LPN vs RPN

World International

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I would like to know if an LPN is the equivalent of an RPN (registered practical nurse).An RPN takes five semesters at school and can work in many capacities except ICU and can be a charge nurse.How does this compare to an LPN? Thanks.

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I'd probably get edited! :rotfl: What did YOU mean?:chuckle

I'd probably get edited! :rotfl: What did YOU mean?:chuckle

:rotfl: :rotfl:

We mean the same thing. :D

Ok...the Canadians are getting off track here. Our bad.

Z

I would like to know if an LPN is the equivalent of an RPN (registered practical nurse).An RPN takes five semesters at school and can work in many capacities except ICU and can be a charge nurse.How does this compare to an LPN? Thanks.

As posted earllier, yes an LPN is equivalent to an RPN(registered practical nurse) in the province of Ontario.

I am a RPN (Registered Psychiatric Nurse). This is a designation that is acknowledged in the Western Provinces of Canada, as well as England, Ireland,Scotland, Australia and New Zealand, the British Virgin Islands and I'm sure there are other areas. In the work sites that hire psychiatric nurses, they are considered equivalent to an RN and the bargaining bodies for union purposes are the same. Registered Psychiatric nurses are trained in med/surg

the same as a RN. The remainder of the training specializes in psychiatry...in

and outpt rather than maternity,peds etc. You will find psychiatric nurses working in a variety of areas...including inpt acute psychiatric units, long term care and residential facilities, forensic institutions, community mental health centers, counselling services and independent practise to name a few.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

I know this is an old thread but here goes; an LPN, or RPN can work as a charge nurse, in LTC but not in acute care as the population is considered unstable according to the CNO. However in the real world we all know that in LTC, many of the residents have pretty complex problems. So what I conclude is that in Ontario, there is often little logic in the assigment of responsiblities of RN vs RPN, it is usually driven by unions and very powerful RN prof. associations. Sigh.

Specializes in complex care.

Is anyone lobbying the difference in pay between the RPN and RN? The scope of RPN's has greatly increased and so has the pay spread between RPN's and RN's. ITS NOT THE EDUCATION, as 80% of RN's are diploma nurses (2 years of education) now RPN's have 2 years - Who do we go to for help?

villers

frustrated RPN

Basically, PNs have been turned into the hospital/diploma trained RNs.

You need to lobby your union to bargain harder and talk hard and fast with your provincial college.

wow, so I'm really replying to an old thread, but as a former Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) from ontario, who has recently moved to British Columbia, I am here to tell you that LPNs and RPNs are NOT the same. Yes, they are similar, but LPNs have a smaller scope of practice than RPNs do. In ontario, giving IM injections and immunizations was part of my scope, in BC, LPNs are required to take additional training to be able to give immunizations. I haven't fully discovered just how small my scope is yet, but the small things I have noticed are drastically different from how I was nursing in Ontario... time to go back to school maybe?

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