LPN vs RN

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2005

I also precept nurses on my unit...LPNs; BSNs, diploma and associates RNs. I don't know where you work but from my experience I have oriented BSN, RNs from UVA, Old Dominion Univ, Norfolk State Univ, William&Mary, VATech, Medical College of Va, & Radford Univ (just to name a few) and generally they are not as "hands on" as the diploma nurse who spends Mon & Tues in classroom and Wed & Thurs in clinical. Now, there are exceptions; however, the diploma/associates nurse is better prepared in the clinical setting.

Hi. We don't have a diploma program nearby. I'm in St. Petersburg and we get LPN students from Pinellas Voc. Tech, ADN students from St. Pete College, and BSN students from U of Southern Florida. Wedensdays are fun because they are all there the same day. The BSN students are part of a unique program of matching an RN to student, not with a group of students and an instructor like the other ones. So actually the BSN student working side-by-side with an RN gives the BSN more exposure clinically than the ADN students who work with one or two patients and their instructor who has nine other students.

But I can honestly say they all are about patient care, all are eager to "do" things like IVs, dressing changes, etc. The BSN students are not focused on administrative things, they'd rather practice a foley than learn administrative stuff.

Both the ADN program here and the BSN program here have about the same number of clinical hours, so one does not come out better prepared than the other in my opinion. Their preceptorship is dreadfully long compared to what mine was.

Anyway, as I posted earlier, it's probably a regional school by school thing.

elizabells, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2005

I'm in a BSN program, and I'm getting so tired of being told that I'll have no clinical skills and will be fit only for administration - our program has the same number of clinical hours as any of the ADN programs in the area - and we have a nine week full time one-on-one preceptorship before we're allowed to sit the NCLEX. We don't have ANY classes related to administration - the closest is a research course in evidence-based practice. I've been in clinicals for two months and I've placed/DCed foleys, given meds, done injections, done ostomy care, trach care, suctioning, helped w/IVs, flushed lines, unclogged PEJ tubes, changed dressings, done countless fingersticks, packed stage IV decubs, and yes, done my share of bedbaths and peri care. The BSN vs ADN myth is never going to end unless BOTH SIDES start respecting each other.

Thank you, that is all.

RN12345656 · Sep 17, 2005

I'm in a BSN program, and I'm getting so tired of being told that I'll have no clinical skills and will be fit only for administration - our program has the same number of clinical hours as any of the ADN programs in the area - and we have a nine week full time one-on-one preceptorship before we're allowed to sit the NCLEX. We don't have ANY classes related to administration - the closest is a research course in evidence-based practice. I've been in clinicals for two months and I've placed/DCed foleys, given meds, done injections, done ostomy care, trach care, suctioning, helped w/IVs, flushed lines, unclogged PEJ tubes, changed dressings, done countless fingersticks, packed stage IV decubs, and yes, done my share of bedbaths and peri care. The BSN vs ADN myth is never going to end unless BOTH SIDES start respecting each other.
Thank you, that is all.

I respect all nurses no matter how they got their "RN" behind their name. I simply stated what I have seen in my experience where I work. I am also currently in the process of my MSN/NP and do not harbor any ill feelings against the BSN nurse.

JoBug · Sep 17, 2005

What is the difference between an LPN and an RN? I am a senior in highschool and in my CPR class today we were talking about it. We were wondering what the differences are, since there are different titles we reckon there must be some difference.

Here in Iowa, I know there are more differences than I KNOW, I work in LTC, nursing home..on top of what I see mentioned, we also can not "stage wounds" measure them, an RN must do the initial measurements, then we are able to follow up, also we can GIVE a TB shot but can not READ it...

me, I believe as long as we all came to the field with the same intentions, helping others, we are all great, CNA'S, CMA's, LPN's, RN's, BSN, you name it, it should be about team work...

go for your heart desire, we would welcome you into nursing!

JoBug

LPN0207 · Sep 17, 2005

I'm in a BSN program, and I'm getting so tired of being told that I'll have no clinical skills and will be fit only for administration - our program has the same number of clinical hours as any of the ADN programs in the area - and we have a nine week full time one-on-one preceptorship before we're allowed to sit the NCLEX. We don't have ANY classes related to administration - the closest is a research course in evidence-based practice. I've been in clinicals for two months and I've placed/DCed foleys, given meds, done injections, done ostomy care, trach care, suctioning, helped w/IVs, flushed lines, unclogged PEJ tubes, changed dressings, done countless fingersticks, packed stage IV decubs, and yes, done my share of bedbaths and peri care. The BSN vs ADN myth is never going to end unless BOTH SIDES start respecting each other.
Thank you, that is all.

:w00t:

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Sep 18, 2005

Like a dinosaur, I hope too that this myth becomes dead and buried once and for all. We have so many other important issues than this that impact us as nurses...where our energies really need to go.

I say..."Bury the Dinosaur"

Wolfie