LPN Gets No Respect

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · May 14, 2009

Ugh, how demeaning. Personally, I have never been around people who view LPNs in that way. I do know that the attitude exists, it has just never been aimed at me, a LPN. First of all, no one "sticks" LPNs in the nursing home. They are there b/c they want to be. While it's true many hospitals have begun reducing the number of LPNs they have on staff, it's not true across the board and can't be a generalization.

Being an LPN can be a stepping stone for some who choose to move on with their education or it can be a lifelong career. It is a personal decision.

Don't let your decision to go to LPN school be based on a few misinformed opinions.

SPNbabe08 · May 14, 2009

what a bunch of ignorant *******.:angryfire.

ive run into alot of these types in my clinical areas. and i expect it, especially in hospitals. i also work with a nurse like this. she will sit there at lunch, butting into my lunch group, ask about school and then go into the whole schpeel about how useles LPN's are. here are a couple of points to think about...

my DH is an LPN in LTC, and they do not let these fabulous BSN's work on the sub acute floor, they float him, a lowly LPN, who runs circles around all of them RN and BSN *******. excpet for the RN's who have been there for 20 years. hes paid 4 dollars less and hour and they trust him not them. he's also the preceptor for the building, he trains all incoming nurses. LPN, RN, and BSN. and i couldnt even tell you all the horrible RN/BSN's hes seen come and go.

whether or not your a good nurse is not determined by the initials after your name. its the same way your job doenst measure your worth as a person. the judgement of wheter a nurse is a good nurse or a bad nurse is based on thouroughness of documentation. adherence to policy, follow thru, time management, effeciency, safety. patient and family and staff rapport. what are the patients saying about this nurse. isnt that what nursing is about , the patients?

LPN's are trained on a very different level than RN's. LPN focus is on what is the problem and how do we fix it. "practical" remember. its also heavy on the critical thinking aspect of nursing, looking ahead and thinking a problem out and anticipating complications and taking measures to prevent them. yes a RN will know alot more about the disease process and the physiology. but they lack, and i have worked in LTC for a long time and have seen it time and time again. critical thinking and prioritizing skills. ive wathced experieced LPN's run circles around new RN's who think there poop doesnt stink. the LPN has fixed it and documented by the time the RN figures it out.

its estimated that within 10 years 80% of nurses will be retiring. thats not a scenerio in which facilities can be

picky. if i had to spend 50,000 just to push pills, i wouldn't bother. and who would.

and why is that LTC is the bastard child of the nursing world. i think it is the most rewarding field. you are giving these people the highest quality of life you can at the end of their lives. these are the people who have fought in wars to preserve our freedom, they have lost their husbands who have died for this country. talk about throwing people out when theyre no longer useful. what a horrible attitude for a nurse to have. and if you think LTC is easy, you should talk to LTC nurses.

these nurses sound really snobby. if these girls were really your friends they would support any nursing career you go into and be happy that you are striving to better yourself.

I fully support your decision to go LPN first. you will be a 10 times better RN. pm me anytime if you need encouragement and support. dont let anyone stand in the way of your dreams. and if they do, get rid of them!!!!!

butterfly135 · May 14, 2009

spnbabe08,

thank you very much for this post! i am preparing to start LPN school in the fall and i get the same treatments as the op. "oh, your going to LPN school? why are you wasting your time?". i find those comments so degrading. i just don't understand why these BSN nurses think there so great i mean afterall were someone decides to start there nursing career is a personal choice its different for everyone not everyone can or wants to start at that level. thank you for your post i found it very encouraging.

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · May 14, 2009

I been through this as well as a LPN student. I do plan on getting my BSN but in the mean time I'll going to hold my head up high and be proud of getting my lpn.

butterfly135 · May 14, 2009

I been through this as well as a LPN student. I do plan on getting my BSN but in the mean time I'll going to hold my head up high and be proud of getting my lpn.

same hear but the difference is well treat the lpn's and cna's with the respect that they deserve!

LPNtoRNVickyLynn · May 14, 2009

I am currently an LPN. And, I also have heard the negative comments about LPN's. I was once told in nursing school that nurses tend to eat thier young. Wow have I found that to be true sometimes. This is another example. I have worked with some wonderfull nurses. I currently work in LTC, not because I have too but because I love it. I am 4 months away from my RN and I will continue to work in LTC when I graduate. I got my LPN first because I needed a short program and it was only one year. I knew that I would have to be making good money to go for my RN. Not everyone can go for there BSN right away. LPN is a great starting point if that is what your looking for. It is also a terrific and rewarding career. I work with some LPN's that out shine our RN's hands down. Again as one of the other people said, your quality, skill, and professionalism are not defined by the initials after your name. A clear example of that would be the Nurses that you were speaking of.

exnavygirl-RN · May 14, 2009

I was a LPN 6 years before I became a RN. I will be starting a BSN program in July. I'm glad I chose to be a LPN first. My first job was on a orthopedics floor at a small hospital. Loved it!

Good luck to you!!!

gt4everpn, BSN, RN · May 14, 2009

angela,one piece of advice for you, never, never base what you want to do off of the opinions of others...yes lpn's are a level below rn's but that only titles. i live in ny and lpn's can work in hospitals, start iv's, we work in almost all areas of nursing and we do about 98% of what rn's do here in ny. of course our options are limited as far as moving up the career ladder because a lot of positions that are on the top of the career ladder require a bachelors or masters degree. but i'm telling you.... lpns are nurses and we sure can work, we know how to take care of our patients, how to recognize and manage a situation, what medications are and do, honey we do it all, and i know for sure that there are thousands of lpns out there that know just as much as any rn, work just as hard, and have patients and family members who feel just the same... and i'm one of them.... lpns rock, no-one will ever tell me different!! you want it angela.... go for it :wink2:

MattiesMama · May 14, 2009

I love how they say "we" don't hire them...so I guess they are the hiring managers now? :chuckle

Just ignore it...I know some BSN's who I swear got their license out of a cracker jack box and some LPN's (and some CNA's for that matter) who are simply amazing at what they do and make an incredible difference in their patients lives. There are good nurses and bad nurses, period...only you can decide which category you will fall into.

At the end of the day it matters what your PATIENT'S think of you, not Fifi McSnobbypants, RNCTNENPXYZ

erjunkie8 · May 14, 2009

I am cuurently working towards my goal of becoming a Nurse, and I work as a PCA now. I was having lunch with a few BSN and they were telling me how im[ortant it is to get the BSN cause the Nursing field is about to change where you must have a BSN? Then one chimes in and says well whatever you do Don't become a LPN we dont hire them at this hospital we put them in the Nursing Home and you never want to get stuck working in a Nursing Home. I was shocked, then ever one started beating up on how awful LPN's are and they are a waste because they fail to become Real Nurses. I have never really heard anything good about being a LPN or Working in Long term care. Arent LPN's pad well and if your a LPN you are a real nurse or is it just the step before becomin a RN. Why is there so much negative talk. I was considering becominga LPN and doing a bridge program but now I am unsure. some input please on this profession and should I do the LPN program. Thank You:o:stone

That is very unfortunate. I believe I read somewhere it was mentioned "we don't stick LPN's anywhere", which is true. Nursing home care is a choice. The nurse in charge of doctors offices for the most part are LPN's. I have had the same disrespect with my years of ER experience with some RN's looking down on EMS, so I can understand EXACTLY how you feel!

My personal opinion with LPN and RN is that for one the pay difference is huge (ballpark of $5-$8/hr or more). If you start as a LPN and decide later to transition to RN all of the pre-reqs for the RN program must be completed prior to applying eventhough you have your LPN. You almost spend more money in the long run paying for both RN & LPN school. The fast track is not really "fast".

Secondly, when you work in the hospital as a LPN you may pick up "real world" habits and that can hurt you. Now, this is my opinion. I have learned that years of experience (I had about 10 with ER, OR & EMS) made it more difficult for me to change my ways strictly out of pure habit. For example, I have done TONS of foley caths and during my skills check off my instructor failed me and made me redo it. I had bad habits and trying to retrain my brain was hard. You know the whole old dog, new tricks thing... anyways.

As for the whole BSN thing and where nursing is going... whatever. If you want to go into management, work as a charge nurse, ANM or NM then yes go for your BSN. It's not like the hospital is going to make all of the 2yr nurses leave until they have a degree. If it becomes a requirement later then the hospital should pay for it. I personally hate management with a passion and if I chose to get my BSN in the future it is for my own gratification. Upper management and administratiors usually require MSN. It's a choice on what path you want to take in your career.

Pay no mind to the people who look down on other positions. It is sad, very common and usually misunderstood. Remember when you told people you were going into nursing and they ALL said "WOW, you can go anywhere with that and you will have so many choices", well you still can!!! GOOD LUCK!

**I took my NCLEX for the 2nd time today, I am praying and hoping it paid off, more experience hurts you in the long run, and that is how "I" feel about it***

Rylee2008, ASN, RN · May 14, 2009

At the school I go to the first year you can opt to take your LPN and then the next year you can get your RN. I will be finishing my first year next week and I'm taking my LPN boards in June. I have been pondering whether to just be a LPN and not finish my last year due to the fact my husband is self-employed and with the economy, I'm not sure if I can finish my last year. I think the nurses who where telling you that LPNs are worthless are crazy. I love long-term care more than the hospital. I like the relationship you create with the clients and their families. I don't understand why some RNs feel that once they complete school their are better than others. :angryfire In the area where I live home health care is only using LPNs and the pay is awesome. Good luck on your choice and don't let others change your mind. A good nurse is a good nurse whether a RN or LPN.