LPN...not good enough??

giftsofgrace · Feb 7, 2013

Good evening ,

We all have to start somewhere . I am debating on doing the LPN or the RN program . The LPN will get me into a hospital , I believe . Then off to an RN degree if God allows . Stay blessed as you are but never stop climbing for the sky . I want to work in a children's hospital . I am trying to figure out how to make college affordable or free .

I respect that you do what you need to do and you do it well .

dlynn34LPN · Feb 7, 2013

Dont know why some people feel that way cause LPN is a great start.. Most great RN started where we started LPN...

sauzie · Feb 7, 2013

So, I have been an LPN for the last 5 years and I love what I do. But one of my patients that I've had last week was an RN. Now I do not have anything against RN's at all, but she asked me if I was a nurse, and of course I say yes I am, and the next question was LPN or RN and I answer LPN and she said why are you wasting your time..... I thought that I must have misunderstood what she said and asked her to repeat it again, and the same question came out of her mouth. I never thought an LPN was not good enough, I feel confident in what I do and I feel that the title nurse applies to me too but she had me questioning is this what everyone thinks? The whole time I was doing her lab work, EKG, and instructions, she made sure I knew she was a nurse and she knew more than me and wanted the PA to come and go over some additional questions she had about the instructions I gave her, because apparently I sure could not know what I was talking about... WHY???? I have felt so down about this whole situation, I am proud of what I've accomplished even if it's not what others may want, but honestly she ruined my week....

I've had a similar experience when I was ill and at an urgent care clinic. It somehow came up that I was a nursing student (at the time) and the doc asked me LPN or RN. When he heard LPN, he shook his head and told me I should have done RN. I told him that eventually I am looking to get my RN, but at the time when school became an option to me, LPN was the fastest and most attainable for me to pursue my dream career.

I'm not sure why people think that LPN's are less than RN's...Aren't we supposed to work together for the better health of the patient?

I think the key to take away from this experience is that you know you're a good nurse and you love what you're doing. She's the one that was carrying the negative attitude around.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2013

I am proud of what I've accomplished even if it's not what others may want, but honestly she ruined my week....

Nobody can ruin your week unless you allow them to have that amount of power over you.

When I was an LPN, I've had a couple of patients and/or family members who demanded to speak to an RN because they did not think highly of LPNs. However, I was not particularly bothered by their requests because I do not allow myself to lose sleep over misguided people. If someone felt I lacked credibility because I was an LPN, I actually felt relief at having one less sorry patient on my load.

Develop a thicker skin. Not all patients are going to approve of your title, and in my personal experience, disabled or retired RNs can be the most demanding patients. You've just gotta let certain events roll off your back. Good luck to you.

loriangel14, RN · Feb 7, 2013

I don't understand why some people say "LPN is a great place to start". Why is the implication made that LPN is fine but there is something wrong with staying an LPN? I am a PN. I am proud of myslef and what I do. I have desire whatsoever to be an RN.There is no reason to feel that as an LPN you and any less of a nurse.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 7, 2013

I'm not sure why people think that LPN's are less than RN's...Aren't we supposed to work together for the better health of the patient?

Some people in society are very snotty when it comes to educational attainment. They associate the LPN role with quick trade school training, and they view the RN role as having been earned through lengthier schooling at a college or university.

Even though many LPNs have been trained at community colleges or regional state universities, some members of the public are uninformed and do not realize this.

em1025 · Feb 7, 2013

Nobody can ruin your week unless you allow them to have that amount of power over you.
When I was an LPN, I've had a couple of patients and/or family members who demanded to speak to an RN because they did not think highly of LPNs. However, I was not particularly bothered by their requests because I do not allow myself to lose sleep over misguided people. If someone felt I lacked credibility because I was an LPN, I actually felt relief at having one less sorry patient on my load.
Develop a thicker skin. Not all patients are going to approve of your title, and in my personal experience, disabled or retired RNs can be the most demanding patients. You've just gotta let certain events roll off your back. Good luck to you.

Thankyou for what you suggested, but I actually did not lose sleep over what she said and I due have " thick skin" but sometimes when you have a hard week or a hard day all it takes is that one more action that can just top it off and that's what it did (for the end of my Friday) ... I think we all have those days but it does not reflect how I handle everything on a daily basis, I just had a bad day :)

em1025 · Feb 7, 2013

I don't understand why some people say "LPN is a great place to start". Why is the implication made that LPN is fine but there is something wrong with staying an LPN? I am a PN. I am proud of myslef and what I do. I have desire whatsoever to be an RN.There is no reason to feel that as an LPN you and any less of a nurse.

I agree thanks!!!

mazy · Feb 7, 2013

From the behavior you described I have a feeling that even if you were an RN, or a BSN, or an MSN, or any level on the nursing spectrum she would have found a way to put you down -- from your level of education, where you went to school, years on the job, what department you work in (ICU? Med-Surg? ER?, L&D? Geriatrics? which is more hardcore?).

Don't lose any sleep about it. She wanted ownership of the experience and was being a snot about it. Most people aren't like that.

liaspyre31 · Feb 8, 2013

I've wondered that sometimes myself, about LPNs/LVNs not being as good as RNs... it doesn't help sometimes that our scope of practice tends to be smaller than an RN's scope of practice, but that doesn't mean we aren't as smart as RNs or that we're not as good at our job.

I work on a Med/Surg ward, and where I work, I have to ask RNs all the time to do something for a patient for me because it's not in my scope of practice, or ask them a question that I don't know the answer to, but that doesn't mean LPNs/LVNs don't have a place in the nursing world. I've had several of the RNs I work with tell me that I'm a fantastic nurse. Sure, I may not always have the answers to some pt's questions, or something may slip my mind from time to time, but I still try to do as much as I can to keep my patients comfortable and happy, even if they do want to give me attitude about something.

lilaclover6984 · Feb 8, 2013

I don't understand why some people say "LPN is a great place to start". Why is the implication made that LPN is fine but there is something wrong with staying an LPN? I am a PN. I am proud of myslef and what I do. I have desire whatsoever to be an RN.There is no reason to feel that as an LPN you and any less of a nurse.

Yes!! This drives me crazy!!! What's wrong with staying a LPN??!! Why does is it only " a great start"? Even other LPNs always feel the need to make excuses for why they are "only" an LPN. We should be proud to be an LPN!!!