lpn-rn...same difference

Nurses General Nursing

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i don't want my post to be the venue for an LPN-RN debate...this is just my opinion about the topic...

i understand that not EVERYBODY want to be an RN and that NOT everyone stays as an LPN...different situations calls for a different approach...we as nurses should be bonded and not debate amongst ourselves of who has the best career...it's hard enough explaining to the lay person what we do and how important we are and not "just nurses"...that we don't need to badmouth each other...

as i've said...this is what i believe

LPNs are not professional nurses. They have the word "nurse" in their title, but so does a CNA. An LPN is an assistant to the RN. A CNA, is also an assistant to the RN. The LPN is given technical tasks like dressing changes and med administration, and the CNA is given rudimentary tasks like ADLs and VS.

I won't even argue this one. If someone wants to dress up like a nurse and pretend, that's fine with me. But a nurse is a Registered Nurse.

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

I'd still like to know why someone would get a BSN and not want to sit for the RN licensure and instead wish to practice as an LPN first.

Can anyone answer this question?

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Plato, are you trying to be a troll??

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Plato~

For your information, you are not and will not intimidate me (and hopefully no one else) with your little catty remarks.

I AM a nurse, and I do just as much as the RN's I work with (if not more).

I agree with the original posters remarks that we all need to get along and that we are all valued members of a much needed profession.

Now~ "Shut up and go color!":rolleyes:

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Specializes in Critical Care.

As I am neither an LPN nor an RN... just a girl waiting to start school next fall... I have just two things to say.

1. RNs, LPNs, and CNAs are all vital, but DIFFERENT, to the health care system... each part is needed to make the system work. In an ideal world all would work as a team and life would be good...

2. Why anyone would have a BSN and not want to be an RN is beyond me. I'm not able to go straight for my BSN due to financial reasons... If one wanted to practice as a LPN why would that person essentially waste 4+yrs getting a BSN when they could be an LPN in 1yr (give or take)??? IMHO... the only reason I can think that a person would do this is because there is some fear in either passing boards or the care itself... a valid fear I think given the difficulty and responsibilty...

JMHO

:)

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Originally posted by itsme

Plato, are you trying to be a troll??

You know, I get acused of this everywhere I go. What the hell is a troll? Maybe then I can tell you if I am one.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Originally posted by Plato

LPNs are not professional nurses. They have the word "nurse" in their title, but so does a CNA. An LPN is an assistant to the RN. A CNA, is also an assistant to the RN. The LPN is given technical tasks like dressing changes and med administration, and the CNA is given rudimentary tasks like ADLs and VS.

I won't even argue this one. If someone wants to dress up like a nurse and pretend, that's fine with me. But a nurse is a Registered Nurse.

Well what is a PROFESSIONAL RN????

would that be all RN's or just BSN-prepared ones?

Just curious your feeling here.

RN's do technical tasks such as dressing changes and foleys where I work........all of us do. So who is the "professional" among us? The manager? (we employ no LPN's on our floor)....just curious for you to expound on that more.

Hope you have your flame suit on....you are sure to raise some ire with our LPN's on the board...and I would not blame them...

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Originally posted by Julielpn

Plato~

For your information, you are not and will not intimidate me (and hopefully no one else) with your little catty remarks.

I AM a nurse, and I do just as much as the RN's I work with (if not more).

I agree with the original posters remarks that we all need to get along and that we are all valued members of a much needed profession.

Now~ "Shut up and go color!":rolleyes:

Yeah, you're a nurse in the general sense of the word, but not in the professional sense. And I never said the LPN was not of value, but one year practicing nursing tasks does not make one equal to an RN. And frankly, where I work we don't use LPNs. We have techs that do everything from lab draws to 12-lead EKG. I'm not against LPNs, but you need to realize what your mission is in the hirearchy. Have I got to you yet? Oh, and when I say shut up and color, they delete it. When you say it, they let it go. I think that speaks volumes.

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Originally posted by Lecia

As I am neither an LPN nor an RN... just a girl waiting to start school next fall... I have just two things to say.

1. RNs, LPNs, and CNAs are all vital, but DIFFERENT, to the health care system... each part is needed to make the system work. In an ideal world all would work as a team and life would be good...

2. Why anyone would have a BSN and not want to be an RN is beyond me. I'm not able to go straight for my BSN due to financial reasons... If one wanted to practice as a LPN why would that person essentially waste 4+yrs getting a BSN when they could be an LPN in 1yr (give or take)??? IMHO... the only reason I can think that a person would do this is because there is some fear in either passing boards or the care itself... a valid fear I think given the difficulty and responsibilty...

JMHO

:)

You're a hopeful for nursing school next fall, and yet you are going to voice your opinion. Well, OK, but I hope you aren't writing checks with your mouth that your butt can't cover, or something like that. I wasn't actually implying a "large" butt or anything.

On the BSN LPN issue. I think it's great. I say let 'em all get BSNs! What difference does it make what they do with their free time and money?

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Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

Well what is a PROFESSIONAL RN????

would that be all RN's or just BSN-prepared ones?

Just curious your feeling here.

RN's do technical tasks such as dressing changes and foleys where I work........all of us do. So who is the "professional" among us? The manager? (we employ no LPN's on our floor)....just curious for you to expound on that more.

Hope you have your flame suit on....you are sure to raise some ire with our LPN's on the board...and I would not blame them...

Hope you have your flame suit on; go in peace? That's priceless. Anyway, an RN is a professional position in society just like the following:

Physician

Engineer

Lawyer

Accountant

Administrator

Teacher

Military Officer

That's all I can think of. The RN is really complete with a B.Sc. degree, but it's not necessary. An RN is an RN. The BSN makes them equivalent to a Military Officer, but I have personally known captains in the AF that were RNs with an associate degree.

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Originally posted by Plato

Yeah, you're a nurse in the general sense of the word, but not in the professional sense. And I never said the LPN was not of value, but one year practicing nursing tasks does not make one equal to an RN. And frankly, where I work we don't use LPNs. We have techs that do everything from lab draws to 12-lead EKG. I'm not against LPNs, but you need to realize what your mission is in the hirearchy. Have I got to you yet? Oh, and when I say shut up and color, they delete it. When you say it, they let it go. I think that speaks volumes.

you take yourself too seriously. Why don't you relax a little nightingale....

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Specializes in Emergency room, med/surg, UR/CSR.

Plato, a troll is someone who basically posts inflamatory remarks on a message board just to cause trouble or cause hard feelings. (someone correct me if I'm wrong)

Me I'm just an ASN who graduatued from a techinal college no less. At my age (too old) I wanted to get my degree, license, and start working, and I didn't have the money or time to go for four years. At my hospital it doesn't even make a difference pay wise anyway, and there is no difference in job descriptions. The only way you get a higher pay grade is to go up a class, which you still don' t have to have a BSN to do.

As for LPNs, we have a couple of LPNs working with us in the ER, but one has been here since they used horse drawn buggies (just kidding, but she would laugh and agree.) and the other worked in the ER as a secretary prior to school so had a foot in the door; he is supposed to get his RN though as one of the terms of his employment. They are both excellent nurses, the older one I would go to in a heart beat if I had a question about anything. As an LPN neither of them are assigned to the trauma rooms nor are given high acuity patients because they aren't allowed to have certain kind of high acuity patients.

As someone said though, we are all a team and should all be treated with respect. We have techs that work on our unit that do blood draws and do EKGs and work as hard as any of the nurses (RNs and LPNs) and we depend on them as members of our team.

Back to the reply, if you get accused of this everywhere you go, then you might want to think about how you come across. Why would you want to deliberately want to make someone mad or hurt someone's feelings?

Pam:confused:

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