"Umm...I need the RN."

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I am an LVN charge nurse who works at an upscale nursing home; in addition, all of my coworkers are LVNs. Even the three ADONs (assistant directors of nursing) are all LVN nurse managers. You get the idea: this place is basically run by LVNs.

A couple of days ago a family member told my coworker, "I need the RN to schedule a mammography appointment for mother."

I thought this request was intensely silly because even a lay person with a low intelligence level could schedule an appointment to receive a mammogram. This is the first time I have encountered a family member who apparently did not even trust the LVN to make an appointment. Thanks for reading my little vent. :p

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I must have the wrong "R" b/c I'm an RN who is very far from rich!
LMFAO! :roll

There aren't too many rich nurses, LPNs and RNs included. No one becomes a nurse expecting to become 'rich'.

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Specializes in Med/Sug, Long Term Care.

Well WE know that LPN stands for "Low Paid Nurse" and RN stands for "Rich Nurse".......right? I never told my pt's I was their LPN...I just said I was their nurse.

:lol2: I hadn't heard that one!! hee, hee...

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Specializes in LTC, hospital, office.

speaking of nurse titles, the ones that always bothered me was

LPN-Let's Pretend Nurse, and RN-Real nurse

Ticks me off everytime!

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Specializes in sub acute, ALF. Currently in RN school.
speaking of nurse titles, the ones that always bothered me was

LPN-Let's Pretend Nurse, and RN-Real nurse

Ticks me off everytime!

Wow Ive never heard that one before.

Does anyone rememeber those commercials from yrs ago..."Ask for a real nurse...ask for an RN"

WHO made those?

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
speaking of nurse titles, the ones that always bothered me was

LPN-Let's Pretend Nurse, and RN-Real nurse

Ticks me off everytime!

Also they call us "Low Paid Nurses, Let's Play Nurse, Low Progressive Nurses"...it is annoying to me as well.:angryfire

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Wow Ive never heard that one before.

Does anyone rememeber those commercials from yrs ago..."Ask for a real nurse...ask for an RN"

WHO made those?

It wasn't from years ago, apparently they were aired as recently as a year ago.

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At the nursing home I used to work at I was filling in for a co-worker on her vacation. This was not the unit I usually worked so some of the new pts i had never met. There was a pt on the unit that had been there for maybe 2-3 weeks and would request an rn for everything. If an lpn came into her room to give her meds she would send them away. She wouldn't let an lpn do anything for her. All the lpns on the unit would go find the rn to take her her meds and they wouldn't even go into her room at all because she would just turn her nose up and say " go get then rn".

Well, the first night I was filling in, my med pass was going a little slow and I didn't have time to go find the only rn in the building to give this woman her meds and change her dressing so, I turned my name badge around, walked into her room, smiled, said "good morning" and handed her her meds. She didn't hesitate to take her meds and was very friendly while I changed her dressing. She assumed I was an rn, since only rns had been coming into her room since the first week she was there. I did this all week and she never questioned me and was very nice. Towards the end of the week, I forgot to turn my namebadge around when I went into her room and she noticed. She said "You're not an rn?", I said "No, I've never claimed to be."

She said something along the lines of, "And, I couldn't even tell that you wern't a real nurse." I said I am a real nurse and explained to her the differences between an lpn and an rn, she apparantly thought lpns were cnas that would give meds. After that night she never refused to let lpns take care of her.

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I once had an LPN co-worker be told by a doctor that LPN's were "play nurses" which really p***** me off. So now when that particular doctor calls and asks for an RN, we tell her that: " We are sorry, there are no RN's or " Real Nurses" in the building. I work night shift at a nursing home and RN's are non-existant at night.Yet, LPN's are pretty much respected on the same level as RN's where I work.Families usually don't care about title as long as their loved one is being cared for with dignity and respect. Every now and then a family member will look down on us LPN's like we are beneath RN's. But,once they realize our roll, and their ignorance on the subject subsides...they usually come to us for advice before hunting up an RN. So yeah.here in Tennessee we joke that LPN stands for "Licensed Play Nurse" and RN stands for "Real Nurse".:monkeydance: BUT IT'S ALL GOOD!! I LOVE MY PROFESSION.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I once had an LPN co-worker be told by a doctor that LPN's were "play nurses" which really p***** me off. So now when that particular doctor calls and asks for an RN, we tell her that: " We are sorry, there are no RN's or " Real Nurses" in the building. I work night shift at a nursing home and RN's are non-existant at night.Yet, LPN's are pretty much respected on the same level as RN's where I work.Families usually don't care about title as long as their loved one is being cared for with dignity and respect. Every now and then a family member will look down on us LPN's like we are beneath RN's. But,once they realize our roll, and their ignorance on the subject subsides...they usually come to us for advice before hunting up an RN. So yeah.here in Tennessee we joke that LPN stands for "Licensed Play Nurse" and RN stands for "Real Nurse".:monkeydance: BUT IT'S ALL GOOD!! I LOVE MY PROFESSION.

What was the physician's response when he heard that there was no 'real nurse' in the facility?

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I guess she is in shock, because her selective hearing kicks in. She doesn't say anything except to spout off her orders and hang up. Other doctors just ask for the "nurse" of a particular patient. She is the only one I know of to ask specifically for an RN. I respect doctors...I really do. However, if they choose to act rude and foolish, I just return the favor.I don't get paid enough to put up with stupid people....I can't deal that way.Respect is a two way street...give it to get it, reguardless of rank or status. WEW...I'm a little long winded on this one( sorry:behindpc: ). Catch ya later.

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