Do you say you're a nurse...

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 20, 2008

I know LPN's are licensed practical nurses but saying you are "a nurse" seems misleading. Right now I'm in "nursing school" for RN. If I was in LPN school. I would say I am in a "practical nurse school."
There is also "nurse" in certified nurse assistant, but they are still nurse assistants not "nurses".
I think people should refer to themselves with proper titles.
EXAMPLE >>There is an ARNP here where I work and everyone calls her doctor...how annoying.

Sorry, I totally disagree. I AM a 'nurse' and I did attend 'nursing school'. It did not take an idiot to complete an LPN course, and I took the state boards in order to practice. It is not misleading to say that I am a nurse that went to nursing school and earned her license. Not trying to sound harsh, just that if we bow down and allow the RNs to own the title NURSE is wrong... and there is no reason to then have to justify that I am a qualified person trained to care for someone.

Leo2 · Mar 21, 2008

I say I'am a nurse, have been for 22yrs. If they ask LPN or RN, I'll say with pride LPN. diff. levels still nurses, If you are in school then you are a student nurse. Leo2

scrapgirl2000 · Mar 21, 2008

I would tell people I was in nursing school. If they said "oh, you are going to be an R.N.", I would say "No, I am going to be an LVN". Never be ashamed of your hard work and education as an LVN student / future LVN. And also, don't sell yourself short. A nurse is a Nurse. I am an LVN and proud to be. My grandmother who is a little bitter, said to my grandfather (of my fiancee who is an R.N. "He is an R.N. he is registered".) I was mad, but I am sure anyone who feels that way and is choking or having an MI is not going to say "Wait you are not an R. N. or a real nurse, don't help me. Get a real nurse". We work hard and give everything of ourselves to earn the right and respect to call oursleves nurses! Did Florence Nightengale designate herself with a title? better yet, it was her principles and dedication that stood out. Without that, what would nursing be today.

scrapgirl2000 · Mar 21, 2008

i know lpn's are licensed practical nurses but saying you are "a nurse" seems misleading. right now i'm in "nursing school" for rn. if i was in lpn school. i would say i am in a "practical nurse school."
there is also "nurse" in certified nurse assistant, but they are still nurse assistants not "nurses".
i think people should refer to themselves with proper titles.
example >>there is an arnp here where i work and everyone calls her doctor...how annoying.

with that attitude, good luck in nursing school and the "real world of nursing". maybe you won't think it is so misleading when you can no longer take care of yourself, and have a licensed vocational nurse giving you pain meds, calling the doctor on your behalf, and being your advocate when you no longer can. :nurse:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 21, 2008

Obviously, those that know me on these boards are aware that I am a very PROUD LPN...better yet, I am a proud NURSE...period. I learned anatomy and physiology, psychology, microbiology, sociology, all of the good stuff that the RNs had to take for their pre-requisites at my community college. I sat side by side with prespective RN students in these classes, and in many cases, I earned higher grades than they did.

I have to say that I am totally outraged that someone would actually say that to mention I am a NURSE is misleading! Does this mean that the BSN, MSN and Advanced Practice nurses can say to an Associate Degree RN that she is not really a nurse? NO, they CANNOT... it does mean that their education and scope of practice is advanced, yes, but they all sat through NCLEX-RN. I stand proud next to an RN because I am a nurse as well. I learn from RNs as well as WITH them. We learned the nursing process (which is the SAME for both), pharmacology (because ANY nurse is legally responsible for the administration of medications), nursing diagnoses, NANDA, many of the same things. It does not mean that our education is equal to theirs, but, we are nurses in our own right. No one is misleading the public when we say we are nurses; we do not mislead anyone when we tell them we are attending nursing school, because we are; we only mislead them when we say that we are RNs when we are clearly not.

And, I clearly will not apologize for being an licensed practical NURSE.

suejara · Mar 21, 2008

Not trying... just giving an opinion.
Question: Do LPN's take the same exact NCLEX?? I thought it was and LPN NCLEX (can't remember what it's called).
PS> I'm not trying to be smart, I'm trying to learn about LPN's

Its called the NCLEX-PN (PN for Practical Nurse). Perhaps you can go to a bookstore and browse through an NCLEX prep book for RN's and then one for LPN's and see for yourself how similar the two exams are.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 21, 2008

Its called the NCLEX-PN (PN for Practical Nurse). Perhaps you can go to a bookstore and browse through an NCLEX prep book for RN's and then one for LPN's and see for yourself how similar the two exams are.

It is amazing...when I compared the two comprehensive study guides from Saunders, it was EXACTLY the same things, with the exception of delegation. Heck, I could have purchased the Saunders NCLEX-RN review for all of that...and at least, the pictures would have been in color... :banghead:

daisybaby, LPN · Mar 21, 2008

I'm an RN, and I call myself a nurse (not RN). I also call my coworkers who are LPNs nurses, because that's what they are too. It works fine.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Mar 21, 2008

When people ask me what I'm doing, I say "I'm in nursing school". If they ask further, I will proudly say "I'm going to be an LPN".

When I'm finished school, I will say "I'm a nurse". If asked further, I will proudly say "I'm an LPN"

Simple as that.

I've never heard someone say "I'm in Registered Nursing school". Although I have heard some nurses say "I'm an RN". I don't see anything wrong with that. I think they are so used to using the term "RN".

MscandoRN · Mar 21, 2008

I have to say I agree with the majority of the posts. I can tell you this, the person who is coding could care less whether an LPN or RN cracks his ribs open in an attempt to restore a pulse.

RFWB · Mar 21, 2008

. An LPN is someone who's been through 12-18mo of school 5days a week. The RN program I plan on attending after I finish my LPN, is only 3 days a week with a clinical. I expect the RN portion to be "easier" because it will just be two semesters vs. the LPN program which is a solid year.

Thanks for this statement. I'm halfway thru a very intense LPN program and I've got to say I've had the same thought. My program is non-stop, 5 days a week, eight hours a day. I spend approx. 1/3 - 1/2 more time in school/clinical (per week) than I would have had I enrolled in some of the RN programs here in my area. While my one year program might SOUND like less time in school than the 2 year adn programs out there, I've got to tell you that the longer days/more numerous days per week really narrows the gap. I also go to school year round - I have no summer break (another 3 month difference) and we have 3 1-week breaks between levels of our program. That's IT. I don't find the material to be particularly difficult, but the sheer VOLUME of it, and the RIDICULOUSLY fast rate at which we cover it, makes the experience VERY intense and VERY difficult. It's not for wimps, it's not for the unintelligent, and it's not to be belittled, disrespected, or dismissed by those who don't understand the rigors of it.

Now I'm not at all knocking RN's or attempting to claim that LPN's have the same education as RN's...we don't. That's clear. But I'm REALLY sick of folks knocking my education. I have a Bachelor's in another field. i'm no stranger to higher education - But still LPN school is NOT a cakewalk. And while it might seem like it's only half as long as an RN program, I wish that more people were aware that the differnce between the two in terms of time are NOT as great as one would assume.

oh yeah - and so I'm not COMPLETELY off topic - I sure as all H*LL will refer to myself as a nurse when I'm done, because that's what I will be. If I'm talking to someone about my school, I refer to it as NURSING SCHOOL, because that's what it IS. To healthcare workers I be sure to specify, because they understand the distinction and I want to make it clear that I'm not respresenting myself as something I am not - but I don't make the distinction apologetically or regretfully. I'm proud to have chosen this path and this role, it's the choice that made the most sense for me at this point in my life. Period.

jelorde37 · Mar 21, 2008

o man... we got a RN student in here trying to make this into an lpn vs rn thing.... its a shame... anyways, here are facts to repel you opion.

first. lpns are nurses by law.

second. lpn school is nursing school because we complete nursing credit. also, we have more options than generic nursing students when it comes to education. after prereqs, we can do a lvn-Adn or lvn-bsn and lpns are admitted on a space available basis. that means that we dont have to go through some waiting list or some kind of lottery.

i think you should learn about roles in healthcare and education before you spurt out an opinion because you kind of made a fool of yourself. some of the best nurses that i have met are lvns, or rns who were lvns. also, dont try to start an lvn vs rn thing cause its not good in healthcare in general. i dont know if its lack of education or you might have been "eaten" by a lvn in your clincals but your "neo-nazi nursing" logic is at best, illogical and only produces adverse reactions in healthcare and nursing.

anyways, enough of that. good luck in nursing school.