LPN to CST in L&D

[NursKris]

I was an LPN on a 32 bed Pediatric unit in a Level 1 Trauma hospital for the last 21 years. I also floated to Peds ER and PICU to help out especially during emergencys. Even as an LPN i am very well respected and the people i work with know i know my stuff :nuke:

Due to the hospital deciding they wanted to go back to 8 hr shifts, they have also decided they want an all RN staff. I can understand this, but am heartbroken that i have done all this time there...blood sweat and tears...working 2 nurses with a 8-12:1 ratio and sometimes being the "charge" nurse.

Anyway, what they have done to "keep me in the maternal/child health block" they have placed me in L&D as a CST. Today was my first day on "orientation". Its tough, alot of information to absorb in a short period of time. The CST who is training me went to community college school for 2 years to learn what they are trying to teach me as fast as possible. She also told me that in addiction to my CST duties, the RNs will have me doing triage in the prep room, vitals, PCA work, cleaning beds...etc.

My question is, how do i know where i am if i step out of my scope of care?? On Peds, i functioned basically as an RN...even preceptoring numerous RNs through the years. Its making me crazy:bugeyes:

To be honest i just want to be back on my unit with my kids...we have many "regulars" who were heartbroken to know i wouldnt be there any longer. I am attending school to get my RN...hopefully in the next 12-18 months and hoping to get reinstated to Peds.

Thanks for any responses.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

this is the trend the hospitals are heading toward at this time. the hospital where i work dosen't hire LPN's at all. i'm sorry you have to work as a cst and have a nursing license, how insulting.. LPN's don't get the recongition they deserve plain and simple. i wish you lots of luck in RN school and in the future. i hope you can get back to peds and have a job you enjoy.

[Crux1024]

Its sad that the hospital isnt willing to let you keep your LPN duties in the areas you love. Are they still paying you at your standard pay? Are they offering a back to school option at all either? Scrubbing isnt that bad! I did it for 6.5 years as a CST. I learned alot and got to experience lots of things that I otherwise , would not have been able to have had I been in other positions at the hospital.

Hopefully the time will fly and you'll be reinstated (or something, I cant think of a better word right now. lol).

And just FYI: You cant be an CST without going to school, you can however be an ST (surg tech/scrub tech). The certification comes after the test and all that.

[Crux1024]

. i'm sorry you have to work as a cst and have a nursing license, how insulting..

INSULTING is not exactly the word I would use. ST/CST's are also respected members of the healthcare team, a lot have associates degrees or otherwise went to school and also worked hard. And some would probably take some offense to that. Myself included.

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

INSULTING is not exactly the word I would use. ST/CST's are also respected members of the healthcare team, a lot have associates degrees or otherwise went to school and also worked hard. And some would probably take some offense to that. Myself included.

sorry didn't mean to offend.. i thought a cst was an aid ( who is not licensed) .. we don't have cst 's where i work ... i think if you have a nursing license you should be able to work as a nurse not a cst... and yes if i had a a LPN license and was asked to work as CST or anyhting else yes i would be offend.. why go through all that school, take boards and not work as a nurse. i have nothing against cst's and didn't mean to offend.i'm sure you work hard.. but this wasn't aimed at you or your job .. if you work hard for a nursing license than thats what you should be doing ... we don;t have cst's at our hospital only RN's so i'm sorry. but a LPN is a LPN not a cst , and a RN is a RN not a cst and yes she has a license so give her the credit she deserves.

i'm sure you work hard and i'm sorry i hurt your feelings . i would never mean to hurt you. but this is about LPN's getting the credit they deserve ... i have nothing against CST's. i apologize to all the CST's i have offended.. i was looking at it from the LPN's point of view. i wish we had LPN;s at my hospital... i love them

we may have cst's in the OR but i never meet them .. we only call report from surgery RN to RN ... so i never meet anyone !! but if i had surgery i'm sure glad you are there !!