Comment about LPNs made by clinical instructor

mardime · May 7, 2005

I was a LVN(CA) for nearly 30 years, now I am a RN,just for 3 years. Anyway, people always thought I was an RN. Personally, I have known some lame Rn's, especially BSN's, some who don't know one end of a bedpan from another.

I believe that one should endure all phases of nursing form CNA to LPN to RN. Experience is still the best teacher.

I have the utmost respect for my former LPN collegues, and would rather work with most of them than an army of RN's. :angryfire

netteh1, BSN · May 7, 2005

Hello everyone!
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.

What do you think?

I have been a nurse for 26 years,I was an LPN for 8 years before I obtained an ADN then a BSN degree. As an LPN I had a lot more clinical experience than I did in either of the RN programs I attended. One of the main things I learned as an LPN was organization of my time which I still use today.

BENNETTRN · May 7, 2005

Hello everyone!
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.

What do you think?

What a sad world of nursing we practice in! I graduated from RN school a year and half ago, and learn so much everyday. The hospital I work at demoted all LPN's to nurse assistants about 7 years ago, and I was a CNA on this unit before graduating. Since graduating the unit has gone to RN totol pt care, and now the remaining LPN's and CNA's have been trained and are working as unit secretarys. My heart goes out to them, they all still keep their license current, they are a wealth of knowledge. Many of them do not want to leave due to the length of time they have worked for the hospital, and they say that many places are doing this to LPN's and the job choices are so limited. As if everything above is not hard enough for them to deal with many people as not only nurses but humans have to add insult to injury and treat them like they are second class citizens, where is the HUMANITY, why do nurses who should be compassionate and have empathy treat their own like trash? What a waste of energy that could be used for the positive instead! My husband said something quite simple after I started working as a RN and told him how nervous I got (and still do just not as bad as before, but Im still a pretty new nurse) when I have to call the doctors who are known to bark at nurses; he said "they put their pants on the same way you do every morning, no spectacular saying, but it is true and it has always stuck with me! My husband would treat the president the same as he would a homeless person on the street. I am lucky that most on our unit do not pull the rank card, we know our housekeeping ladies by their name and we let them know often how much we appreciate them, it takes all of us to make the unit go round, but there is still a select few that have to go around and belittle the LPN's secretarys and housekeeping because they are insecure with themselves. My advice after this long reply, to change things, you have to set a example, at your next clinical, say good morning to the LPN, ask if you can help her w/anything, and talk to her like the fellow nurse she is, and foster cooperation not animosity, and it will spread, slowly but surely, and you will show your instructor and others that you value her as a LPN and a person, and I bet she doesnt say anything around you again. Be sure your instructor hears you talking to her!

'

graysonret · May 7, 2005

I've been an LPN for 18 years now and have worked with all sorts of various medical people...some good, some bad. I've met some RNs that I would keep an eye on, just doing CNA work. :). But they are few and rare. Yet, because I've met one or 2 of them, doesn't mean I can condemn the whole RN field. Some seem to think LPNs are good for nothing more than changing bedpans and wiping noses. Far more, though, know our skills and put us on par with themselves.

nursejennie76 · May 7, 2005

Well I have been an LPN for 5 years and just completed my RN and I have seen this also!! It got really old for us since there were 5 lpnS IN MY CLINICAL GROUP!!!!

Hello everyone!
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.

What do you think?

jansailsea · May 7, 2005

Vwerdana

I started in a class of 40, now down to 22 class members. Four of us are 50 & older. Some of us are the same age as the instructors. Our school is the top PN program in the state. We definitely feel we were put through the wringer during the 1st half of the program.

If an instructor had made a disparaging remark about LPN's, I would not have complained directly to her. Unfortunately, there are instructors who enjoy their position of power & will abuse it. There are students we, as the remaining class, feel were let go from the program because of personality conflicts with the instructor.

For an adult student, who's done their time in other careers, raised a family, managed a home, it's a bit hard to be talked to as if you were an idiot... especially if your educational credits, while not the same as the instructor, are equal in their different professions.

An anonymous letter sent to the director of the program may be one way to go. As long as your complaint is sensitively written with prudent language, i.e., "In post conference at "Mayo Clinic" May 5th, 2005, Instructor ____ stated she did not respect LPNs for their ability or skill levels. I believe a personal opinion which degrades a complete community of the nursing profession should not be presented by an instructor of nursing to our class. This type of opinion should be reserved for private conversations with likeminded people, otherwise it can be construed as an insult by a student that may have friends or family who are LPNs."

I hate having to suggest it be anonymous, & I know people do not want to put faith in something sent anonymously, BUT these people hold your educational career in their hands. I believe if the facts are written out plainly, notating location & time, the complaint would be investigated.

To have sacrificed the time, the energy, & the money that my husband & I have, in order to see me graduate from this program, is not worth jeopardizing by making an enemy of an instructor. Yet, I think it would be reprehensible to allow the instructor to get away with demeaning an entire segment of nursing.

jansailsea

PANurse7 · May 7, 2005

LOL, in our school the difference between an LPN and an RN is 6 months... You can't tell me that six months of a college education makes SO much of a difference that I'll be entitled to act oh so superior when I'm done. Please. I'm only just finishing my first year and even I can see my education will only be beginning once I receive my degree.
The real pay difference (and status for that matter) shouldn't be between the LPNs and RNs or the BSNs and ADNs IMO it should be between the new graduates and the seasoned nurses...

I am just curious which state you are talking about. I am an LPN student now and would love to go for my RN but it takes an additional year here in PA.

nefretery · May 7, 2005

I don't know about other states but my 2cents is that as a PN student I am able to clincally run circles around any RN student I have come in contact with. Perhaps this is because we spend so much more time in clinical setting as opposed to the RN student in cthe class room. Our program started at 50 students we now have 29, it is tough and demanding but the insructors are fair. If any instructor made such an ignorant comment about a whole group of nurses she should be fired. It is as infammatory as a racial comment. I have had discussions with Doctors in a forum with both LPN and RN students and heard the Doctors say that the PN students were better informed. As to the facility who doesn't want PN studentd they should not wast the time of the scool and the school should find someplace else.

My 2 cents

Mike proud to be a future LPN

docmarko · May 7, 2005

Ya gotta love it...

My feeling about ALL nurses is this--they ALL started somewhere!

Why do they have such a hard time remembering where they came from?

I can honestly say that where I attend school, our instructors have alot of pride and alot of respect for LPN's. They DO remember their roots. Two of our instructors are nurse practicioners, several of our instructors have their MSN's, and they do not make us feel inadequate because we are going to be LPN's instead of RN's.

My response always is this: I am 43 years old and have waited more than half my life to go to nursing school. I don't feel the need to jump off the LPN deck right into the RN pool. In Pennsylvania, there is little to separate us from RN's, and, according to our instructors, there is legislation pending that may narrow that gap even further.

School has been an adjustment not only for me, but for my husband and kids as well. Housework has had to wait, vacations have had to wait, and basically life as we used to know it, was put on hold for me to go through this program, as I'm sure it has for ALL of us that chose to attend school "later in life". It would be nice if instructors and other nurses could remember their "roots" and respect students instead of making us sound and look like bumbling idiots. Bottom line--we are LEARNING. We can't be expected to be hitting the ground running as if we had 20 years of experience behind us. You will never be able to tell me that the experienced nurses out there--be they LPN's or RN's--just breezed through all the aspects of nursing school as if they were repeating kindergarten. And if they do say that, don't believe them.

LPN's or RN's we should all have the same goal: Mutual respect for one another within the profession and above all, the desire to help the PATIENT. If we aren't in it for that, then we may as well go ahead and flip burgers for a living.

docmarko · May 7, 2005

I don't know about other states but my 2cents is that as a PN student I am able to clincally run circles around any RN student I have come in contact with. Perhaps this is because we spend so much more time in clinical setting as opposed to the RN student in cthe class room. Our program started at 50 students we now have 29, it is tough and demanding but the insructors are fair. If any instructor made such an ignorant comment about a whole group of nurses she should be fired. It is as infammatory as a racial comment. I have had discussions with Doctors in a forum with both LPN and RN students and heard the Doctors say that the PN students were better informed. As to the facility who doesn't want PN studentd they should not wast the time of the scool and the school should find someplace else.
My 2 cents
Mike proud to be a future LPN

YOU GO MIKE!!!!!!! Your comments make me proud to be going for my LPN!!!!

Have a GREAT day!!!

Jacki

PANurse7 · May 7, 2005

Ya gotta love it...
My feeling about ALL nurses is this--they ALL started somewhere!
Why do they have such a hard time remembering where they came from?
I can honestly say that where I attend school, our instructors have alot of pride and alot of respect for LPN's. They DO remember their roots. Two of our instructors are nurse practicioners, several of our instructors have their MSN's, and they do not make us feel inadequate because we are going to be LPN's instead of RN's.
My response always is this: I am 43 years old and have waited more than half my life to go to nursing school. I don't feel the need to jump off the LPN deck right into the RN pool. In Pennsylvania, there is little to separate us from RN's, and, according to our instructors, there is legislation pending that may narrow that gap even further.
School has been an adjustment not only for me, but for my husband and kids as well. Housework has had to wait, vacations have had to wait, and basically life as we used to know it, was put on hold for me to go through this program, as I'm sure it has for ALL of us that chose to attend school "later in life". It would be nice if instructors and other nurses could remember their "roots" and respect students instead of making us sound and look like bumbling idiots. Bottom line--we are LEARNING. We can't be expected to be hitting the ground running as if we had 20 years of experience behind us. You will never be able to tell me that the experienced nurses out there--be they LPN's or RN's--just breezed through all the aspects of nursing school as if they were repeating kindergarten. And if they do say that, don't believe them.
LPN's or RN's we should all have the same goal: Mutual respect for one another within the profession and above all, the desire to help the PATIENT. If we aren't in it for that, then we may as well go ahead and flip burgers for a living.

That would be cool if LPN and RNs were closer in salary, etc. I know as a PN student, I am getting a lot more clinical experience than the RN students. I think you learn so much by doing. In the Harriburg area I have been told that many hospitals are doing away with having LPNs. I hope this will not be the case when I graduate this year.

docmarko · May 7, 2005

Vwerdana
I started in a class of 40, now down to 22 class members. Four of us are 50 & older. Some of us are the same age as the instructors. Our school is the top PN program in the state. We definitely feel we were put through the wringer during the 1st half of the program.
If an instructor had made a disparaging remark about LPN's, I would not have complained directly to her. Unfortunately, there are instructors who enjoy their position of power & will abuse it. There are students we, as the remaining class, feel were let go from the program because of personality conflicts with the instructor.
For an adult student, who's done their time in other careers, raised a family, managed a home, it's a bit hard to be talked to as if you were an idiot... especially if your educational credits, while not the same as the instructor, are equal in their different professions.
An anonymous letter sent to the director of the program may be one way to go. As long as your complaint is sensitively written with prudent language, i.e., "In post conference at "Mayo Clinic" May 5th, 2005, Instructor ____ stated she did not respect LPNs for their ability or skill levels. I believe a personal opinion which degrades a complete community of the nursing profession should not be presented by an instructor of nursing to our class. This type of opinion should be reserved for private conversations with likeminded people, otherwise it can be construed as an insult by a student that may have friends or family who are LPNs."
I hate having to suggest it be anonymous, & I know people do not want to put faith in something sent anonymously, BUT these people hold your educational career in their hands. I believe if the facts are written out plainly, notating location & time, the complaint would be investigated.
To have sacrificed the time, the energy, & the money that my husband & I have, in order to see me graduate from this program, is not worth jeopardizing by making an enemy of an instructor. Yet, I think it would be reprehensible to allow the instructor to get away with demeaning an entire segment of nursing.
jansailsea

I take somewhat of an issue with you regarding anonymity on this subject..

I am not afraid to defend my position to anyone from the janitor right up to the director of the LPN program.

I had an outrageous conflict with one of my instructors during a clinical rotation. She felt the best way to teach me about sterile technique was to get herself into a literal tug of war with me, grabbing onto a foley cath like a mad dog and contaminating the entire field in front of the patient and in front of two fellow students. You better believe that anonymity was the furthest thing from my mind after that stunt. I called the program director as soon as I got home that day and made no bones about the fact that I felt the instructor should be disciplined for her unprofessional behavior, if not fired! Did they fire her? No. But she was spoken to. I will not be spoken to by any instructor like I am something stuck to the bottom of their shoe. Bull*#$!

And if they choose to give you a "bad evaluation" because of an experience like that so what? If you are otherwise a good student with potential to be an excellent nurse, one instructor's opinion is just that--one opinion. Let's face it, they breathe the same air you do and one person can't fail you out of the program. I would NEVER go down without a fight. I've worked too hard to come this far and one instructor will not make me or break me!