Hospitals That Phase Out LPNs

[psalm, RN]

Recently we were told our hospital (255 beds) is phasing out LPNs. I'd like to hear from other hospitals that have already done this and know:

How has it helped patient care

How has it hurt patient care

What impact, if any, has it made on nursing workload for RNs and aides (grids)

How long a time in months or years has your hospital been w/o LPNs

How do YOU feel about it

What part of the country or country are you from

Personally I think it is a slap in the face of the wonderful LPNs I work with, who have taught me and other RNs our way around the floor. I think it will be a disaster and we will be then begging LPNs to come back in a year or two. What has happened in your experience?

Thanks.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I am not working in such a hospital, thank goodness, however, I do think that it is a slap in our faces to suddenly be told that there is no need for our assistance.

I live in New York, where thus far, LPNs are not being phased out as quickly as other places. I work in a civil service position where if we were to be phased out, they would have to give us a position of equal pay (because of union rights).

I always felt that there should be team nursing practiced, due to the additional paperwork responsibilities given to RNs, and don't see why this can't continue in other places. I always see decreasing the amount of licensed personnel and increasing on senseless documentation that MUST happen as detrimental to the patients as well as the license of the RN. I'd love to hear other stories, because I haven't seen this very often just yet.

[facetiousgoddess]

Psalm,

Both of our local hospitals went through a phase were they would advertise "All RN Care, All the Time".

3 years later....hiring LPNs back without the proviso that they must become RNs within a specified time frame.

I know it doesn't answer your excellent questions. I did think though it was an interesting tidbit.

Tres

[Sabby_NC]

I heard that they are starting to phase them out in the hospitals in Winston Salem.

Not getting rid of the ones they have but not employing them anymore.

Sad as LPN's are worth their weight in gold and serve a valuable purpose in the nursing team.

I work with two that are doing their RN bridge on line.

Phasing them out will cause hassles you wait and see!!

[jackson145]

Our two local hospitals haven't done this yet, but the larger one to the north of us has. I figure it's only a matter of time for the smaller local ones to follow. Monkey see, monkey do, right?

It's really put a strain on the local community college. They usually take between 20-40 per semester and recently they've had over 600 applicants for the RN program!

[RNperdiem, RN]

I work at a large university teaching hospital. There are no vacancies for LPN's. I have never met an LPN at this hospital.

[BookwormRN]

At our hospital, I only know of two LPNs...when I started 5 years ago, one worked in an office position and the other on the m/s floor. Now, they both work in office positions.

Years ago (I am told by the seasoned RNs) there used to be quite a few LPNs on the floor...

[husker_rn, RN]

I worked in an LTAC that gradually phased LPNs out; didn't let them go but used them as CNAs often so they became disgruntled and quit. Nursing shortage. Fast forward 18 months. LPNs on the floor, IV certified, taking teams { RN supervisor }.

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

Our hospital has phased out LPNs in the ICU/Med Surge/ ER (except for 1 awesome LPN who could nurse circles around even the most seasoned RNs) and OB. The only units that utilize LPNs are Extended Care and Behavioral Health.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

i don't know why hospitals are phasing out LPN's. at the hospital i work at , we have 2 LPN's left and when the quit , they will be replaced by RN's. the LPN's that work at our hospital are the first to float to other units ( only med/ surg units , no specialty areas ) and they keep the staff RN's on the floor. so in reality the LPN's float the most to fill in when a nurse calls off on another unit. or if both LPN's are scheduled on the floor at the same time, they will float one of the LPN's . i think our LPN's are wonderful, but they seem to get the shaft. we also rarely get LPN's from agency to fill in for call offs. our hospital seems to have the monopoly on RN agency nurses. i find it appalling that we don't use our resources. i have no problem working with LPN's and love the LPn's we have on the floor. it's shameful , and i would think the hospitals would be more considerate of LPN's.

[Quickbeam, BSN, RN]

A hospital I worked at 20 years ago phased out LPNs at that time (1988). They still do not have LPNs. However, the burden on the RN staff has skyrocketed. The better RN to patient ratio that was promised didn't last more than a couple years before they increased patient load and decreased other support staff.

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

My hospital doesn't hire LVNs at all any more. In fact, the only LVNs working here are a few that have been here forever and are all in postpartum.

Heck, my hospital pretty much refuses to take on new grad ADNs too, though lucky enough they're making an exception for me come next year.

Staffing RNs has never been a problem here-- we're highly sought after to work for.