Difference between PN and RN.......

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Can someone give me the basic idea of what the difference is between being a PN as compared to being an RN? I am going to be starting the PN course in Sept. and want to know exactly what it is I'm in for! I know the basics but, really what is the difference in job description?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

I will throw my two cents in and it only applies if you live in Southwestern Ontario because I have noticed that nursing jobs really depend on where you live.

So if you live in the above area, and want to find a secure job in a hospital or acute care environment, go and get your BScN straight away.

If you think that you would enjoy long term care and some people do, and if you have no aspirations of being a house supervisor which is day shift, smaller med passes but more responsibility for budgets, hiring and assessments, then go for the RPN.

It really boils down to what you want out of your career. Talk to as many nurses as you can that work in areas that you want to work in and ask them about their jobs, what they like and what they find challenging.

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Thanks Persephone.......it's just those kinds of attitudes that I will have to get used to! Just because they've been in nursing awhile and think people who ask questions are retarded.......And for your info loriangel14, yes, I do know what nursing is all about, I didn't simply say to self " Hey I can stand around and just give meds all day, because you know that's all nurses do!".I just simply asked WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS IN JOB DUTY, didn't ask for attitude.

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Thanks to everyone for the positive responses!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I'm sorry. That is how you made it sound. I sincerely did not mean to offend. I was puzzled as why you thought PNs made no care decisions. Just correcting an erroneous idea. Fiona was just answering the questions that you asked.

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I am very sorry.We don't mean any offense. Just correcting misconceptions.

I took no offense, sometimes my LPN students enrolled thinking they we re taking the easy way out, they were not prepare how intense the PN program is. I went to diploma RN program so I know how hard it was to go back to school. Once you get experience, often you have more clinical experience then you professors, but since they have the degree you can't say much.

My advice is someone is in a BSN program stay there, you will regret leaving as tempting as it is to become a PN stay the course. I am basing this on my experience.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

Well tonight I get the space cadet award, I just noticed that the op is from Alberta and not Ontario and is starting the PN program in the fall. I have no idea what I was typing, just ignore it.

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I didn't mean for it to sound as if PN's made no care decisions, I guess (just more from hearsay) that PN's don't make decisions, that they strictly follow what they are told to do by the RN or physician. I know that what I pp'd sounded like I thought all PN's( or nurses in general ) do is give out meds, but, on the LTC unit that I did my job shadow on, that's really all I seen them doing because the HCA's were doing all the dressing, grooming, bum wiping, enemas, etc.. I just want to hear others experiences ( job duties 0) on whatever unit they may work on. And, I'm confused as to what the difference is between taking the 2 year course ( PN) as to the 4 year(BScN) when it sounds like everyone has the same job duties. Hope this doesn't confuse anymore people! But, I get the idea now.......I'm just going to go forward with what I'm doing and hope for the best!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I guess it depends on where you work what the differences are. The hospital that I work in the RNs do the same job as I do and have the same pt load unless there is a PICC line or a blood transfusion to deal with. The RNs follow the care plans and doctors orders the same as I do. We have no aids (most hospitals don't) and we all do our own dressing, grooming, toileting and cleaning up of messes.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

In the LTC and retirement area, RPN's do lots in addition to giving medications, care plans are updated, medications are checked, checked and reconciled, endless charting, assessments in emergent situations and regular vitals, lab result monitoring and on and on.

In LTC, you have an RN in the building to call if you are unsure of something but she has her own duties too and for the most part you will be expected to run your floor on your own. It is a huge job and I would suggest that you start in a hospital or at the very least a well run LTC.

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I guess I never thought of all the other responsibilities the LPN had on top of what I seen her do, mind you I wasn't job shadowing with the LPN it was with the HCA's and hearing their side of the story (only) as to the way things are. The facility I went to was a hospital / LTC one so that's probably why things worked differently there. Also, being short staffed they will do things the way that works best.

I've heard some horror stories about Bethany Care Centers.....a few people I know that have worked there have said that they were hired for janitorial work, and ended up doing HCA or (some say) 'nurses' tasks. I take it Bethany would not be the place to go?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I found that being an RPN involves endless amounts of problem solving and putting the pieces together to figure out what is going on with the pt. Making sure your assessments are acurate and basing your decisions on them takes practice.

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I guess I never thought of all the other responsibilities the LPN had on top of what I seen her do, mind you I wasn't job shadowing with the LPN it was with the HCA's and hearing their side of the story (only) as to the way things are. The facility I went to was a hospital / LTC one so that's probably why things worked differently there. Also, being short staffed they will do things the way that works best.

I've heard some horror stories about Bethany Care Centers.....a few people I know that have worked there have said that they were hired for janitorial work, and ended up doing HCA or (some say) 'nurses' tasks. I take it Bethany would not be the place to go?

I think the scope of practice really varies location to location and your question is a very valid one. I think that perhaps some of the posters didn't really understand what you were asking when you posted the question originally. I see things from both sides since I was an LPN first and then transitioned into an RN program afterwards. In Washington State the difference between (without looking at skills which is the focus of a lot of nurses) between an LPN and RN is that LPN's provide continuing care and RN's initiate care and this is from the board of nursing scope of practice guidelines. I am not sure this is exactly true in Canada and in all provinces but this gives an idea of the difference which I believe was your original question. In our hospital (I am in Arizona now) we don't use LPN's (it is our Manager's preference) mainly due to the fact that in our hospital the clinical lead has to ensure the assessments are valid done by the LPN and the LPN can also not do IV push (almost all of our Neuro patients require IV management) etc... So it really limits the utilization of the LPN which is surprising since Arizona has a pretty severe nursing shortage. It is a shame. I have met a lot of great LPN's and a lot of lousy RN's so to pit one against the other is really counterproductive.

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