getting rid of LPN's?

Fiona59 · Apr 1, 2005

I think that you need to remember that most of the posters on this site are Americans, their labour market is very different than the Canadian.

Have you checked with anblpn.com, it is the college that will govern you as a working LPN in New Brunswick? Every province has a governing college for LPN's (even Quebec, but as my French is somewhat limited they are called nursing auxilliaries and thats about as far as I got on their website). clpna.com and clpnbc.org have great websites and links to other provincial colleges.

Employability depends on location. Everyone that I went to school with in Alberta is employed. BC is a totally different labour market. The lower mainland is hiring. Vancouver Island is not. Last I heard the local training programme had vacancies at the start up in January because there are few jobs to be had in the area.

How can you "see that maybe in the future they will no longer hire LPNs"? If I remember your earlier postings you said that the government was going to pay for your course. Do you really think that EI would pay for the course if they thought that a layoff would be right around the corner?

LPNs in Canada give good value for money. Our health care and unions are totally different than in the US.

So, check your local hospitals, LTC, the union that LPNs belong to and talk to your professional organization (a rep will be at the school sometime during your education).

char1976 · Apr 1, 2005

EI would still pay for my course no matter what the future holds for LPN's. It's the way the system works. No matter what course you take, if you are on employment insurance, it automaticaly pays your studies. As long as it's not university level (3+ years) it pays, (LPN is a 2 year program here). As long as it is still offered, they will cover most of it. But it doesn't automaticaly garantee the future of LPNs.

But thanks for the advice. I will check that out for sure.

Hawaiigirl · Apr 2, 2005

My Ei worker said that ei will pay only for Lpns because its in demand and will be into 2008-they have to research the job futures. Its only a year course anyway.

EI would still pay for my course no matter what the future holds for LPN's. It's the way the system works. No matter what course you take, if you are on employment insurance, it automaticaly pays your studies. As long as it's not university level (3+ years) it pays, (LPN is a 2 year program here). As long as it is still offered, they will cover most of it. But it doesn't automaticaly garantee the future of LPNs.
But thanks for the advice. I will check that out for sure.

Fiona59 · Apr 3, 2005

It almost seems as if there are different rules for EI funding on the East coast as opposed to the West.

I looked into funding for a training course. Was told I had to put up 50% of the fees, and do my own employment search, "including a job offer if possible", get hiring statistics from two health authorities. It's easier for me to take a bank loan or even a student loan for the course. Few questions asked by the student loan agency than by the outfit that handles career training where I live.

The agency also had a list of training they wouldn't cover unless you had a guaranteed job offer in this area (truck drivers, hairdressers, etc.). Now if you want to do the Res. Support Worker, they were practically throwing money at you. But hey, I'm an LPN and the home support agencies won't hire me because "you're an LPN"..

Hawaiigirl · Apr 3, 2005

Really? Wow! Here they paid for my Bro -19,000 for the course and 1000 a month living expenses for the year course plus he had a wife working! Im a single Mom so hopefully if I go into it I can get good funding. Im so confused I dont know what I should do for a career???????????? :confused:

It almost seems as if there are different rules for EI funding on the East coast as opposed to the West.
I looked into funding for a training course. Was told I had to put up 50% of the fees, and do my own employment search, "including a job offer if possible", get hiring statistics from two health authorities. It's easier for me to take a bank loan or even a student loan for the course. Few questions asked by the student loan agency than by the outfit that handles career training where I live.
The agency also had a list of training they wouldn't cover unless you had a guaranteed job offer in this area (truck drivers, hairdressers, etc.). Now if you want to do the Res. Support Worker, they were practically throwing money at you. But hey, I'm an LPN and the home support agencies won't hire me because "you're an LPN"..

Hawaiigirl · Apr 3, 2005

When my Bro and sis both applyed to ei for care aides-they said Forget it! Only Lpn- so they changed over to that! Because care aides are getting phased- contracted out. Stupid! Cuz the care aide is only a 6 month course :angryfire

Really? Wow! Here they paid for my Bro -19,000 for the course and 1000 a month living expenses for the year course plus he had a wife working! Im a single Mom so hopefully if I go into it I can get good funding. Im so confused I dont know what I should do for a career????????????

PamelaJean · Apr 13, 2005

I just finished my LPN course in Manitoba. I am currently working in a busy long term care facility and on a busy medical ward. Manitoba LPN's do practice a wider scope than most other provinces, and from what I hear there isn't much chance of LPN's being phased out here.

terryalbright · Apr 19, 2005

Hey there!
I'm going to take my LPN and I'm very excited and happy about it, and would like to work in a hospital. But lately I've been reading alot of posts about "phasing out" LPN's. In alot of hospitals in the US, they don't have any LPNs in the hospitals at all. I also read that in Quebec they also don't hire LPNs at all anymore, is this true? I'm in Bathurst New-Brunswick and right now, they are begging for LPNs. I wonder if this is what will happen to NB too. I can see that maybe in the future they will no longer hire any LPNs, but will they acutally "lay off" LPN"s? I'm really looking forward to being an LPN, but I'm also very scared to end up unemployed in a 5 years.

Hi,

I'm an LPN in Saint John and that old (very old) story about getting rid of LPN's is just that... a STORY.

There is such a shortage of nurses now that our scope of practice has increased to the point of giving meds on some floors in hospital, initiating IV's ( which is what I do) peritoneal dialysis exchanges, (done that too, including setting up the cycler for patients who use that instead).

When I first graduated we were not allowed to do very much at all, mostly custodial care, vitals, etc. so with additional education we have come a long way, baby!

I am happy to see these changes, feel much more like I am working as a valued team member.

char1976 · Apr 19, 2005

Hi,
I'm an LPN in Saint John and that old (very old) story about getting rid of LPN's is just that... a STORY.
There is such a shortage of nurses now that our scope of practice has increased to the point of giving meds on some floors in hospital, initiating IV's ( which is what I do) peritoneal dialysis exchanges, (done that too, including setting up the cycler for patients who use that instead).
When I first graduated we were not allowed to do very much at all, mostly custodial care, vitals, etc. so with additional education we have come a long way, baby!
I am happy to see these changes, feel much more like I am working as a valued team member.

Hi!

Thanks so much for your reply. You do IV's??? Wow, I didn't know LPNs could do that. That's good though. I'm also curious to know if you are concidered a "nurse" if you aren't an RN? I think here in bathurst they call LPNs "auxiliaires" in French, and not "infirmieres" (which means nurse). I'm very excited about going for my LPN, but then I worry that I will put all that energy into my studies and then work VERY hard as an LPN, and not even be called a "nurse". I asked an RN in Bathurst if LPN's were concidered nurses even though weren't RN's and she replied " no, not really. When a staff memeber sais they want a nurse, they mean an RN". What do you think? I'm still going for my LPN regardless, I just want to be prepared and not be disapointed that's all. The salary went up for LPNs right? I was told $18.00/hr ? Is that about right?

Thanks in advance!!!!

Fiona59 · Apr 19, 2005

NURSE is a protected title and YES LPNs are nurses. Check your provincial legislation. Only LPN, RN, and in the west Reg. Psych Nurses can LEGALLY use the title.

Sounds like you've met the dino breed RN. (for what its worth today's LPN has more skills than an RN who graduated in the 1970s and 80's.)

PamelaJean · Apr 19, 2005

I am making 20.45 an hour. Here in Manitoba we are considered nurses. I am not sure of the scope in your province but here we can work in dialysis, in the OR, and on MED/SURG/PEDS. If I was in your situation after all that hard work at school to become an LPN and then not even be given the title nurse would be very upsetting for me. Just my 2 cents.