Missed informed people about LPN profession boils my skin

messiecake · Jul 24, 2009

You are not alone! Im a CNA transitioning to LPN & I hear the same thing .

Its usually from disgruntled *FORMER*CNAs or MAs (which should tell you something!)I NEVER hear this from RNS/LPNS & DOCTORS! In fact Ive been encouraged by RNS & established LPNs & others in the Med.Field so,for me,thats been helpful to "brush off"the naysayers! PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE! Look at who is saying what & where they are coming from.YOU know whats best for YOU-stay strong!!!!!!!!!! :yeah:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 24, 2009

Never let others influence your personal decisions. It is good to hear many perspectives, but you have to make the decision for yourself. As many naysayers that exist, there are just as many who WISH that they were LPNs and may never get the chance. Just the same as there are some Home Health Aides that would give their right hand to become CNAs, PCAs, etc... And, there is nothing written in stone that would prevent you from continuing on for the RN if you grow out of being an LPN. So, in essence, there is nothing you should do but follow your own gut. Get as much information as you can from as many programs as possible, speak to incumbant LPNs and RNs and see which is the best fit for you at this time.

momtojosh · Jul 24, 2009

i work for the state in a house of 12 very medically frail handicapped individuals....while going thru training the instructors would tell us we will hear comments from the public that we arent real nurses,or if you work for the state then you cant be a good nurse...etc... i didnt believe it..but it is true....well....we are paid the highest wage of all LPNs that work in LTC or hospitals or doc offices in our state.....we have the best and cheapest medical insurance of all as well.....just because we are not just limited to medical situations does not mean we are not nurses....the people i take care of all have g-j-tubes,trachs,neb tx,all kinds of meds and others txs to name just a few.... straight caths several times a day....when our guys are in a hospital we usually have to show the staff how to meds via tubes or how to do trach care,cause this is something they do not run into on a daily basis...there are no aides in our house,only nurses and we do the laundry,their ADLs,and all their care....somedays i do feel like i am not a real nurse..but then i kcik myself and say...YES YOU ARE....just a different type....and i love caring for my guys...

so...i love being a LPN,and an older one at that....and like one poster said....if you grow out of the LPN then RN is an option....which i think of often....if it werent for 2 pre-reqs i would do it in a heartbeat....they are chem and math...AHHH.....

sasha2lady · Jul 24, 2009

I have heard this same story myself....I get compared to my in law who is an RN BSN MSN. my hubby doesnt consider me a real nurse....just a modified cna. I was in a room one day at work and overheard a visitor tell a resident and a cna that us nurses never did anything but sit behind the desk. omg....why did she say that in my presence? I had to say something...i told her that just because you see someone nurse or not....you dont know who is what when you walk into a place to start with .....you cant just assume they arent doing anything....if they are on the phone ...it might be with a pharmacist, a doctor, a surgeon, a family member, a possible new admission whose family wants to know about coming in and looking at our place, it might be EMS b/c we have to send someone to the hospital, or it might be a corporate call......plus....those charts all have a purpose....we could be doing orders for the doc....an admission ...anything. and then she said that we just pass meds. so...naturally i said to her..." well....if we didnt give out the meds to everybody what are the chances that your mom would still be in such good health??????"...b/c she was there to see her mother. she didnt say a thing after that and Ive never heard her put us down since. oh...ps...she works in dietary at a nursing home in another county. .....that just royally ticked me off....I probably shouldve just kept quiet but hey....i was pregnant..hormonal and spoke my piece and to be honest I felt alot better having put things in place for her. The doc I work for has told me numerous times that I am smart and should go get my RN....I told him I would if he'd pay for it lol. I learned from good instructors and good coworkers that Ive had. i dont know everything....no one does but ....shoot...Im willing to learn whatever someone throws at me. I even had a cna just last week say to me that she only had to take one class to get into the lpn program....i couldnt help but chuckle at her and I told her that one class wouldnt get her into that program....they base admission on a whole list of things. she says shes too stressed and too old to be doing cna work....so...I told her well...dont become a nurse if you think you'll do away with the stress..you'll just have triple the stress put on you and 10 x the responsiblity.....whether its an LPN or an RN...i think we are all equally stressed at some point in our jobs.

want2beanurse2 · Jul 24, 2009

I am pursuing the LPN route because I live in Michigan and the competition is outrageous trying to get accepted into an RN program right now! There may be 300 candidates for 40 spots! A LPN in Michigan starts out with an average pay of $23.00 an hour and more depending on where they are hired. A new RN at the hospital I work at only makes $26.00 starting out! I plan on continuing for my RN when the time comes but in the mean time after a year of school I will be a LPN making about $8.00 more than I do now and I wont be just sitting around on a waiting list! The LPN route is my stepping stone. Yes you will hear that hospitals dont really hired LPN's anymore (TRUE) but the hospital isnt the only place a nurse can worked whether you're an RN or LPN....There are clean newer nursing homes and assisted living facilities that resemble hotels on the inside, there are agencies, Doctors offices, Home health agencies, Schools and private duty places of employment amongst many others! Dont let anyone discourage you! Do what works for you! Most of the RN's I talk to say "you might as well go for the RN program" What they dont realize is that it is nearly "impossible" to get into a RN program nowadays and I have a family to support, so one year of school for me means a higher income, and and oppourtunity for a job advancement because my current position sucks! Although I am grateful and blessesd to have a job right now it is truly time to move on! Write down the pros and cons of what your options are. I wish you the best!:wink2:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 24, 2009

I have made it no secret that I don't wish to become an RN. Therefore, unfortunately, I also had to accept that there will always be those that will believe that I am not nurse enough for them. The same is said for CNAs and other disciplines in each career. I can only be the best that I can be and create my own value. There is nothing wrong with those that grow out of the LPN role, or even believe that becoming an LPN in the first place is not enough for them.

It is all about personal choice. For me, I took a great deal of time to assess myself and figure out what I can personally handle. I have always been a person who is more interested in essential information and prefer dealing with more routine situations rather than having the adrenaline rush. After thinking it through and watching the RN role, I had decided that their role is not for me. I do what I can to assist them and not give problems as well as be a great team player, but, I don't feel that I need that in my life to feel complete. Bottom line, do what is best for yourself and keep in mind that there is still room to grow and move on. No one put a pistol in our backs saying that we must remain LPNs no matter what, nor can anyone force you to go further if this is not what you want. There are so many ways to look at each situation that it should be easy to pick which choice is most appealing to you and move on.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 24, 2009

I am pursuing the LPN route because I live in Michigan and the competition is outrageous trying to get accepted into an RN program right now! There may be 300 candidates for 40 spots! A LPN in Michigan starts out with an average pay of $23.00 an hour and more depending on where they are hired. A new RN at the hospital I work at only makes $26.00 starting out! I plan on continuing for my RN when the time comes but in the mean time after a year of school I will be a LPN making about $8.00 more than I do now and I wont be just sitting around on a waiting list! The LPN route is my stepping stone. Yes you will hear that hospitals dont really hired LPN's anymore (TRUE) but the hospital isnt the only place a nurse can worked whether you're an RN or LPN....There are clean newer nursing homes and assisted living facilities that resemble hotels on the inside, there are agencies, Doctors offices, Home health agencies, Schools and private duty places of employment amongst many others! Dont let anyone discourage you! Do what works for you! Most of the RN's I talk to say "you might as well go for the RN program" What they dont realize is that it is nearly "impossible" to get into a RN program nowadays and I have a family to support, so one year of school for me means a higher income, and and oppourtunity for a job advancement because my current position sucks! Although I am grateful and blessesd to have a job right now it is truly time to move on! Write down the pros and cons of what your options are. I wish you the best!:wink2:

The positive things I discovered when I became an LPN is that I was able to start looking for alternate positions outside of my current job...something I could not do as a PCA because my CNA certification expired. I have worked in flu clinics, home care, med-surg, the army and I floated throughout the clinics in my hospital to learn other things, so, I have an extensive resume for my short 3 year career as a practical nurse. I now understand the things I was always interested in...the human condition. I meet interesting people as well.

For a moment, I considered returning to school to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Health Education. Went to the department and had an interview with the director. I earned college credits because my LPN program was a bridge from LPN to RN, so, I had all of the science credits except chemistry. I filled out the application, sent for my transcript and basically forgot about it once I had discovered during the interview that I had to take more courses such as anthropology, economics, a gym class, etc... (didn't want to be bothered taking close to a year and a half of other subjects before I even entered my major). Anyhow, to make a long story short, I think that whoever looked at the application just assumed that because I am an LPN that of course, I was REALLY applying for their BSN program and I received a letter directly admitting me to their BSN program because my grades were high. I laughed because I have no intention of entering ANY nursing program again no matter what. I feel blessed to be working, even more blessed to have a happy home, husband and child, which is more important to me.

Like you said, pick what is best and make it work.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2009

It really chaps my hide when people say that LVN/LPNs aren't real nurses. Where do they get off saying that? Excuse me, but you're a LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSE OR A LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE. You're a NURSE, your license says NURSE on there. There was a poster on here who said that LVN/LPN do 80% of the work that a RN does, and that's true. I think that it's a shame that these hospital are "claiming" to be short staffed in nursing. Hello, bring in the LVN/LPN to fill up that void instead of going overseas. One of my VN instructors told us that the reason why LVN/LPN are being phased out of the hospitals is because the RN doesn't want to be repsonsible for the LVN/LPN since ultimately they're responsible for that patient that they are overseeing. HELLO IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY. If you don't want that kind of responsibility then maybe being a RN isn't for you. Plus, that's what the RN Charge Nurse is for, she can push the meds that the LVN/LPN can't push through the IV. The RN can also do the initial assessment on the patient, and then let the LVN/LPN take over from there, they have a license to practice NURSING TOO! I dare someone tell me that I'm not a real nurse. I am a nurse, I graduated from a nursing program so therefore I am a nurse. I'm not licensed yet until I get my NCLEX results and send off my payment which should be any day now I should receive it!

Sorry guys I just had to vent my frustration. Some of the best nurses I've worked with are LVN/LPN's.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 24, 2009

it really chaps my hide when people say that lvn/lpns aren't real nurses. where do they get off saying that? excuse me, but you're a licensed vocational nurse or a licensed practical nurse. you're a nurse, your license says nurse on there. there was a poster on here who said that lvn/lpn do 80% of the work that a rn does, and that's true. i think that it's a shame that these hospital are "claiming" to be short staffed in nursing. hello, bring in the lvn/lpn to fill up that void instead of going overseas. one of my vn instructors told us that the reason why lvn/lpn are being phased out of the hospitals is because the rn doesn't want to be repsonsible for the lvn/lpn since ultimately they're responsible for that patient that they are overseeing. hello it comes with the territory. if you don't want that kind of responsibility then maybe being a rn isn't for you. plus, that's what the rn charge nurse is for, she can push the meds that the lvn/lpn can't push through the iv. the rn can also do the initial assessment on the patient, and then let the lvn/lpn take over from there, they have a license to practice nursing too! i dare someone tell me that i'm not a real nurse. i am a nurse, i graduated from a nursing program so therefore i am a nurse. i'm not licensed yet until i get my nclex results and send off my payment which should be any day now i should receive it!
sorry guys i just had to vent my frustration. some of the best nurses i've worked with are lvn/lpn's.

i totally understand what you mean, especially where i highlighted. in my eye, when we sign up, so to speak for the role, may it be lpn or rn, you agree to take on the responsibility or even some of the grunt work. if a person wishes to be an rn, that is the deal; they are the overseers of the overall care of the patient and they also are supposed to be licensed to do advanced skills that lpns and cnas are not allowed to do. if we were all able to do the exact same thing, then, there would no use for anyone. in addition, some facilities that have decided to follow specific nurse to patient ratios have not always made things easier...in fact, quite a few have let go of both lpns and cnas because the rn makes, in some cases almost double of what we make. so, to save money, administration says to pay the rn the big bucks, but do everything.

i am sure that there are plenty of rns that want more contact with patients, but if the paperwork is monumental, it reduces patient contact, anyhow. so, i see nothing wrong with allowing the rn to be able to perform the duties that the lpns are not licensed to do and let lpns do the mundane, routine, fundamental work and report abnormal responses for further assessment. i may not be nurse enough for some people, but, nurse, i am.

Fiona59 · Jul 24, 2009

It's becoming rarer and rarer in my hospital to get the whole "only an LPN" thing. Usually it isn't from the public but from RNs who left the profession and returned within the last two years.

In my province, the PN scope is constantly expanding. Yet, our governing body has never asked the membership if we want our scopes expanded. They do not negotiate our wages, but refer us to our union.

Anyhows, on my service the difference in scope between an LPN and RN is who can fllush a C-Line/Picc, initiate blood/TPN, and drop an NG. Things that in all honesty are not done on a daily basis.

I prefer to explain that RN, LPN is like the rank structure in the military. Officers = RN

Enlisted = LPN.

For some reason people seem to understand that rationale. Maybe because they can relate to RN/Officers, Medics/NCO. OK, I live in a military town.

Now, what always amazes me are the students from our local university. They are always amazed to discover that they have been working alongside LPNs, learning their craft from us, having us witness their meds. Duh, we have brains...

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 24, 2009

I think that every discipline has something to offer in health care. You don't hear them say to get rid of respiratory therapists, CNAs, phlebotomists, dietiticans, physician assistants or others, why is there such controversy about being responsible for LPNs? That never ceases to amaze me. Oh, well, it doesn't change my mind and I know that it is not the title, it is what work and integrity is placed in the work assigned. The degree does not improve the person. That is an internal thing that each individual has to decide for themselves.