Ok, here's the deal. Usually I hear/read/whatever that LPN's are fed up with the "real nurse" thing and that they say they're "nurses" not "LPN's" nurses to avoid the whole LPN/RN conversation/explaination. I kind of have the opposite problem. I am a newer nurse (2 years) and I worked my first year at a hospital with all RN's.(tele floor) Last years I switched to LTC for a set 8 hour day schedule to work around hubby and child care. My employment system did not offer that in the hospitals and to stay with the same company I had to switch to LTC. Most of them are LPN's (on my floor ,all LPN's) and they are way more experienced than me. They are incredible nurses and have been my source of knowledge. I could care less, and honestly don't mention my title...
But because of my title I was given the position of charge nurse, which is really uncomfortable because all the girls I work with have been nurses longer and have been there longer. My facility did not discuss this with me at hiring and after about 6 months on a med cart said they will not continue to pay RN salary for me to be on a cart.
Its just that my coworkers have told me, an continue to pass comments that RNs are no different that LPNs. They say the only difference is you can hang blood and a few other things. They tell me my schooling was really no different. I don't want to defend my self because they really are great nurses and I don't want to offend them. But I really worked hard for my degree and I don't like when I'm told "its nothing, no difference". Although I don't openly disclose my title, its hard to avoid as charge nurse and everyone knows me anyway.
I sometimes feel ashamed of being an RN. Some of the LPNs have told me the only difference is I'm paid more and there's really no reason for it. Believe me when I say that I NEVER bring up anything that can ever lead to this topic. I avoid it like the plague!! And yes, that's not a good quality in a charge nurse, but if I "take charge" then it becomes "us and them" and I'm alone. (Only RN on that floor. Only my shift has RN (me) other shifts don't.)
Its like the girls are okay as long as I let them believe that my title means nothing. Its took me several years going part time for my prerequites, while working fulltime and living on my own before I could even go to nursing school, and that was another 2 years...getting tired of pretending that's exactly the same as 11 months (which is the length of the LPN program at our local vo-tec school).
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
My question is this.... are you actually legally allowed to do head to toe assessments, admits and discharges and care plans in your state?
I ask because this is where LPNs tend to tick me off at work. They tell me they can do these things and therefore they are the same as me. Which is completely and totally wrong and goes against the Nurse Practice Act in my state. Again I had it happen with a LPN making a stupid comment and I am getting close to laying down the law. You want to be an RN, then go to school because the more I hear LPNs making these comments the more I lose a lot of respect for the position.
What I have seen is that in many nursing homes, LPNs will do these assessments, care plans and admissions (my state does not allow us to do discharges, though), but have to be countersigned by an RN, which, would mean that it is subject to be changed/corrected. What happens is that at times, the state is very vague, but the facilities have their own policies on what they can require what their LPNs can and cannot do.
What I have had happen to me, is that my facility told us that RNs can do the initial teaching and assessments in the clinic I work for when a patient is newly diagnosed (diabetes, for example). I found myself doing them, anyway, because the RNs didn't have time. I spoke about this several times. This isn't because I was trying to avoid work...this is because I don't want to be caught out there. I did a great deal of reading, research and asking questions since I did not want the patient to walk away not knowing about his condition, and it was good for me to know, anyhow. I think the issue is make it consistent. If the place says only RNs can teach newly diagnosed patients, then, it should be...period.
However, I don't want you to think that ALL LPNs think the way that the ones you encountered are saying. We don't.
I was a LTC LPN for 9 yrs before becoming an RN. I too, felt funny about becoming the Supervisor of my former workmates. Learning leadership isn't taught very well in RN school. Setting professional limits can be very lonely. Without a background in how things really work, versus what you are taught leaves a huge void. My style of management is to advise and assist. I don't tell my LPN's what to do. I make recommendations as to their choices and what i would do in a given situation. There are many thin skinned employees out there who resent being told what to do. Given acceptable choices gives them the final decision. Confidence is built by making decisions. Often the fear of making the wrong decision freezes some employees. I do remind them, and the CNA's that if anything goes wrong, it's on my head. Always ask/consult when a decision needs to be made.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I was a LTC LPN for 9 yrs before becoming an RN. I too, felt funny about becoming the Supervisor of my former workmates. Learning leadership isn't taught very well in RN school. Setting professional limits can be very lonely. Without a background in how things really work, versus what you are taught leaves a huge void. My style of management is to advise and assist. I don't tell my LPN's what to do. I make recommendations as to their choices and what i would do in a given situation. There are many thin skinned employees out there who resent being told what to do. Given acceptable choices gives them the final decision. Confidence is built by making decisions. Often the fear of making the wrong decision freezes some employees. I do remind them, and the CNA's that if anything goes wrong, it's on my head. Always ask/consult when a decision needs to be made.
I really applaud you in this approach. I've never wanted to be in a supervisor's position throughout my career and it's held me back. I'm very uncomfortable supervising other people, but the field I've found myself in now has been a huge eye-opener about leadership styles. I'm a backfromretirement nurse, too.
In Home Health, I've had a chance to have direct interaction with different styles of managing, and my seniority made me sort of a de facto team leader. I don't want to be, but there isn't anyone else who can fill that role at the moment and people seek me out. I've really developed the opinion that the best way to deal with it is to create an atmosphere that allows people to shine and makes them feel comfortable enough to honestly share their concerns without the fear of being jumped all over. I appreciate that from the Case Managers as well. So many of them could use me as a resource to help them do their job better, and those that are more interested in a power play don't do nearly as well. Just my
I went to school for LPN and for RN. Two different programs and there was a WORLD of difference between the two. The teaching method was different, the clinicals were way different, the test questions were different. In the LPN program they broke down the basics and explained why. In the RN program, there was no time for that and we had to do a lot of self teaching. I feel I am a better RN because I did the LPN program also but there is no comparing the two!
to the OP you should never, ever be ashamed to divulge who you are. You an RN and you should be darn proud of it. They are LPNs and they should be darn proud of it as well. Everyone worked hard to get where they are whether they are RNs or LPNs and no one should take anything away from anybody. I feel their minimization of your title is only a weak attempt to make themselves feel adequate because they may be slightly threatened by your title and the fact that you are Charge RN and they have to answer to you despite the longetivity of their career at this facility. You can't please everyone and what matters at the end of the day is how you feel within yourself. Make no apologies for your success and I really hope you gain the courage to stand proud and be firm about who you are the role you play in that facility. Good luck!
I just want to add that I am appalled by some of the comments being made here by both RNs and LPNs. We're supposed to be sticking together and not degrading each other's positions. If you are an LPN and you are allowed to teach, assess, do admissions, and discharges, that is fine, but in most states that is illegal and just because you do it doesn't mean oh well then there is no difference between an RN and an LPN because if there was truly no distinction we'd all be the same. Us RNs don't need to lose respect for LPNs either okay we have more schooling but don't let a few ignorant LPNs spoil it for the other LPNs who respect what we do.
They're clearly just jealous...overcompensating for inferiority complexes. I would just tell them that since I haven't gone to both programs, I don't know the similarities/differences. You don't have to either sell out by agreeing or appear adversarial by disagreeing.
Ok, just have to make one point...not all LPN's were trained or educated differently. The college here has a 2 year RN program. After the first two semesters, you can take your LPN. I did this and took some time off to work as an LPN before completing my RN. Up to that point, I was trained to think exactly the way an RN thinks, took the same prereqs etc. (which made it very easy to transition to RN) NEVER was I taught "just to do"
Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.
Nurseinlimbo,
You may want to point out to those "pseuonurses" that there really isn't a nursing shortage in many states anymore.
And if they want to look like, smell like, act like or work like a nurse then Freakin go to NURSING SCHOOL!
You did, I did, they can too.
To the OP, do not let these people intimidate you. I have also worked with several LPNs in LTC who had more experience that I, however, rules are rules and I was always the Charge RN. If you want the title, pay whatever, to back to school and get it!!! Stop whining. If the positions were the same there would only be one school!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
nurseinlimbo,
you may want to point out to those "pseuonurses" that there really isn't a nursing shortage in many states anymore.
and if they want to look like, smell like, act like or work like a nurse then freakin go to nursing school!you did, i did, they can too.
to the op, do not let these people intimidate you. i have also worked with several lpns in ltc who had more experience that i, however, rules are rules and i was always the charge rn. if you want the title, pay whatever, to back to school and get it!!! stop whining. if the positions were the same there would only be one school!
hold your head up and smile.
s
when you say 'pseudonurses', what are you meaning? are you saying that lpns are not nurses? as a moderator of allnurses, i have to intervene because this is insulting to the our on line community. we have active, paying members that are cnas, lpns and rns of all levels, including advanced practice nurses and this forum promotes respect. expressing opinions is fine, placing a response like that for our members to see further polarizes lpns and rns. this remark is inflammatory and insulting. not all lpns are saying that we are 'the same as'. but we are all nurses. in addition, we have also attended nursing school, have taken nclex-pn, which is a state board that allows us to practice.
pagandeva2000, LPN
7,984 Posts
Now, that...was funnnny!!