LPN/RN Rumble

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Hello everyone!

I would like to know if anyone has had a similar problem to mine and how you handled it. Well, here it goes...

Last week, on break, I was talking to a friend of mine that works in the kitchen. I said something to the effect of, "Girl, you just don't know. I'm a Nurse so my feet are always barkin'." An RN that works on the same floor as me quickly turns around and snaps, "You're not a Nurse, you're only an LPN." I didn't say anything but I wanted to tell her that I am a Nurse and I wear that title proudly. I may have yet to go back to school to get Registered but I take care of the patients with the same, if not more, care than you do!

I'm just a little taken a back that RN's, the ones that I've encountered, don't respect us LPN's. Why are they are on their high horse and they think they are far more superior? Shouldn't we all ban together for the sake of great patient care instead of trying to form some "Hosptial Caste System". Sometimes I feel so undereducated when they act like I don't matter. I graduated High school and LPN school with a 4.0 and I also got a 1280 on my SAT's. I feel like I have to constantly reiterate that I'm not this complete ignorant Nurse that the RN's portray me to be. Ok, I may have only one year of post-high school education, but I wanted to start at the bottom of the totem pole and work my way up.

I feel that LPN's are being marginalized by the RN's (in my hospital. I don't want to generalize).

How can I handle this situation? I hate being emotionally weak because it really does hurt. Do you consider LPN's "not real nurses"?

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Licensed Practical NURSE.

Slap her in the face with that!

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Specializes in float pool, ED.

Hi, I have felt your pain too, I was always told, "OH! I didn't realize you are only an LPN... " Well if I had a nickel, but you may not want to here this but in a recent legal charting class I went to stated RN's have all the responsibility, I know that bites because we do most everything, but the current trends still favor legal RN's for responsibility... I just did my clinical for Excesior College, what a harrowing experience... j

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How can I handle this situation? I hate being emotionally weak because it really does hurt. Do you consider LPN's "not real nurses"?
Doesn't matter what I (or that inconsiderate RN) think. What matters is what you think.

If you know who and what you are, why give someone else (especially someone who obviously doesn't have correct information) a vote on the subject? And why be hurt because someone else is wrong? She can only hurt your feelings if you give her permission.

I posted this in another forum today, but I think it fits here as well:

Refuse to be offended. Ever. Especially when it is not meant. And even when it is.

You have the power in the situation. You don't need her agreement to believe that you are a good and capable nurse. But she does need your agreement for you to be offended. So, disagree. Walk away with your feelings whole and your confidence intact. Don't waste time on what others think if you know the truth. It really does set you free. If, in your calm and confident state, you wish to set the record straight, you might ask her what she thinks the "N" in LPN stands for. But whatever her response, you know the score. Don't let her rob you of your joy.

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Specializes in corrections, LTC, pre-op.
Licensed Practical NURSE.

Slap her in the face with that!

Look I was a cna, LpN and now an RN. I'm ashamed of that RN. You are a nurse believe me.

Larry RN in Florida

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Some of the best nurses I have ever met were "just" LPN's

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

This 'LPN versus RN' debate has been discussed ad nauseam on this website and, frankly, it is making me want to vomit.

I am an LVN who has worked very hard to attain that particular title. I provide nursing care to the best of my ability, attempt to be nice to my patients, and seek out opportunities to learn new things. As long as I am not doing anything to hurt my patients or coworkers, I wish to be left alone.

I fully know that I am not an RN, and am not attempting to validate myself by saying that I can run circles around them. The scopes of practice have differences that I can respect and appreciate. There's no need to insult or verbally accost those who are perceived to have lesser education. Nursing will always be splintered because of the constant game of upmanship, where one nurse is always belittling other nurses in a caustic manner. I seriously doubt that nursing will ever experience the same unity enjoyed by other professions.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Family Practice.

I wrote this in a previous thread regarding my encounter with a nurse while doing clinicals at a hospital. I was gathering my information for the patient I would be taking care of the next day, and this nurse was in the charting room with me. So to make casual conversation I asked her why LPN's are not aloud to work in the hospitals anymore. And her response was "You're needy, inconvenient and don't know how to criticial think, that is why you guys don't work in hospitals." I finished getting my information and tucked my tail and cried all the way home. Needless to say at this hospital that run a BSN program and each nurse wears a name tag that identifies them my their credentials (RN, ASN or RN, BSN, etc). The one thing that bugs me the most is later the next day I had to take care of her patient with her. I did my assessment and this patient was trached and was complaining of not being able to breath. I checked out everything and it looked good and then I went and got the nurse for reassurance, she proceeded to say after checking this patient that everything is okay and that this patient complains all the time and has a tendency to pull out her canula. She then proceeded to tell the patient that if she didn't calm down she was going to restrain her. After the nurse left the room I proceeded to comfort the patient and eventually she did calm down. All I can say is I may not be a RN, BSN, but I'm a damn good LPN who is totally compassionate about my patients well being and for that day I was there for that patient when her RN, BSN was not.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

You pass NCLEX, YOU ARE A NURSE! I would try to not justify that kind of remark with an answer or if you know "you mean you only have an ASN?"

As an RN I get that from the RN-BSN's. Not all mind you but enough. I used to be an LPN. It seems until you get your doctors degree not everyone will keep their ignorant mouth shut.

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Specializes in LTC / SNF / Geriatrics.

I too have been a CNA, LPN and now an ADN. Have no plans on going further with my education. I work with some of the best LPNs around, trust them totally. When I graduated with my ADN, they were the ones who wanted to treat me differently because of my new initials behind my name. I told them, "we're a team, all here for the same purpose - the good of the resident." I've been an RN for 11 years now but the LPNs I work with have tons more experience than I do in the clinical setting and I depend on them for their expertise.

Hold your head high and keep on keeping on! I really liked what rn/writer said about refusing to be offended.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I started out as an LPN and when anyone asks how long I've been a nurse, I definitely include those two years in my count!

Back then I did work with some RNs who didn't like to be asked any questions. I'd look over a patient's med sheet and ask "Why is Mr. Jones on Drug A?" and get answers like "You don't need to know that, you just do patient care." (Translation: I don't know and won't admit it.)

You can learn a lot about how not to be an RN from people like that!

I've also run into a couple of LPNs who seem to think that their jobs are all about tasks and that it's not their job to think.That annoys me, too. Your job is taking care of the patient, not putting widgets together, so think about what's going on, and what may or may not need to be done for the good of the patient!

I don't believe that's typical of LPNs, any more than being snotty to you is typical of RNs.

Don't let it bother you too much; maybe the RN who made that remark is actually intimidated because she sees something in you that she's missing!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

it's a never ending battle. if you do become a RN then someone will say "oh, she's ONLY the nurse..where is the doctor?" go figure.

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