Phasing out LPN's?????

karnel69 · Jan 20, 2005

:uhoh21: Is it true that they are phasing out LPN's.....especially in Ohio?? Unable to get a job now for 8 months(I'm fresh out of nursing school), I have been told that they are phasing us out. I didn't spend $7,000.00 and 9 months of my life to be unemployed! :angryfire Did anyone else feel the same right out of nursing school???

I just finished school in Dec. and am now looking for a job. There are advertisements everywhere for LPN's. I had 2 interviews today. I live in Tex. and it seems there is a shortage for all medical professions. :rolleyes:

eborgelt · Jan 20, 2005

I live in Toledo, Ohio and finished LPN school at the end of May 2004. I took and passed boards in July. The thing I noticed about LPNs around here is that they are more of glorified aides. I went on many interviews locally and asked if I could shadow an LPN at the hospital where I interviewed for a couple hours. The LPNs around here do things like foley care, blood sugars, some scheduled meds, ambulating patients. I finally decided to accept a position at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Atbor. I drive 50 minutes to get to work, but it's worth it for me. Michigan laws are more forgiving for LPNs, so I take a normal RN assignment. The only thing I cannot do is spike a blood transfucion, so I have my double checker spike it for me. And I cannot take a verbal order, so I tell th doc what I need and hand the phone over to an RN for that.

Where do you live in Ohio?

jenruth · Jan 20, 2005

"Glorified nurses aide." That's exactly how I felt when I enrolled in an LPN program over 20 years ago. While there is definitely a place for LPN's in health care, I felt it was too restrictive. I quickly withdrew, and signed up for college courses which could be applied toward a BSN. It took more time and was more expensive to get a BSN, but I never regretted it. It depends on what you want out of your career, and where you plan to practice. Where I live, LPN's have no problem finding jobs.

javanurse2000, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2005

I'm in S. Carolina. LPNs are used by the hospital system for Dr.s office and LTC. Other than that you can work private LTC or homehealth. Public schools also hire LPNs @ about $14,000 per year....yeah, if I didn't have myself and 3 kids to feed that might not be so bad. I plan on going back to school b/c the only job I have been able to earn any money while working as a "nurse" is in LTC. We also have a huge RN shortage at the hospitals but they won't hire LPNs.

tferdaise · Jan 20, 2005

I am in AZ, and work for a agency, I work hospital, Nursing Home, Corrections, Hospic, school nurse, and Long term Accute care hospitals. But here in AZ the hospitals are slowly getting ridde of the LPN's, which I am lost at with this "nursing shortage" I have enrolled in the LPN to BSN program at Indiana State University, finishing my Phase II of the program. Wages out here for Agency is very good for LPN's average is 24 week days and 26 on weekends. I have average 60 hrs a week. Hope this helps

Tony/PHX:rolleyes:

Fiona59 · Jan 20, 2005

There is another thread on this topic with some really good info, I think its in the LPN Forum...

Tentorio2002 · Jan 21, 2005

I'm currently a fist quarter LPN student and this very topic was addressed the other day in class. Our instructor informed us with the nursing shortage being what it is, and with it only getting worse, LPNs will be utilized more than before. The TN state board of nursing recently ammended the nurse practice act here for LPNs to allow them to administer IVP meds, as long as certain criteria have been met (no chemo, titrations, must be iv certified, etc...). I think this is evidence of LPNs being given more responsibility, a larger scope, and hence more job opportunities. Regardless of this, there will always be a place for LPNs.....

Good Luck!

LPN01112005 · Jan 21, 2005

I'm currently a fist quarter LPN student and this very topic was addressed the other day in class. Our instructor informed us with the nursing shortage being what it is, and with it only getting worse, LPNs will be utilized more than before. The TN state board of nursing recently ammended the nurse practice act here for LPNs to allow them to administer IVP meds, as long as certain criteria have been met (no chemo, titrations, must be iv certified, etc...). I think this is evidence of LPNs being given more responsibility, a larger scope, and hence more job opportunities. Regardless of this, there will always be a place for LPNs.....
Good Luck!

Yeah, our school told us the same story, HOWEVER, as recent graduates, not one in our class has found a job in a hospital. To my knowledge, no one has a job yet because we were encouraged to start our careers on a med-surg floor so we'd gain valuable experience, yet the very hospitals that we did our clinicals in are all pushing us away now because we don't have the required one year of hospital experience. Hello, how are we ever going to get it if no one will hire us? I'm pissed because there are both ANS and BSN prgs. right here in my city, but I chose to go the LPN route so I could be in the work force more quickly. So, here I am, after 2 years of schooling (2 years, with pre-reqs) and I'll be starting all over again next semester with degree level core classes so I can get into the bridge program next year! Which still puts me about 2 years from being able to get the job in the hospital that I was looking for! A funny note: While we were doing our clinicals, at every facility (atlanta area) that we trained at, there were various RN students training too, but the staff nurses always told us we knew how to do more than the RN students did. Wonder if it has something to do with the 700+ hours of clinical we put in. You know, I don't want anyone's management or higher skilled position in the hospital. I just want to do bedside nursing for the sick and needy. I am more than qualified to do that, so I'm really pissed that the hospitals that are crying nursing shortage apparently don't consider me a nurse. :angryfire Especially given the fact that in GA the scope of practice for an LPN is very similar to that of the RN. You know, hire me, I'll be happy to insert the foleys or suction the trachs if you'll just get an RN spike my blood!

tferdaise · Jan 21, 2005

Well in Theory it sounds good, but I doubt it. There are other states in which LPNs can push IVP meds. Here in AZ, that does not happen. Even tho we are a compact state with TX, which allows LPN;s to push IVP meds. Nursing has a image problem, its not taken as a Professional Profession, but we know differently, and the powers to be (who ever they are)think the only way for that to happen, all RN;s well have be BSN's. In Canada that has already happen, in the Providiance of Onterio, there are NO ADN RN programs, and all RN's have until (I think 2006 or 2007 to have thier BSN or be enrolled, if not the well lose thier right to work as RN's. IT would be interesting to see if that ever well happen here...

Tony/PHX:angryfire

I'm currently a fist quarter LPN student and this very topic was addressed the other day in class. Our instructor informed us with the nursing shortage being what it is, and with it only getting worse, LPNs will be utilized more than before. The TN state board of nursing recently ammended the nurse practice act here for LPNs to allow them to administer IVP meds, as long as certain criteria have been met (no chemo, titrations, must be iv certified, etc...). I think this is evidence of LPNs being given more responsibility, a larger scope, and hence more job opportunities. Regardless of this, there will always be a place for LPNs.....
Good Luck!

Fiona59 · Jan 21, 2005

There are very few diploma RN programes left in Canada. BUT RN's are not being told to get their BScN or lose their jobs. The RN's I've worked with are being encouraged to get their degrees but at their expense.

Provinces are only just bringing in the bridge programe for LPN to RN and its not easy to get into, most require current high school science marks and basically grades that are required for first year admission. Not easy if you're in your late 30's and early 40's. The bridges are usually full time and require you to attend days only, so their goes your job and benefits, hello student loans.

I've stated before and will state again, that the degree is being foisted upon us by people who see the title of "professional" belonging to someone with a university degree. A bit of insecurity perhaps...

tferdaise · Jan 21, 2005

Fiona59 the info I posted came from the web page on Ontiero (sp) I was looking to move up there and read that on the boards web page..

Tony/PHX:p

There are very few diploma RN programes left in Canada. BUT RN's are not being told to get their BScN or lose their jobs. The RN's I've worked with are being encouraged to get their degrees but at their expense.
Provinces are only just bringing in the bridge programe for LPN to RN and its not easy to get into, most require current high school science marks and basically grades that are required for first year admission. Not easy if you're in your late 30's and early 40's. The bridges are usually full time and require you to attend days only, so their goes your job and benefits, hello student loans.
I've stated before and will state again, that the degree is being foisted upon us by people who see the title of "professional" belonging to someone with a university degree. A bit of insecurity perhaps...