp.
I think it would have been great if you had made the comment about "A lot of nurses could use some improvement, my mother, an LPN x ___yrs taught me that". But I know in nursing school it's important to not call attention (particularly negative) upon yourself. I found in my school that generally my clinical instructors were not experts in the field they were teaching. I can only imagine that it's worse nowadays with the shortage of instructors. Don't worry, your real education will start after graduation. I'm sorry, in case you can't tell, I'm really resentful of the quality of education I received and rant about it still 12 yrs later, but that's another topic, for another day. . .
I have been a LPN for 26 yrs. I have also had many an interaction with the so-called uppity RN"S. Here is my reponse to them every time " I have worked in icu/ccu since 1979 do you really think they hired me in a critical care enviorment if I was stupid?" and then walk away. Now that I am older I mostly just laugh and walk away. There is always going to be some snide new nurse that will say something negative but my policy is to just keep doing what i do best, taking care of the critically ill patient. They don't hire LPNS in critical care for grins and giggles, They hire them because they know what they are doing.
I know LPN's, RN's, MD's, DO's, CRNA's, CNA's, UAP's, EMT's, ABC's, DEF's, GHI"s, JKL's, MNO's, PQR's, STU's, VWX's, and YZ's
That could do things better. To single out LPN's is piss poor practice. In reality, LPN's get more clinical practice then most RN's. Many people take short cuts in their practice....Not wearing gloves....Not having the patient perform valsalva...Not flushing their IV's...Not turning every 2 hours....reusing syringes....bla bla bla bla........
This instructor is teaching the wrong thing.....She should be reprimanded.
My first job out of nursing school was on a 35 bed medsurg unit. I was raw and intimidated by having to take care of 8 patients right away when just 2 weeks before I was in my cozy sheltered role as student nurse. I was very lucky to have a couple of "old school" LVN's take me under their wing and help me with organizational skills, proper procedure technique, better communication skills with patients and their families, etc. Ten years later I'm now a critical care nurse in a CVICU and while my clinical skills have obviously increased over time, a good portion of my basic nursing skills are a direct result of those two years I spent with the LVN's on that medsurg floor. Some of the best nurses I have ever worked with are LVN's and I would gladly trade some of them for some of the RN's I've worked with over the years. There is much more to being a good nurse than what initials you have after your name.
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
A-Men Sister
I have been a LPN for 26 yrs. I have also had many an interaction with the so-called uppity RN"S. Here is my reponse to them every time " I have worked in icu/ccu since 1979 do you really think they hired me in a critical care enviorment if I was stupid?" and then walk away. Now that I am older I mostly just laugh and walk away. There is always going to be some snide new nurse that will say something negative but my policy is to just keep doing what i do best, taking care of the critically ill patient. They don't hire LPNS in critical care for grins and giggles, They hire them because they know what they are doing.
It annoys the heck out of me any time a nursing instructor says negative things about staff. The instructors here seem to be on an "anti-staff" kick right now...allowing students to sit in report while staff stands, telling students which nurses are "good" and which are not, telling staff LPNs what to do and how to do their jobs..."I am an RN and I am telling you to _____." Friday morning, a nursing instructor yelled at a staff nurse for holding a newborn without a cover gown on...the baby was choking and the nursery tech panicked and screamed for a nurse instead of suctioning with the bulb syringe...the nurse just ran in and picked the baby up without taking time to put on the gown. We've also has instructors go to our nurse manager when the students don't agree with our assessment! I hate to tell them this, but someone can have clear lung sounds at 0700 and be wheezing at 0800!
What I find most disturbing about the OP's experience is that the instructor clearly intended to demean, not teach! If the LPN had used poor technique in removing the catheter, then the instructor should have PRIVATELY spoken to her, and helped her to improve her care.
By PUBLICLY criticizing her instead, no learning or improvement took place, if indeed, any was really warranted.
Instructors like this really pi** me off. They attempt to undermine and demean the staff, often because they have so little to offer the student themselves!
Wow, I'm in RN school but a lot of us are working as LPNs. None of our instructors could say something like that and get away with it. They are very proud of their students. The nurses at one of our clinical facilities even said that they prefer our students over students from other nursing schools!
It sounds like some of you have very rotten nursing instructors, I'm glad that my instructors are very professional and very knowledgable about what they teach.
I have been an LPN for almost 20 years, and I have seen a lot! I have worked with new RN graduates, and most have appreciated my experience and some have not. I don't mind sharing my knowledge gained through experience.
However, I think "hate" is a strong word, but many RNs have a superiority complex.
But RNs get it too. Some BSNs think they are better than ADNs. Some RNs in ICU think they are better than RNs in med-surg. Med-Surg nurses think they are better than nursing home nurses. Some doctors think they are better than RNs.
It all goes back your sentiment that it says more about the person themselves.
I had a good laugh at that one....I've had an MD last night screw up last night and refused to carry out the order. He got mad and thought that he would "fix me".... the cardiologists x 2, both agreed with me.... we all have our "degree of responsibilities"....
We've also has instructors go to our nurse manager when the students don't agree with our assessment! I hate to tell them this, but someone can have clear lung sounds at 0700 and be wheezing at 0800!
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,273 Posts
I agree.
However, I think "hate" is a strong word, but many RNs have a superiority complex.
But RNs get it too. Some BSNs think they are better than ADNs. Some RNs in ICU think they are better than RNs in med-surg. Med-Surg nurses think they are better than nursing home nurses. Some doctors think they are better than RNs.
It all goes back your sentiment that it says more about the person themselves.