LPN = Life's Perfect Nurses

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I'm sure that you all have heard the negative comments made about LPNs. Some people call us "Little Play Nurses," "Low Paid Nurses," and "Let's Pretend Nurses." A small handful of RNs have mentioned that we're incapable of thinking critically, and so forth. I think it is time for some positive feedback regarding LPNs, because we do occupy an important place in the healthcare system.

Since we frequently spend a whole lot of time with our patients and can offer them care with the personal touch, I think we should be referred to as "Life's Perfect Nurses." I believe we have enough practical knowledge to provide comforting care without becoming lost in the sea of bureaucracy. Does anyone agree, or wish to comment?

Thanks, Pagandeva. I'm going to school via Excelsior for the RN.

And I hear you loud and clear on getting all of the extra certs at LPN pay. Huh? I don't think so.

And lest anyone misinterpret my statements, the nurses I would want caring for me were I in need of hospitalization are all LPN's. My charge nurse (RN) told me I contaminated a catheter pack because I didn't open it with gloves on. Hoookay.

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Have you considered asking for the minutes or to participate in the meetings? I don't know if your facility is open to this, but, I have found that those that express a desire to may be invited. I do admit that I have been disappointed in the pay scale for LPNs. I have to work an extra day to bring in a respectable income and I am tired most of the time. I see that my job will include LPNs in many things, but I don't do them that often myself because I see it as taking on more responsibility and aggreviation with no increase in pay. But, for those that really wish to gain the insight, knowledge and to participate, it was great for them at my job.

Have you considered becoming an RN? They do have more opportunities are are more involved with the treatment than we are. That is not a goal for me, but, if you are interested, then, go for it!

Don't have the time - meds and treatments for 30 - 40 old folks - and I don't work for free.

;)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Why do people keep saying that RN and LPN is the same job, I'm sorry unless I'm missing something RN is waaay different from LPN.
The RN licensure and the LPN licensure are NOT the same, and I never mentioned that they perform the same job.
I have noticed a HUGE difference where i am now, not only in skills but in thinking, judgment, patho,pharm, advacned skills, almost everything.
Critical thinking is applicable not only to nursing, but to EVERY SINGLE ASPECT of life. Every person in existence must utilize critical thinking if he or she expects to make it through life. When I was a factory worker, I had to utilize critical thinking and good judgment in order to stay alive, because I worked atop a high speed 3-story paper machine that reached temperatures of 450 degrees. Parents must utilize critical thinking, parental skills, and impeccable judgment when raising children.

Therefore, all nurses are capable of critical thinking and judgment, and this includes LPNs and RNs. Some LPNs cannot critically think, and some can. Some RNs cannot critically think, and some can. Therefore, you cannot simply stereotype a group of nurses and say "There's a difference in their thinking," without having met all nurses within that group.

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I am not stereotyping anyone, I just stated that I noticed a HUGE difference between The LPN and RN portion of my program, and how we are forced to think in different ways and are responsible for a lot more. This is at my school. I did not say LPN or Rn's,Factory workers,janitors or anyone else for that matter do not use critical thinking. All i was asking was why some people think that LPNs do the same job as RN just get paid less. I'm not even a nurse yet so my opinion comes from what i am learning in school. I was just pointing out the differences that I have noticed going from one level to the next, and also i never said LPNs do not use critical thinking, judgment. If it came out that way I'm sorry but that's not what i intended to say although i can find in my post where i said or implied anything like that.

Someone above explained it for me a little better so that i could understand what it is meant when some people say LPNs do the same job RN etc, and they were coming from experience that i don't have so it helped me to better understand.

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The RN licensure and the LPN licensure are NOT the same, and I never mentioned that they perform the same job.

Ohh and I know you never mentioned that. But someone on this thread in their post did and thats why I asked. sorry

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Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

I was an LVN for a year before recently getting my RN. I am still trying to transition to the RN role. I too, see the difference in reponsibility, patho and level of skill in everything I do. I didnt realize the difference between RN and LVN until I finished my RN schooling.

However, the LVN role is vital in nursing. Critical thinking is a major part of an LVNs role. Just because a registered nurse has a different level of responsibility and education does not mean an LVN's license is any less valuable....LVN's never forget this!!!! :nono:

As an LVN, I was also asked if I was going to RN school, or if I was even a real nurse.:angryfire That burned my tail, because I worked hard for my LVN, in fact, it was the hardest portion of my schooling!

It is up to LVNs to demand respect by practicing nursing to the highest standards. Again, I believe LPN/LVNs are vital to nursing, and they need to be treated as such.

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

I love being an LPN. I have been a nurse for 27 years. I do alot of high tech pediatric homecare. Trachs, vents, apnea monitors, feeding tubes(mickey's and g-tubes), all types of feeding pumps, and on and on. I learned to think on my feet many years ago. It is a mandatory skill to be a homecare nurse. No one is there with you, you are it. Most times parents aren't there either. And as far as calling the office because you need to take care of something this minute:lol2:. So anyone who asks me what I do, I tell them, I'm an LPN, proud of it, for 27 years now. Also, I have been a member of Allnurses since 2000. I have seen this discussion go on and on. I don't usually comment, because I am a confident, skilled, critical thinking LPN, and PROUD of IT

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I must admit that I have a hard time differentiating the different job roles and scopes of practice between RNs and LPNs. LEGALLY, there are differences in scope of practice - though with extra training and certifications in some places there are only a few differences. LEGALLY, some jobs demand RN licensure as opposed to LPN licensure. But FUNCTIONALLY on the job and in terms of EDUCATION PREPARATION, other differences are sometimes unclear. I know that LPN coursework is generally about one year shorter than RN coursework but that doesn't tell me WHAT the difference is.

I think the confusion in roles is due in part to employers continuing to stretch the job functions of LPNs in order to save money (since LPNs are generally paid less than RNs). LPNs rose to the challenge and have been successful. However, as the LPN role came closer and closer to the RN role, the question is has LPN education kept up? (A different but related question is if RN education has kept up with current needs such as sicker patients). If LPN education IS good enough, what exactly is it that RNs are learning in their extra training? And why? To what end is that extra education directed? Is it any skills IN ADDITION to the LPN skills? (eg more assessment skills) Is it more detailed explanations of pathyphys and pharmacology? If this info is important enough to pay substantially more for it (in hiring an RN), how can we argue that it's safe for LPNs to practice on the same patients without that same training?

I do see that RNs generally have more legal responsibilities (more paperwork with their initials that might be held against them if there's a problem) and often the buck stops with them in regard to others' work as well such as CNAs and LVNs that they are paired with. But my question is how does the additional RN training qualify them for this added responsibility? Or is more a matter of jumping through the proper hoops in order to get the piece of paper that allows for one to be hired to the position. For example, someone may be a great bookkeeper and know accounting inside and out but without the CPA their pay and job opportunities are more limited - even though they may not have learned anything new from the CPA training.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

this is not a lvn or rn debate people!!!! this is a lpn/lvn support thread... having said that let me mention here you cannot learn to be a lvn in 2 semesters. this is generally a year long program and most LVN programs require more clinical hours than the rn program. you cant really talk about there being a huge difference in the two as far as skills and critical thinking if you are not a lvn and practicing..lol. just because you learn to be a lvn does not mean squat until you practice it in the real world...cause that's where you really learn nursing. plus there is a huge difference after you have practiced as a lvn then go to rn verses being in school and advancing in the curriculum from what they call the lvn portion to the rn portion. the roles between rn and lvn are similar, some of the responsibilities are different and different states have wider or nearer scopes for lvn's...

why do people keep saying that rn and lpn is the same job, i'm sorry unless i'm missing something rn is waaay different from lpn. in my school you start out as an lpn and after the first 2 semesters you choose lpn or rn. we do what an lpn can do, are taught what a lpn is taught those first 2 semesters,sometimes since most people go on to rn they go a bit further with teaching. i have noticed a huge difference where i am now, not only in skills but in thinking, judgment, patho,pharm, advacned skills, almost everything. i think that lpn and rn have skills such as med admin, am care, etc that overlaps, but it does not seem as the same job to me. unless i missed something in the lpn portion of my program--the 2(rn and lpn) are very different. i'm not saying one is better than the other but i read on here constantly that lpn does the same exact job as rn just gets paid less. i am working very hard to get through the rn program, and when i read things like this, i used to think( before i knew what i know now) " if they do the same job why the heck are there even rn if they can hire lpns to do the same job at a lower pay rate", but now that i have a little more knowledge/experience on the subject i don't think that way anymore. like i said i dont think one is better than the other, of course we need lpn's and rn's. i just read a lot on here from lpns that the two are the same job and i cant understand how
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this is not a lvn or rn debate people!!!! this is a lpn/lvn support thread... having said that let me mention here you cannot learn to be a lvn in 2 semesters. this is generally a year long program and most lvn programs require more clinical hours than the rn program. you cant really talk about there being a huge difference in the two as far as skills and critical thinking if you are not a lvn and practicing..lol. just because you learn to be a lvn does not mean squat until you practice it in the real world...cause that's where you really learn nursing. plus there is a huge difference after you have practiced as a lvn then go to rn verses being in school and advancing in the curriculum from what they call the lvn portion to the rn portion. the roles between rn and lvn are similar, some of the responsibilities are different and different states have wider or nearer scopes for lvn's...

i wasn't turning this into a debate, i read through all of the posts on allnurses and sometimes if something catches my eye and i want to talk about it with people, then ill ask...thats what these boards are for..i support all level of nurses lpn,rn,np,cns,cnm etc and cna's.

i know you cant learn to be an lpn in 2 semesters, thats why at my school after you choose lpn or rn after the second semesters, you go one more semester then your eligible for lpn boards( which would make it 1 academic year). also i said i noticed a huge difference from going from one level to the next....that's at my school maybe they make it that way and thats not really how it is elsewhere i don't know, or maybe other people who have similar programs don't notice what i do or maybe they notice it the the other way around i don't know lol.. i did not mean to get off the subject of the op, but i noticed something i read over her a lot( that rn ad lpn do the same job)and decided to talk about it with you all.

ohh and thanks for saying that everything i learned in school doesn't mean squat lol, no i'm kidding but i know what you mean and thats why i asked, i'm in school and i don't know what its like out there yet and my question was why do people say that the two job are the same except lpn get paid less, i just said what i can tell from school experience, did not want it to come ff as if i am saying something that im not.

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I know you cant learn to be an LPN in 2 semesters, thats why at my school after you choose LPN or RN after the second semesters, you go one more semester then your eligible for LPN boards( which would make it 1 academic year).

I went for two semesters and took the boards.

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Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

i sat for boards after two semesters in lvn program, that was after a year and a half or so of general ed classes to get into the program. then two more semesters for rn. after lvn cirriculum, i was able to sit for lvn boards. i worked for a year as an lvn.....and the roles are different...but that doesnt mean that lvn is less valuable.

this is an lvn/lpn support thread. i feel like i can comment in this thread because i do have an lvn license. i feel like lvn/lpns feel under appreciated and under valued. many people overlook lvns because most of the time, the rn is in charge, or the rn is getting most of the credit for patient care. however, the lvn is a major part of direct patient care, which has a tremendous impact on patient outcomes. i feel, that this thread is more about suppporting the lvn/lpn and finding ways in which they can be appreciated. they should be included in devising plans of care, consulted with on patient/nursing issues, and most of all, applauded for their/our part in the nursing.

instead of trying to find the difference between the rn/lvn role, this thread should describe how lvn/lpns impact nursing, and why lvn/lpns are essential to the profession.

so i ask, how do lpn/lvns specifically impact nursing and patient care?

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