"You'll be a nurse two years after you get your RN"

Nurses General Nursing

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  • Specializes in oncology, trauma, home health.

So my husband is an LPN, working for his RN. He works at a big hospital here in our area. He has been a little upset because they have "nurses meetings" and don't include him. Ok, we've talked about it. It just fuels his fire to become an RN even more. But he get the short end of the stick all the time. He is constantly told "No, that's for the nurses" and he says, "I am a nurse". This has been going on a long time.

Today when he asked about the meetings he was told by the charge nurse, "You'll be a nurse only after you've been an RN for 2 years" Ouuuch. Hubby is upset. I am perturbed at a nurse saying that to another nurse, my spouse or not.

Just a vent while dinner cooks...

Specializes in OR.
So my husband is an LPN, working for his RN. He works at a big hospital here in our area. He has been a little upset because they have "nurses meetings" and don't include him. Ok, we've talked about it. It just fuels his fire to become an RN even more. But he get the short end of the stick all the time. He is constantly told "No, that's for the nurses" and he says, "I am a nurse". This has been going on a long time.

Today when he asked about the meetings he was told by the charge nurse, "You'll be a nurse only after you've been an RN for 2 years" Ouuuch. Hubby is upset. I am perturbed at a nurse saying that to another nurse, my spouse or not.

Just a vent while dinner cooks...

anyone else confused? tell them to change it to "Registered Nurse Meetings".

thats the dumbest thing ive heard. sorry to hear that, or maybe im just naive to the whole thing. tell your husband to ignore them. he is just as an integral part of the patient care, regardless of what those snoody RNs think.

ybq2008

177 Posts

Specializes in ER/Acute Care.

Honestly, this is one of the things that makes me nervous about nursing. As much as I love the field and helping people, I can not stand people masking their insecurities by being bullies and disrespecting others. I see that quite frequently within the RN/LPN/CNA professional relationships. There is a way of being respectful to a subordinate and being inclusive of all clinical staff in floor meetings, which are beneficial to everyone. I worked in mental health for over 5 years and we had our treatment team meetings with the psychiatrists, therapists, case management staff, and technicians. At the end of the day, its all about figuring out what we can do to best care for our patients. Not assuaging our egos.

I have a friend dealing with this same problem. I know there will be politics in every profession, but its one of the negatives that I am not looking forward to dealing with. Please tell your husband he's not alone. I plan to do everything I can to be a fair and inclusive RN. Everyone deserves respect and no one is infallible. Good luck in coping with this :)

Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

That's awful !! There are LVNs at my work that will probably always know more than I will ever know. That is just plain stupid for someone to say that. They let the RN title go to their head.

Batman24

1,975 Posts

He's right. He is a nurse.

You are a RN after you pass your boards and get your license not two years after that. According to their rationale I'm not a RN yet either.

If he is missing pertinent info I would urge him to go up the food chain. I'd also suggest he look for a new job if the market is good where you are. Better than dealing with this disrespect.

ohmeowzer RN, RN

2,306 Posts

Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

of course he is a nurse. he also is entitiled to go to those meetings. i think that is the biggest bunch of cow pucky i have ever heard. what do they mean he will be a nurse 2 years AFTER he gets his RN? what are you the first 2 years you have your RN? i've been a nurse since "high Button" shoes were worn and have never heard such petty nonsense. he needs to go to the nurse manager... i would be sitting in her office if i was him !!

Specializes in OR.

LPN doesnt mean liscensed practical nobody :p whats the last word.... oh yeah, NURSE...

Specializes in ER/Trauma.

You know, he IS a NURSE right now. I really hate it when we as a profession get caught up in the "This degree is better than the other" attitude. I have worked with LPN's that can work circles around most of the RN's I know. I know a couple of LPN's who are personal friends of mine that if I were in critical condition and needed help, I would hope and pray they are my nurses!!!

Tell him to hang on, he is a nurse and will be an RN soon. I guess sometimes the lesson to take away is how to NOT treat people. That was the best lesson I got out of the time I worked as a CNA, while in school for my LPN and I have never forgotten it.

Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

Wow! That is quite possibly one of the more confrontational, rude and demeaning statements that I've heard in a while. What a snooty you-know-what. Shame on her.

LPN's are most certainly nurses, and where does she get off thinking any differently than the rest of America?! Does she live in her own little small minded reality or what?

You can print this out and poke it in her face and tell her I said that she is dead wrong, and that she owes your husband an apology!!

In fact, you should print this whole thread out and post it on the wall in the breakroom bathroom so that she can read it whenever she uses the potty. It'll serve to remind her how wrong she is.

Specializes in CVICU.
He's right. He is a nurse.

According to their rationale I'm not a RN yet either.

Yeah, me either... what a load of excrement!

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP

7 Articles; 1,156 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I can understand your frustration and I agree with the other users that some people get so wrapped up in who is more high ranking then who and its just too much. Education is and should be respected but not used as a tool to make others feel like lesser beings. Your husband is an LPN which is a Licensed Practical Nurse and nothing anyone can say will take that away from him, I would suggest that your husband speak to management and say that if he is going to be continuously excluded from these meetings based upon his LPN status then they need to be formally renamed "Registered Nurse Meetings" and that he wishes to see an official memo put out that states that LPNs are not allowed to attend these meetings. If he doesn't see any response to this then he needs to go up to higher management, he needs to remind them that LPNs are part of the health care delivery system and they are nurses that should be included in nurse meetings. It think by formally requesting that a memo goes out about LPNs not being allowed to attend the nurse meetings and a name change is enough to get management to grow up a bit and allow LPNs to be a part of the nursing process like they should be.

!Chris :specs:

fmoore723

206 Posts

Specializes in L&D, Maternal Fetal Medicine, LTC.

I feel for your husband...Im currently an LPN, in an RN program. While studying today regarding an RN delegating certain aspects of care to LPNs and NAs during preconceptual care. This is a direct quote from the book....talk about ANNOYED!!

"For example, nursing assistants can collect a clean catch urine specimen and the LPN can obtain, NOT assess, the vital signs".

Now, why cant an LPN assess someones vitals signs??? Just wondering...maybe Im being a little too sensitive but what more education does an RN have regarding vital signs than an LPN?

Tell your hubby to keep on trucking, its things like this that makes me want those 2 letters behind my name even worse.

-Felicia

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