Help Calm Me Down!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 28, 2007

:welcome: Welcome to these forums, and congratulations! :yeah:

The major difference between a CNA and an LPN, is the fact that an LPN is a licensed nurse with legal responsibility over his/her patients. The CNA, on the other hand, possesses no nursing licensure. CNAs cannot legally engage in IV therapy, administer medications, dress complicated woulds, remove sutures and surgical staples, insert urinary catheters, give bolus feedings through PEG tubes, and so forth.

In order to soak up a variety of experiences, you'll need to do your clinical rotations at a variety of healthcare settings (hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, etc.).

oesbutterfly80 · Nov 28, 2007

Thanks so much

pagandeva2000, LPN · Nov 30, 2007

Your school will tell you which facilities they utilize for clinical rotations. Good luck in your program!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2007

All the best to you! And congratulations on getting in.

Heidi W · Dec 1, 2007

i just received my letter of acceptance into the lpn i am so happy :monkeydance:
i am currently a certified nurse assistance working on the med-surg floor also an over flow unite for the oncology.
i am scare and i do not know what to expect, the cna course was so easy, like taking candy from a baby! i am a little worry about lpn course and i need some advice and if others can share their experience in school and in the field with me!
this may be a stupid question but how does cna differ from lpn? is it possible for me to do my clinicals where i currently work?
thanks
the will of god never takes you to
where the grace of god will not protect you.

hi there,

i don't have much advice for you, i just wanted to say congrats! and i am especially happy for you because i am a cna also, working in home health and i am trying to get into the lpn program at my school! i am so nervous, it's a very competetive program (i know all of them are but...they only take the top 30 applicants! i'm taking a&p, nutrition, and psy this spring and applying for the program in march. and i know what you mean about the class differences, cna course was sooo easy and i'm nervous because i have to work at least 20 hrs/wk to get tuition reimbursment. but i think we'll both do just fine! you got in so they think you can do it! you just have to believe it too! well let me know how it goes!

:balloons:

peridotgirl · Dec 1, 2007

First, I want to say, Congratulations on becoming a CNA. I am also a CNA in training for my LPN. I didn't have to apply to a school becuase my high school offers the first year of the program free. I wish you luck in getting in the LPN program. The major difference is that LPN have more responsibilities over their pts, they are in charge of their CNA's, and they are actually involved in a lot more streile procedures such as inserting a foley catheter and doing a sterile wound change. Another difference is the pay. I don't really know the exact amt, but LPN's make a little bit more than CNA's. Yet another different is the LPN's can get certified in certain area such as EGK/ ECG, Phlebotomy, and IV therpay; whereas a CNA can't. Futhermore LPN's have a more autonomy than a CNA. I don't think that your school will allow you to train where you work, but they will let you know if you can. Most likely the school, will tell you which facitlites they would like you to train at. I wish you the very best of luck and I hope you get into your LPN program. :):):) :nurse:

gnats · Dec 1, 2007

Congratulations:balloons:. YOur ganna do great. From my experince the best nurses where CNA's.(just my opinion) take it from me. I am currently studing to take the nclex-pn. I have been a CNA for the last 9 years. My 3 sister are all nurses and they wished they had CNA experience before going into nursing. Your ganna be great. Good luck.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Dec 2, 2007

First, I want to say, Congratulations on becoming a CNA. I am also a CNA in training for my LPN. I didn't have to apply to a school becuase my high school offers the first year of the program free. I wish you luck in getting in the LPN program. The major difference is that LPN have more responsibilities over their pts, they are in charge of their CNA's, and they are actually involved in a lot more streile procedures such as inserting a foley catheter and doing a sterile wound change. Another difference is the pay. I don't really know the exact amt, but LPN's make a little bit more than CNA's. Yet another different is the LPN's can get certified in certain area such as EGK/ ECG, Phlebotomy, and IV therpay; whereas a CNA can't. Futhermore LPN's have a more autonomy than a CNA. I don't think that your school will allow you to train where you work, but they will let you know if you can. Most likely the school, will tell you which facitlites they would like you to train at. I wish you the very best of luck and I hope you get into your LPN program. :):):)

LPNs are not considered to be autonomous, that role is described for the RN. More responsibilities, yes, but, we are not autonomus, we work under the auspice of an RN, physician, dentist, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner. I can say, though, that there may be more opportunities for work in nursing homes, home care, clinics, prisons, and (depending on where you live), hospitals. I think that being a CNA will teach how to deal with difficult, and fearful patients, it will decrease the anxiety of doing very intimate things to a patient, because you will be used to it. Also, you will be more appreciative of CNAs and the hard work that they do and hopefully, will work with them as valuable members of the health care team.

Good luck to everyone working hard to get in and out of nursing school!

JONlvn-np2b · Dec 2, 2007

whoa, first of all, take a deep breath and calm down. second, congrats on your acceptance. i dont really have any personal experience on cna-lvn, but what i can tell you is that your cna experience will help you out in your nursing education. some differences between a cna and a lvn is that a lvn has a license and holds legal responsibilities, and a cna does not. cna's learn the fundamentals of nursing, while lvns go a little deeper into nursing and medicine. lvns learn the basics of anatomy and physiology as well as disease processes involved in certain systems. we also learn how to manage acute and chronic illnesses with medications and nursing interventions. plus, there's assessments, procedures such as ngt fc, charting, nutrition, positioning, and a bunch of other stuff i cannot remember at this time due to lack of sleep. even tho it may sounds kind of scary, its a very rewarding job. good luck.