Frustrated

Nur_1996 · Jun 12, 2007

Hi, I can totally relate to what you are saying. I am also a LPN since 1996, I have worked in many specialties in my 11 years, I worked hospital nursing for years, but now out of that setting by choice. Where I work now currently, has no respect for LPN's at all. RN's have different schedules, benefits etc. The CNA's and LPN' in one catagory. The RN"s in another.

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2007

I feel your pain sister. I have been an LPN since 1994. I have heard the jokes. Real Nurse vs. Lets Play Nurse Rich Nurse vs Low Paid Nurse etc... You have to remember why you became a nurse and hang onto that. I finally went back when I felt it was no longer worth doing the work without the pay NOT because of some simple simon's comments. That stuff is often born out of jealousy because they are taught in school that they are superior and then they get onto the floor with us and it hits them like ice water that we can work rings around them. So, the only thing that they can cling to is their title. Just know that if/when you go back and become and RN you will be the most compasionate and appreciative supervisor in ways that ONLY a NURSE who started out LICENSED and then became REGISTERED can understand. Think of the role model that you will be and how many LPN's will be spared what we go through now. You will surely be a blessing to alot of people but ONLY because of what you have gone through yourself. Hang in there girl.

FLIGHT2RN · Jun 13, 2007

I feel your pain sister. I have been an LPN since 1994. I have heard the jokes. Real Nurse vs. Lets Play Nurse Rich Nurse vs Low Paid Nurse etc... You have to remember why you became a nurse and hang onto that. I finally went back when I felt it was no longer worth doing the work without the pay NOT because of some simple simon's comments. That stuff is often born out of jealousy because they are taught in school that they are superior and then they get onto the floor with us and it hits them like ice water that we can work rings around them. So, the only thing that they can cling to is their title. Just know that if/when you go back and become and RN you will be the most compasionate and appreciative supervisor in ways that ONLY a NURSE who started out LICENSED and then became REGISTERED can understand. Think of the role model that you will be and how many LPN's will be spared what we go through now. You will surely be a blessing to alot of people but ONLY because of what you have gone through yourself. Hang in there girl.

"WOW" that was well put. I have yet to graduate, but I have heard these comments being made and it really doesn't make since at all. It's funny because sometimes you will find that the LPN will be given the exact same job duties as the RN is some facilities, of course for less money. Happy to say that LPN's will be around for a long time because we truly are needed. Try to not let those comments get to you. Next time, tell them to get a Life and be a Real Nurse not a Repulsive Nurse.

kstec, LPN · Jun 14, 2007

I enjoy this hierarchy of nursing so much that I have been a LPN for less than one year and am thinking of going back to school for something totally unrelated to nursing. I've worked as a CNA and as a Pharmacy Technician, which are both part of a support system, but working as a LPN falls into a different type of category. I'm not sure which, but somewhere else. Since I've been a LPN, I've never been made to fell so inadaquate in my life. I was never made to feel less than what I was in the other areas I worked in. The bad thing is that because of this heirarchy, I'm pretty much sure as soon as my kids are a couple of years older, I'm going back to school, but I don't think for nursing. I don't want to continue in a field where we are supposed to be the most caring and nurturing of all professions, but are the most petty, competitive and demeaning. I'm not singling out RN's for the LPN's limited scope of practice, but the societal(sp) norm of today and the government that supports it. I want to work in a profession where I am treated as either equal or part of a team, and not any less. The sad thing is, is that I'm the first person to graduate from high school or go to college in my whole family and at one time when I started my pre-reqs I thoroughly thought nursing was what I wanted, but I did not realize you weren't good enough until you received your master or higher. One thing that makes me angry is that working at a family practice clinic and in LTC at present, my patients love me and I thorougly care for all of them and am an excellent nurse. None of them know I'm just a LPN and I really don't think they care, but everyone else does, (society). I hope that society isn't set itself up for a real nursing shortage when the people who were going to go to LPN school with the hopes of working anywhere they wanted, decide to change their career, like myself, because of so much limitation. What would the world be like without any LPN's? If they keep limiting us and belittling us, it may come to that. We somehow need to stand together and get these facilities and government to let us practice to our full potential.

midcom · Jun 14, 2007

none of them know i'm just a lpn and i really don't think they care, but everyone else does, (society).

in my opinion, you are just as guilty by calling yourself just an lpn. why do that? i am a lpn student and have no intention of continuing on. i suspect that no matter what, you will still run into people who will ask, "why are you just a adn or rn, or np?"

dixie

kstec, LPN · Jun 14, 2007

I wasn't putting myself down by saying just a LPN, it's just a general comment that is made alot. Example: Are you a RN? No, I'm just a LPN. That's just how you're made to feel. I'm proud of my accomplishment but I do not want to continue with the hierarchy any longer.

BigB · Jun 14, 2007

"I live in a part of FL where basically the only stable job an lpn can get that pays decent is in a LTC facility which can quickly cause burnout over a period of time (at least it did for me)."

It is not just FL, California is the same way. I was burnt out of LTC after 3 weeks, yet stayed 3 months until I could get a state LVN job. (long background check/ screening process).

The simple answer is to start on your RN. I realize this is not an option for everybody do to factors such as financal, family needs, etc. My LVN instructor urged all of us to use the LVN license as a stepping stone and to not be a career LVN or "we would end up rotting away in a nursing home, burnt out and bitter."

BigB · Jun 14, 2007

I enjoy this hierarchy of nursing so much that I have been a LPN for less than one year and am thinking of going back to school for something totally unrelated to nursing. I've worked as a CNA and as a Pharmacy Technician, which are both part of a support system, but working as a LPN falls into a different type of category. I'm not sure which, but somewhere else. Since I've been a LPN, I've never been made to fell so inadaquate in my life. I was never made to feel less than what I was in the other areas I worked in.

I think going to school for something other than nursing is a great idea. I recently finished my bachlor's degree in managment of all things. I had been an LVN for 1 month when I decided to pad my resume, give me more options in the event that nursing isn't for me, and enrolled to finish the degree off. I still don't know if I will be a career nurse, LVN or RN. In fact, I have considered getting my Master's from California State University in something other than nursing. You really never know where life will take you the best thing you can do is prepare yourself.

Because the board ties LVN's hands in California, I feel that I am little more than a glorifed CNA. Some RN's feel that is all we are as well. I feel I am over-qualified for the limited functions we CA LVN's can preform. We can't assess, can't work in acute care, etc. Yet, this is exactly what we did in the acute care hospitals during LVN school.

"The sad thing is, is that I'm the first person to graduate from high school or go to college in my whole family and at one time when I started my pre-reqs I thoroughly thought nursing was what I wanted, but I did not realize you weren't good enough until you received your master or higher."

The vast, vast majority of RN are two year Associate degree nurses. That is a fact. Years ago RN's didn't even recieve degrees, but were trained in hospitals and recieved diplomas. In fact, one of my instructors is a diploma RN. BSN's are not common-place and a MSN and Nurse practictioners are even more rare.

Kymmi · Jun 14, 2007

Im sitting here reading these posts and I actually havent looked to see if any of the posts made were posted by RN's or LPN's but the way they read Im assuming that they are posted by LPN's or LPN students with a few of you going on to obtain your RN degree. I am proud to say that I am a RN-have been since 1989. I agree with the poster that pointed out to the other poster that she herself said "Im just a LPN" and when that poster explained herself she once again said when asked if she was a RN her reply was "No. Im just a LPN". Bottom line is there is a difference between RN and LPN job responsibilities and I realize that alot of those responsibilities overlap. We treat people how to treat us and by saying "Im just a LPN" only magnifies the perception to others that somehow LPN's (some--not all) consider themselves to be of lesser value than a RN. I am not defending all RN's here because I have seen RN's who belittle LPN's however I have seen LPN's who do the same to CNA's. However in some of the above posts it sounded to me like there is resentment held towards those of us who have chosen to higher our education. I have worked with terrific LPN's and CNA's and also some really scary RN's. I know of many LPN's that I'd rather have taking care of me or my family as opposed to some RN's I know.

I do believe that respect has to be given to the role of the RN because we do have more responsibilities that go along with the title however I also agree 100% that LPN's have acheived the level of education they set out to acheive also and are a valuable part of the healthcare system.

There are reasons that hospitals hire more RN's than LPN's and that is purely due to the level of responsibility that the hospitals need in comparsion to the amount of $$$ necessary to staff. RN's are able to function more independently than LPN's and hospitals can get away with hiring RN's for not much more money than LPN's.

That being said....I do not think any less of LPN's or CNA's than I do of myself I just realize that I've had more training and with that comes more responsibilities. I do believe that we all think we know what someone else's job involves but until we do that job there is alot of things we dont know about it.

In ending...I will say I was a LPN from 1983 to 1989 so I do understand the difference.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 14, 2007

"WOW" that was well put. I have yet to graduate, but I have heard these comments being made and it really doesn't make since at all. It's funny because sometimes you will find that the LPN will be given the exact same job duties as the RN is some facilities, of course for less money. Happy to say that LPN's will be around for a long time because we truly are needed. Try to not let those comments get to you. Next time, tell them to get a Life and be a Real Nurse not a Repulsive Nurse.

Real vs Repulsive...now that is a cool new one on me!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 15, 2007

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum. Just thought I would drop in and say some things that I know if you are an LPN , then you can clearly relate to what I am saying (maybe). First of all I would like to say that getting into LPN school was one of the most exciting moments in my life, as well as completing the program and passing state boards. I have been an lpn since 1998, but as years passed I began to see and hear just how much an lpn was underrated as to having lack of skill, education, knowledge, and ability to care for their patients. I have seen as well as experienced patients, patients families, as well as other medical staff professions say that lpns are not real nurses, they dont want an lpn to care for them, or if you are caring for them the family/patient complements the excellent nursing care being given, but as soon as they realize that you're an lpn instead of an RN then alot of their attitudes change. I live in a part of FL where basically the only stable job an lpn can get that pays decent is in a LTC facility which can quickly cause burnout over a period of time (at least it did for me). I briefly did homecare, but mainly I and another lpn (which we were the only lpns there) were told by the RNs "you should go back to school to be a real nurse". Soon or later I was doing odd jobs rather than the job that I was hired for. My experiences could go on and on. No commercial or billboard that I have ever seen has referred to lpns as nurses. Can somebody out there please tell me what lpns are, because we certainly are not referred to as a nurse. Don't get me wrong RNs do have more schooling than lpns and I DO UNDERSTAND the difference ,but people need to realize that lpns didnt just get something handed to them, we had to earn what we got. There are good and bad RNS AND LPNS. I know that I am a good, caring and competent lpn but I'm afraid that my zeal to be a nurse is almost lost.

I totally agree with what you are saying. I think we have all experienced this to a degree. Keep hanging around these boards long enough, and you will see that a thread to this effect is posted every few weeks or so. Irregardless of what people say, we ARE nurses. And, yes, RNs have had more schooling, and (if they are good ones), they do deserve their props, but it does not mean that they have a right to disrespect us. Similar to them, LPN school is very competitive, hard to enter in most cases, and hard to complete; we have had clinicals, difficult courses, pharmacology, skill performances. We have passed an NCLEX of our own that was clearly not easy. No, this was not handed to us, either. We had to earn our licenses with blood, sweat and tears. And, just because we are nurses does not mean that it would be any easier to enter into an RN program and make it out of there without paying dearly through sacrifice.

I don't know what to say to comfort you, but, I'll attempt by asking you to look at the patients and others that DID appreciate what you have done. I have been an LPN for a year, now, and NEVER did I desire to be an RN. I learned early not to take these things to heart; but I do admit it does piss me off when someone naturally assumes that I want to be an RN, or that I should become one. I don't care what they think, but I have a pet peeve with people who feel the need to tell me what I should do with my life. Thus far, I had one patient slight me when I told him I was an LPN. I was giving injections at a vaccination nurse for the US Army and one of the soliders asked me if I was an LPN or RN when it was his turn, and I told him. He said, "You are not good enough, I want the RN". I was also supposed to draw his blood (something that particular RN didn't know how to do), and I told him that he can have the practitioner of his choice, but had to wait (yeah...I was being spiteful). It was very crowded, and by the time he got to the RN, she told him "This young lady is very capable of teaching and doing the skill you need. Unfortunately, I can't draw blood, and you have to wait AGAIN". That idiot waited close to an hour. Could have been finished, but, his ignorance had him wait. I was grateful to that RN that advocated for me, but there are plenty that won't. Freak them!!!

I have also noticed that there are no advertisements recruiting for LPNs. Too bad, I say. We can help them, if they can appreciate us. But, we have to walk with confidence. Eventually, it does shut them up. It really does. When I started working in my clinic as a new LPN, and demonstrated that I can teach, do my skills and am humble enough to say that I didn't know, it really blew them away, and now, they all respect me as NURSE. It meant the world to me when one of the meanest RNs said to me "You are one hell of a nurse". I smiled, because I knew it already! Believe in yourself, not in what they believe of you.