Excuse my ignorance, but what is the difference between LPN and RN?

[iNurseUK, RN]

For example are there tasks RN's can do but not LPN's? Years ago the UK had a similar system with Enrolled Nurses and State Registered Nurses. It's a stretch but as I recall EN's could not do IV's, be in charge of the ward, check controlled drugs without an SRN but I really can't recall anything else EN's couldn't do.

[BettyBoop01]

LPN= Licensed Practical Nurse

RN =Registered Nurse

Each state dictates the scope of practice and they vary greatly. In my former state LPNs were not allowed to push IV meds or do initial assesments. They could not hang blood etc. They had to have cosigners for some narcotics etc seemed like they had a lot of restrictions. And they were not generally employed in hospitals, mostly LTC.

In my current state of employment LPNS do everything RNS do, they just get paid less. I worked with some excellent LPNS that I would trust with my life & my family. They work in hospitals and do the same job RNS do.

So sorry for the lack of an answer, but it varies greatly from state to state. I am not sure how long LPNS go to school a year I think?

RNS can have a 2 year associates or a 4 year bachelors.

[caliotter3]

Although there are differences in what is allowed according to scope of practice, in many facilities those lines are blurred. LPN/LVNs are expected to do more than originally put forth when the distinct job category was first employed years ago. A matter of paying less for getting more.

[rn/writer, RN]

RNS can have a 2 year associates or a 4 year bachelors.

Or a three-year diploma.

[iNurseUK, RN]

Thanks for that.Some of the EN's I used to know were just the most excellent bedside nurses but did not have the academic qualifications to train as SRN's.

Most EN's converted to RGN's in the mid 1980's and the last EN I can remember worked permanent nights back in the early 1990's. Not met an EN since then and to my mind it is a pity that these less-academic nurses were phased out only to be replaced by completely untrained HCA's. Not that I have anything against HCA's. Some of them are brilliant.

[caliotter3]

I have read that this has been intended for decades in the US, however, not accomplished. I am certain that money is the driving force. One go-around has been the introduction of the medical assistant. A good way to pay less while bestowing the imaginary prestige of the blessing of the medical community.

[ObtundedRN, BSN, RN]

In my state, the scope of practice is different not only in the sense of certain skills can't be performed by the LPN, but also they don't have the "professional judgement" that RNs are supposed to have. I'm not saying LPNs don't have judgement, but their scope of practice doesn't. Due to this, my BON has stated that LPNs can't make or change the nursing care plan or education plan. The RN must create these, and the LPN can make suggestions for changes and help carry it out. And for the education, the LPN can only reinforce what the RN already taught, they can't do the initial teaching.

In my state, the LPN can do most of the skills that an RN can do. They can do IV push meds ect. There are a few things they are only allowed to do as long as the facility has a policy for them to do, and the RN can do it regardless if their is a policy or not. Also, the RN must do the inital assessment of any patient, and there must be an RN assessment at least once every 24 hours. So I think acute care facilities that still have LPNs have the LPN perform and document their own assessment, and the RN can either co-sign it or document their own with it.

So long story short, there are only a few small differences in my state when it comes to skills. The differences are more about plan of care, teaching, judgement, and delegation.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Or a three-year diploma.

Or less than a 3 year diploma.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

So sorry for the lack of an answer, but it varies greatly from state to state. I am not sure how long LPNS go to school a year I think?

My LPN schooling was 15 months long. Monday thru Friday and 8 hrs per day. And we didn't get the 'traditional' school breaks like colleges do (Spring break, Winter break etc).

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

South Africa still has ENs, also known as Staff Nurses. They do a 2 year course, as opposed to the (current) 4y 6mo Diploma course done by RNs. Why I specify "current" is because it was preceded by a 3 year Diploma course, and if rumour is to be believed, is about to be phased out to allow for the re-introduction of the 3 year course. There are University degrees, but the course itself varies from Varsity to Varsity, and I have no idea what the duration is; it used to be three years.

Again, rumour has it that EN training is to be phased out, but this has been a rumour for almost 30 years, since I was last in college in the 80s. What they have now done, is to phase out the bridging course which enabled ENs to study further and become RNs over a two year training period. Obviously, this will discourage many school leavers from doing the shorter course, which is a great pity. As you point out, many ENs are brilliant nurses, and are the backbone of bedside care.

South African ENs cannot give IV meds and cannot do med rounds. They cannot be "in charge" of a ward without an RN on the premises. ENs cannot carry the keys to the narcotics cupboard, except in one case that I know of; an EN qualified in Theater Technique may carry the keys if she is called out to scrub after hours, but again she reports to the senior RN on duty. The ultimate responsibility resides with the RN; if the paw-paw hits the fan, the RN carries the can.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Having trained as a EN way back in 86 and bridged to RN in '97 in the UK and can say looking at stuff that LPN's do in the US EN's did a bit more back in the UK. My scope was very similar to RN's on the ward with only exception being I couldn't do IV access and IV drugs and could only check controlled drugs with a RN, a RN had to be one of the co-signs with controlled drugs the other could be anyone from student to EN to another RN or a doctor. I could hang blood products however a RN had to double check and co-sign, in some places in the US and Canada the LPN can't do this although once blood is hung they can care for the patient. Saying that generally things do differ from state to state. Also to add Canada has LPN and their training is 2 years which is different to the US and their roles differ to the US in some cases

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

We have ENs here in Australia and they vary on how much they can do. Some of them trained before 2006 may not be able to give any medications at all or may have done further courses to become medication endorsed. These vary from orals +/- IV+/- IM etc. However since 2006 all ENs are expected to be medication endorsed. They cannot give narcotics or prescribe from the nurse initiated medication list.

Most of them are excellent but the High Dependency surgical ward I am on only really use them for specialing patients who are a risk to themselves or others or sun-downing really badly. I did work with some on a medical ward though who took a patient load and the NIC would be ultimately responsible for the pts as their scope of practice states that they must report directly to a RN