Apologizing for being "just an LPN"

kstec, LPN · May 4, 2007

Why is it that you only hear other people say to CNA's and LPN's, when are you going to get your RN? Well if all of us were RN, BSN, then who would be doing the majority of the lpatient care. The nurses who say you limit yourself and you can make more money if you get your RN, BSN, well the fact is the more RN, BSN's you have running around the less nurses you have actually taking care of the patients. Yes you do have more options and no we(CNA's and LPN's) don't but we are always going to be here to do direct patient care, are you? If I wanted to option to sit behind a desk or teach, I would continue, but I don't. I'm good at what I do and am here to pick up the slack when everyone's walking around with their bachelors/masters. I respect all who have their bachelors/masters, your book smarts make me envious, but that is not what I want to do. Being a LPN for me is my career, not a stopping point for my RN. Why don't we all start asking RN's, housekeeping, kitchen help and maintenance, when they are going to become doctors? People either do what they can do by choice or that's what they can do at that time. We can't all be chiefs, we need indians. Just because we are not CEO's, doesn't make us any less of contributors to the healthcare field. What a rude world we live in when we have to feel like we have to aplogize for making an honest living.

kstec, LPN · May 4, 2007

Why is it that you only hear other people say to CNA's and LPN's, when are you going to get your RN? Well if all of us were RN, BSN, then who would be doing the majority of the lpatient care. The nurses who say you limit yourself and you can make more money if you get your RN, BSN, well the fact is the more RN, BSN's you have running around the less nurses you have actually taking care of the patients. Yes you do have more options and no we(CNA's and LPN's) don't but we are always going to be here to do direct patient care, are you? If I wanted to option to sit behind a desk or teach, I would continue, but I don't. I'm good at what I do and am here to pick up the slack when everyone's walking around with their bachelors/masters. I respect all who have their bachelors/masters, your book smarts make me envious, but that is not what I want to do. Being a LPN for me is my career, not a stopping point for my RN. Why don't we all start asking RN's, housekeeping, kitchen help and maintenance, when they are going to become doctors? People either do what they can do by choice or that's what they can do at that time. We can't all be chiefs, we need indians. Just because we are not CEO's, doesn't make us any less of contributors to the healthcare field. What a rude world we live in when we have to feel like we have to aplogize for making an honest living.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 4, 2007

I was talking to a friend of mine just last night and stated that essentially, I have all that I need in life...a husband that adores and loves me unconditionally, a son that is a sweet gentle soul and have a home with no mortgage attached....thanks to my mother. All I wanted was mobility in the sense that if I choose to leave a job, I don't have to be unemployed. I may not work where I would like to, but, I can certainly have a job; doing something I enjoy. That is what being an LPN meant to me. I also appreciate the education that the higher titled nurses have, but from what I have seen in life, the higher a person goes, the more they sometimes have to compromise themselves (not saying this is true for everyone, but enough).

Because I have what is most dear to me, I will not compromise myself by going against the grain and become what I clearly do not want to be in order to gain respect from people that are basically insignificant in my life. If they think I am not really a nurse, that is their issue...not mine. In fact, they may have done me a favor...let the people who are really getting paid have the headache. It seems that the more responsibilities that I would have, I would lose the essence of what nursing is about because I would be worrying too much about stupid things. Not worth my time.

Fiona59 · May 4, 2007

I give good bedside nursing care to my patients. I hold hands, do woundcare and meds, I admit fresh post-op patients to my ward. The only thing I don't do is start IVs, hang blood, or administer IV meds. From what is happening in rural regions near me, I'll be doing the IV's within 18 months.

My patients and their families (99 out of 100 times) don't care whether I'm registered or licenced. It's the quality of care that matters.

supernurse65 · May 4, 2007

Don't ever, ever apologize for being an LPN. I was an LPN for 9 years. I learned more in those 9 years than i could have ever learned in ANY school. I worked in a skilled facility with g-tubes, trachs, IVs, you name it we had it.

I decided to go to RN school simply because I was tired of training and teaching the RNs supervisors hired to be my bosses about skilled care!!!!

NO KIDDING!!

BE PROUD OF THE JOB YOU DO NOT THE LETTERS BEHIND YOUR NAME.

GOOD LUCK.

jaacosmom · May 5, 2007

Oh, I hear you girl. I went for my LPN for the same reason. I had been an aide for 6 years and did not want to be an aide for the rest of my life. I had a husband and two kids (three now, I got pregnant towards the end and had #3 the day before graduation). I get "have you considered becoming an RN" alot. I don't really understand why there seems to be this drive away from LPNs. Supposedly there is a nursing shortage. So why aren't hospitals and other nursing facilities utilizing the LPNs. I know we as LPNs would be able to take some of the work load off of the RNs. Still when asked what I'm most proud of in my life it will always be my kids.

gram8 · May 9, 2007

I havn't even started LPN school yet (will this September though!!!!) :monkeydance: and I'm finding that I'm already "apologizing" if you will for becoming "just an LPN"!!
I need to stop this! I'm CHOOSING to become an LPN, not an RN. If I had unlimited time, money and a great tutor to take the harder pre reqs, I would become an RN. But I'm 30, two kids, a mortgage, etc. I can't afford to take 4 years of school right now!
Plus, I want to see how much I love nursing before dedicating 4 years of time and money to a nursing degree.
I was getting a TB skin test required by my school and it was a nurse doing the test. I told her why I was having the test and then said "oh, but I'd like to be an RN one day". I shouldn't have even said that. I shouldn't be explaining to anyone or apologizing for becoming "just an LPN".
LPN's are in HUGE demand in my area and I know I will find a good job and be a GREAT LPN when I'm done, so I really need to be proud of that and stop making excuses to others as to why I'm not becoming an RN right now.[/quoNEVER APOLOGIZE TO ANYONE FOR CHOOSING TO BECOME A LPN. YOU ARE A NEEDED PART OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM . ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE CHOOSEN TO BE AND BE THE BEST AT IT..GOOD LUCK TO YOU. I HAVE BEEN A LPN FOR 5 YEAR AND I APOLOGIZE TO NO ONE FOR CHOOSING TO BE COME A LPN..YOU ARE STIIL A NURSE:monkeydance:

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 9, 2007

I havn't even started LPN school yet (will this September though!!!!) :monkeydance: and I'm finding that I'm already "apologizing" if you will for becoming "just an LPN"!!
I need to stop this! I'm CHOOSING to become an LPN, not an RN. If I had unlimited time, money and a great tutor to take the harder pre reqs, I would become an RN. But I'm 30, two kids, a mortgage, etc. I can't afford to take 4 years of school right now!
Plus, I want to see how much I love nursing before dedicating 4 years of time and money to a nursing degree.
I was getting a TB skin test required by my school and it was a nurse doing the test. I told her why I was having the test and then said "oh, but I'd like to be an RN one day". I shouldn't have even said that. I shouldn't be explaining to anyone or apologizing for becoming "just an LPN".
LPN's are in HUGE demand in my area and I know I will find a good job and be a GREAT LPN when I'm done, so I really need to be proud of that and stop making excuses to others as to why I'm not becoming an RN right now.[/quoNEVER APOLOGIZE TO ANYONE FOR CHOOSING TO BECOME A LPN. YOU ARE A NEEDED PART OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM . ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE CHOOSEN TO BE AND BE THE BEST AT IT..GOOD LUCK TO YOU. I HAVE BEEN A LPN FOR 5 YEAR AND I APOLOGIZE TO NO ONE FOR CHOOSING TO BE COME A LPN..YOU ARE STIIL A NURSE:monkeydance:
:balloons: Yeah!! All of that.... (great way to look at things...way to go!!)

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · May 9, 2007

I have been an LVN for 17+ years and never apologize. However, if I had a dollar for every time I was asked, "When are you going to pursue your RN?" Or worse "You are such a good nurse- why don't you go for your RN?" I would be rich!

I am going to transition to RN for the money and opportunity. It is a personal choice. We have a few LVNs on my floor at my acute care facility, but there is no room for advancement so back to school I go!

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 9, 2007

I have been an LVN for 17+ years and never apologize. However, if I had a dollar for every time I was asked, "When are you going to pursue your RN?" Or worse "You are such a good nurse- why don't you go for your RN?" I would be rich!
I am going to transition to RN for the money and opportunity. It is a personal choice. We have a few LVNs on my floor at my acute care facility, but there is no room for advancement so back to school I go!

I agree...the amount of times I had been asked that question since June should have already made me a thousandaire, if not over the top. Best wishes for your future school experience and represent us well

BigB · May 9, 2007

I have been an LVN for 17+ years and never apologize. However, if I had a dollar for every time I was asked, "When are you going to pursue your RN?" Or worse "You are such a good nurse- why don't you go for your RN?" I would be rich!
I am going to transition to RN for the money and opportunity. It is a personal choice. We have a few LVNs on my floor at my acute care facility, but there is no room for advancement so back to school I go!

If only it were that easy as "just going back to school." I simple cannot do that with a family and morgage etc. I can't stop working and tell my bill collectors to "just wait" while I finsih my RN. Since eclesoir is not recognized by the CA RN board, that option is out. MY only option is a full time RN program..... which most of us LVN's can't afford to do.

jill48, ASN, RN · May 9, 2007

well i refuse to apologize for anything unless i have done something wrong:nono: . it's funny that i usually hear "why don't you have your rn?" from rn's that i am training. well let's see...... you come here new and i train you, so apparently i'm pretty good at what i do:lol_hitti . oh, and there are only two things i can't do, but don't worry, because when it's time for an iv push i will get the order and pull up the med and you can take it from my hand and push it, then you can go:banghead: . and when my patient needs a blood transfusion, i will get the order for the h&h, i will call the abnormal values to the doc, i will get the order for the type and crossmatch and then the fresh frozen plasma or packed cells, then i will order the blood from the blood bank, then i get permission from the patient or the family, then i will go get the blood, then i will go start an iv on the patient and get some ns running. then you can stand there and compare names and patient information with me. once i get the blood hung on the pole, i'll come get you so you can spike it, then you can go:banghead: . then i will get all the vitals and sit there all night and watch for adverse effects. i am not in the "business" of nursing to make money:troll: ....would be nice, but not my plan. i just want to take care of people :nurse: and i seem to be doing a damn good job of it even if i am only a "little play nurse":argue: , "less payed nurse":argue: , or "lets pretend nurse":argue: :lol_hitti :angryfire :devil: . the funny thing is though, all rn's say they respect us, but on any given day you can find threads where the title specifically refers to rn's, but in most cases it's actually a question that pertains to all nurses:mortarboard: , (for example, threads that ask "did anyone else go to rn school while they were pregnant?" :stone or "did you change your name on your rn license after you got married?":stone ). hmmm.... i'd like to comment on that thread but apparently it's only for rn's. but it's okay because when i ask about it, i will always get a reply that says, "oh, sorry, no offense intended." well sorry, but it was offensive. :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire