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).
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.
i think that remark was in response to the comment about medical assistants saying they were the same as nurses, not lpn vs. rn.
Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.
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.
no,
you did not understand what i wrote!
the op was speaking about techs who are taking extra on line courses and think they should be able to assess...that is who i was speaking about!!!!!
not lpns...read the original post again...and if you have read other posts i have made, you will see how i have commented on how much i have learned from lpns.
one of the best nurses i ever worked with was an lpn in hospice...she taught me how to become real hospice nurse.
i have no idea how you could get that i was remotely referring to lpns from that post!!!!!!!
i am still scratching my head over how you could have misconstrued my response to apply to lpns...it wasn't even close!
of course lpns have attended nursing school and of course they have taken boards....i ment the techs that are taking online courses....i'm sure you would agree with me when you realize that was what i ment.
I think what it comes down to is responsibility. RNs have the training they do in order that they use their critical thinking skills to make decisions that ultimately they will have to be accountable for, and also, at times, the decisions that others make without consultation may and often are held to the RN for accountability. LPNs are able to work their scope, and should do so, as long as they understand the importance of reporting their findings to the RN. Also, it is the RNs responsibility not to take it for granted that those in other positions will do their job in reporting abnormal findings, or indeed noticing anything abnormal that may cause them to investigate further in the first place.
More and more, we are being told that LPNs can run LTC here in Canada, yet it has been proven in the past that they are not as astute at discovering and obtaining treatment for pneumonia, bleeds, MIs, fractures etc. etc. So as a result, pts are not treated in as timely a fashion. Since an incident such as the above is often all that it takes to change the status of a LTC client, it is critical.
I think we clearly have to remember what our goal is, and that is exceptional care of the PATIENT, and working together as a TEAM.
Which province do you work in? In Ontario and Alberta, the current PN curriculum in the old diploma RN work.
I've worked LTC in the past and I know of many cases where the LPN has documented falls, chest pain, etc. reported it to the RN in charge and been dismissed. Then when the feces hit the fan with fractured hips, TIA's and bowel obstructions being discovered, it's been the LPNs charting that documented the incidents/symptoms that saved their patients. The LTC's that I had the good fortune to excape from (and they all had great reputations) all utilized the RN as a charge nurse, who on most shifts did not lay eyes or hands on a patient. The LPNs medicate, care for and assess their patients. They are more in tune with the day to day changes of the patients and they are often discouraged from charting too much information on mood, behaviour changes. However the ones I know that still work in LTC, continue to cover their asses and their patients health.
BR1013
5 Posts
i think that remark was in response to the comment about medical assistants saying they were the same as nurses, not lpn vs. rn.