Fired all the LPN's

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

So the hospital I work for called all the LPN's into a meeting on Friday to let them all know effective immediately they were to hand in their badges and clean out their lockers they were all being replace with RN's so the hospital could implement a new care delivery model. I am an RN and was mortified that they would treat excellent LPN's that have been loyal for years some for 30+. None of these nurses were offered another position in outpatient settings or given the option to continue their education to acheive their RN. The "severence package" was 2 weeks of pay and 1 month of benefits. Has anyone ever heard of something so abrupt being done to LPN's at other hospitals? The message that I felt was sent to all employees is that we are disposable and that no remorse is felt when letting loyal members of the healthcare system go. Oh and prior to this the layed of 50 employees so as not to have to lay off anymore including LPN's!

I have been an LPN and proud of it since 1975. I have worked with good and bad RN's lucky more good than bad. I did start back to school several years ago and then stopped when the hospital I was working at decided that you would get a pay cut if you became and RN. They saw you as a new grad! Who wants to take a pay cut when I was making more than many of the RN's I already worked with. By the way I am tele certified, IV cert.,PICC line etc. So many a times I could do more than the RN as I had continued to educate myself. I left the hospital setting 2 years ago cause I did not like the higher patient to nurse ratio. I had always told myself I would leave when I could not give the care I loved to give. I found a wonderful job as a Medical Supervisor in the plasma industry and climbing the corporate ladder. And guess what? I still make MORE than my RN friends. lol

Hang in there LPN's I have said it before look outside the normal places in medicine and you may find a job that you love.

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Specializes in Administration, OR, ED, Peri-Operative.

Interesting how history repeats itself making the same old mistakes.....will anyone ever learn? This same thing happened in the mid-late 1980's. It cost the hospitals a small fortune to payout all the long term loyal staff in benefits and retirement not to mention experience. The rationale was that RN's were licensed to do more complicated procedures etc. and patient care. However, this theory did not come to be a cost saver, the big picture revealed it cost more. Eventually we returned to the "old system" of teams, i.e., all healthcare professionals working together for the common good of the patient. I have been an RN for 23 years with 17 years as an administrator and it never ceases to amaze me how these "firings" help anything. People wonder why health care is so expensive! Stop reinventing the wheel and stay with what works. It's not rocket science. It will unfortunately cycle again.:yawn:

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Specializes in Administration, OR, ED, Peri-Operative.

:no:You don't want no stinkin' union. Nurses (all inclusive) do not organize well.:banghead:

Somehow I am not surprised. Administration in most hospitals I have worked in are always guilty of mistreating LPN's. It is amazing that they encourage the LPN to do more and more (never out of scope of practice but close).

At one hospital, they gave the RN's a raise and did NOT give the LPN's the same.

Morals? Ethics? Principles? The only thing most hospitals understand is UNION. I suggest your group get together; pick out some leaders; continue to look for work elsewhere (never, never give up).... and, don't get angry - get even! Write the Governor; write the Board of Directors, find a local newspaper reporter who is sympathetic....let the public know how you were treated...safety is an issue at that facility! Work it!!

Keep us in the loop! God bless.

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Specializes in Administration, OR, ED, Peri-Operative.

:twocents:There is no such thing as job security period.:no:

As horrible as this is, it is happening more and more. The hospital where I have been working for two years no longer hires LPN's, frowns upon those who still work there as LPN's who don't want to continue on for the RN, and what I think worst of all, I have worked there for two years while going to school, they have paid my tuition, and they wont fire me becasue I am only going to be and ADN. No job is safe. WATCH YOUR BACKS!!
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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.
LPNs go to school in Massachusetts for 10 months...a far cry from the (at least) 2 years of RN school. To compare the difference between an RN BSN or AD to the difference between RN and LPN is ridiculous. As someone who graduated from a hospital based program after getting a bachelor's degree, I was far better prepared to take care of real patients than those who spent 4 years in a BSN program. Again, let's not have turf wars. We need to stick together as RNs whatever our educational background to insure the best possible care for the patients we are taking care of today.

I hear you. My point is, if employers are going to insist upon RN-only staffs, they need to be proactive and become advocates of RN educational programs. They also need to get a collective clue regarding clinical expertise and realize that degrees do not necessarily make the nurse. LPNs who achieve clinical expertise should be rewarded for their knowledge, not thrown out of their jobs when some administrative genius decides to change the way an institution delivers nursing care.

How can nurses respect each other when management doesn't respect any of us?

Interesting how history repeats itself making the same old mistakes.....will anyone ever learn?

NO!

This same thing happened in the mid-late 1980's. It cost the hospitals a small fortune to payout all the long term loyal staff in benefits and retirement not to mention experience. The rationale was that RN's were licensed to do more complicated procedures etc. and patient care. However, this theory did not come to be a cost saver, the big picture revealed it cost more. Eventually we returned to the "old system" of teams, i.e., all healthcare professionals working together for the common good of the patient. I have been an RN for 23 years with 17 years as an administrator and it never ceases to amaze me how these "firings" help anything. People wonder why health care is so expensive! Stop reinventing the wheel and stay with what works. It's not rocket science. It will unfortunately cycle again.:yawn:

You are absolutely right. The difference now is that employers are hiding behind the bad economy and simply laying off loyal employees so they aren't paying as much in retirement. I also remember the late '80s and hospitals offering early retirement to LPNs and diploma-educated RNs so they could have all-BSN nursing staffs. Then, when they got their way, they couldn't figure out what happened to all their experienced nurses. Duh.

We are so going to be having this conversation again, folks. If not ten years from now, fifteen or twenty. And with the aging of the baby boom generation and the strain it will create on the health care system, heaven help us all.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Telemetry, NICU, Pediatrics.

I am an LVN that has been an ER and ICU nurse for 13 years and now the hospitals don't want to use me either or lots of LVN's with lots of experience. I asked a medical director why and he states that it is because of liability!!!! It hurts because I have worked hard to get to where I am at and had to raise 3 sons and was unable to get my RN...I was told my resume is impressive but that if I were only an RN....... yes I am an LVN but I work with RN's who have trusted and depended on me to do my job and take care of patients as much as they expect of themselves.....with the shortage it scares me that experience is not being utilized!

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No one has ever told me that being an LPN is a stepping stone to being an RN. I'd like to see that in writing! Certainly my school never said so and I have always been told by my employers that the LPN is an essential part of the team. Since I am 55yr old and prefer not to become an RN - I INTEND TO "SQUAT" ON MY LICENSE and retire. I HAVE gone back to school and have my private investigator's diploma and have taken steps to insure I will be able to make money in my retirement - but NOT as a nurse. By the way, in the state I work in, I make as much money in a nursing home as most of the RN's who work here in the hopspitals. :yeah: Can't wait to start a new career! I can't believe "some" nurses STILL treat other nurses so badly. It's been going on forever. Thank you! to all of the LPNs, CNA's, NP's, RN's, and MD's who for the most part have treated me with dignity and respect for my judgement and work ethics. Nay sayer's :down:

This is the best answer I've read so far... I'm sure you were a wonderful nurse and good luck with your new career!

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Specializes in geriatrics, peds, breast care.

I am currently in the LPN program that rotates through that hospital, and we were all blown away by this, and I really feel that it was a bad move for the hospital because every 15 years or so, hospitals go through this "ALL RN" thing, and then they realize they can't afford it, and go back to the way things were, int he mean time, they have made a bad name for themselves with people looking for a job, and for care in that hospital for that matter. I for one will NEVER go back to Good Sam Hospital in Lebanon, PA.

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This just happened to me and other LPN's in Phoenix -- they used the older peoples act to let us go. We already were in trouble at the facility because the LPN's are the strength of the facility. This is an LTAC ---The Rn's with the exception of a few were not up to the job, for many reasons. The LPNs also always got 6 critical care patients while the Rn only had 3 or maybe 4 once in awhile. Their reasoning was the RN's had to cover the LPN for picc annd IVP meds. Come on, this does not take that long to do. The state of Az just wants Rns to work - not LPN friendly --- so now they are using agency RN cause they doin't have enough nurses!!! and still don't even with agency. Patient care has suffered alot since they are now "overwhelmed" say the RNs==== Oh well, what can I say?

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To: Vital.nurse- Thankyou for your comment! FYI I am still working as an Lpn. I work the graveyard shift (I wonder why they call it that?) I take care of 52 patients and sometimes there isn't an RN in the building. Normally we have one, but when she goes on vaccation or has a day off - we don't. She has only been on my unit to hang PICC medications, maybe ten times in a year and a half. I handle all of the peripheral IV's. I am 55yrs old and will continue to be a nurse as long as I can. I am only looking to supplement my income when I retire, since in this state there are no unions and no pensions. Arizona is a "right to work state" thus a right to starve state. And since I have talked about RN's in several posts, I want people to know I am not anit-RN. If my health had permitted it, I would have become an RN. I went back to school several times. Unfortunatly, I got Hepatitis B - BEFORE they came out with a vaccine. Many of the nurses I worked with did. In those days, ONLY doctors got to use gloves. Think about what we do and would you want to do it without gloves. I also contracted MRSA and have a chronic abdominal wound that reopens every couple of years. My sister is a BSN- RN and got out of the profession after 14yrs as the head of Labor and Delivery in a large hospital in a major city. She is now an accountant for the State Police. When she was in her 3rd year of a 4 yr. program she told me, "I can't believe how much more you know about nursing. I haven't even touched a patient yet!" She has never made me feel anything, but proud and respected for what I do as an LPN. Let's face it - the only reason they are phasing LPNs out is because of the malpractice and liability issue. If they ever do phase us out - just wait and see how many more law suits are filed. The Lpn's are the workhorse of many facilities - Not prima donnas. Thanks again for the support!

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Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I am currently in the LPN program that rotates through that hospital, and we were all blown away by this, and I really feel that it was a bad move for the hospital because every 15 years or so, hospitals go through this "ALL RN" thing, and then they realize they can't afford it, and go back to the way things were, int he mean time, they have made a bad name for themselves with people looking for a job, and for care in that hospital for that matter. I for one will NEVER go back to Good Sam Hospital in Lebanon, PA.
I don't blame you. As for the LPNs who have dedicated their lives to that place, I feel terrible for them. As for RNs, most are fine, supportive nurses, BSN's I don't know that much about to comment other than I know they have a more expensive eduction; much more expensive than many can afford; especially those who are raising families on their own. This all makes me wonder though about the older physicians who don't keep up with the advances with medical care. I know they are out there too.
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I think firing LPNs is just deplorable.I just don't understand hospitals mindset when they do this.I think they get too top heavy and hire too many nurses with MSN after their name that don't have a clue what is going on ..on the floor. I have worked with some nurses with a MSN who did not know how to handle a high blood sugar. After a while nursing is not nursing but only an avenue of advanced degree nurses who would not have a clue how to take care of a patient on a med-surg unit and to me that is not nursing. Keep LPNs, because they are good and they know what to do on the floor. In time they will go back and hire LPNs again and the cycle will continue but it is sick and wrong!!!!!

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