Do you say you're a nurse...

[picurn10]

or do you say you're an LPN when talking to people? Is it common to make a distinction? I know I have friends who say "I'm and RN" when people ask what they do for a living, but it is standard to distinguish between the two, or do most people just say "I'm a nurse"?

When I start LPN school in August, will I say "I'm in nursing school" or does that imply I'm in RN school?

Sorry, probably a dumb question but I just wondered what is normal.

[lauralauranurse]

'if caring were enough -- anyone could be a nurse.'

[ellen 12]

yeah I guess anyone could a be a nurse.

My point was - nursing is primarily about caring.

[ellen 12]

this has haunted me for too long, i no longer go through the arduous process of this.... person- so what do you do?? me- oh i'm an lpn.person- lpn?? what is that?? me- i'm a nurse. person-but i thought you were in school for nursing?? me- yeah i am, i'm going for my rn. person- so your not certified right?? me- oh no i am, i'm a licensed practical nurse, i just can't do as much as an rn can! person- oh (confused). take note at just how complicated this conversation is, now when someone asks it goes alittle something like this.... person- so what do you do?? me-im a nurse, and i'm going to school for my second nursing title + a bachelors! case closed!! whew! wasn't that better??

you could say you are doing more study to extend your scope of practice.

[nursienurse_81]

Comparing LPN to CNA because the word nurse is in the title is a very bad analogy because the "a" in CNA is the word assistant. A "nurse's assistant or aide". When CNAs are working they are the assistant or aide to not only the RN but the LPN. LPN does not stand for RN assistant. Plus I would recommend that a nursing STUDENT such as yourself learn to play well with your the LPNs and CNAs or you are in for a rude awakening before you even begin, because when you start working those LPNs will know more than you, even with RN behind your name. Good luck!

[MeganMLPN]

then you should say i'm in "registered nurse school". why would it be misleading if an lpn student says "i am in nursing school"? it is infact a nursing school for practical nurses just like your school is for registered nurses.

why are you even using the analogy of "nurse" in certified nurse assistant? lpns had to take the nclex as well and lpns are indeed nurses.

you don't think lpns are nurses?????????

please don't turn this thread to rn vs lpn thing.

i felt the same when i read that. i worked harder in lpn school then the rn students who were clinical on the same floors as us, and nurses on the floor were quicker to ask us to do thing's then the rn students. so i don't distinguish when people ask me because to me, we're all nurses. i just smile and say "i'm a nurse. i just graduated from nursing school in february" and almost no one has asked me to specify lpn to rn. if you're too caught up on making sure others know you're registered and not "just an lpn", then maybe you're becoming an "rn" for the wrong reasons... if not, sorry, but it just comes out like you're above us and well, frankly, you're not. we all should have the same goal and be in nursing for the same reasons, to help people. and by people i also mean each other. without lpn's rn's couldn't get have of their work done... so just remember that next time you feel you need to belittle a fellow nurse. (and just for the record, i'm now in "registered nursing school")

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I felt the same when I read that. I worked harder in LPN school then the RN students who were clinical on the same floors as us, and nurses on the floor were quicker to ask us to do thing's then the RN students. So I don't distinguish when people ask me because to me, we're all nurses. I just smile and say "I'm a nurse. I just graduated from nursing school in February" and almost no one has asked me to specify LPN to RN. If you're too caught up on making sure others know you're registered and not "just an LPN", then maybe you're becoming an "RN" for the wrong reasons... if not, sorry, but it just comes out like you're above us and well, frankly, you're not. We all should have the same goal and be in nursing for the same reasons, to help people. And by people I also mean each other. Without LPN's RN's couldn't get have of their work done... so just remember that next time you feel you need to belittle a fellow nurse. (and just for the record, I'm now in "Registered Nursing school")

:yeah::yeah:Bravo!!! I really liked what you said!!:yeah:

[bugzie]

Well Said Papillonkisses, thank you for your post on this matter

[faltura, RN]

It doesnt matter whether you are a LPN or RN as long as you save lives, you try hard to help other people and you do good and get better each time then you find yourself contented with whatever title you have. i am a registered nurse but i know what the nurse aid do what the practical nurse do and what the administrative assistant do because as far as my practice is concerned, i should be competent and confident and i dont care whether they call me the aid, the nurse or the practical nurse as long as my patients believe that im the best and that i give them the care they deserve. The best NURSE are those who know how to work as a team and work collaboratively with everybody, the TITLES NEVER MATTER when you are at work... remember, our job titles all have the word NURSE in it: practical NURSE, registered NURSE and NURSE assistant :)

[ellen 12]

I agree fultura - it's team work that matters. I am an RN - but I know in some situations my caregivers / aides can give better care than I can. I see it as my job to recognise this - and ensure that their skills /abilities are utilised with the ultimate aim of giving the best care possible.

I also recognise and appreciate that different work environments demand different structural procedures in care delivery.

[lauralauranurse]

i've given up on this conversation.

evidently you guys feel that nursing = caring

and i feel like nursing = knowledge

[softstorms]

WOW, I have read most of this thread...and I am amazed!!!! DGOOD is just starting out, and if memory serves me right, I may have been a bit full of myself when I was in school. I still see it in new students and grads. This will be self-correcting in time. DGOOD, just keep hanging around with us. I am sure that you will have many more questions to ask, and we many just know the answers. I will remind you that as the nursing shortage grows tighter, LPN's are being ask to assume higher roles all the time. We are being trained on a level that was never required before. We are not only nurses, we are teachers and mentors.

[JeanineLPN1984]

I posted early on in this thread and it keeps going. I've thought about it and in 23 years, I have probably told over 2,000 people " I'm a nurse". Most don't ask for clarification and leave it at that. I don't know why we feel we must explain what we are capable of, rather than we KNOW what we do. I think it's human nature, but again all the people you work with know what you do and how hard you work.

Last night reminded me of how it in most cases it doesnt matter your title, it matters what you know. We had a patient back with ileus and and an ileostomy, the off going nurse gave me a report and then went off to the patients room to change the flange and bag. About 10 mins later she came out and handed me flange and bag and said " It's been so long since I did this" I went in the patient and her daughters were there. The one daughter started by saying " Oh, your new here, I havent seen you" then asked how long I've been I've there. The CNA was on the other side of the bed, while I was measuring and cutting to fit the stoma and I was explaining everything to the patient. Then the daughter says " Oh, it looks like you've been doing this a while", I said about 23 years....... She said she was glad I came in and took care of her mother.

The moral of the story is this is why we do what we do, we care AND we know what we are doing.