LPN/VN's being called "Care Team Associate"

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 13, 2006

"Care team associate" does not mean nurse.

Sounds like a fancy way of being cheap and demeaning.

Which is why i would never work in a place that refered to my title as anything else than an LPN.

NO1_2NV · Feb 13, 2006

It makes me wonder about a number of things too! First of all, I am a second careerer coming from the corporate world. Your title means everything...legally. This title "change" makes me wonder if the nurse practice act, state and federal law, etc. apply since you are not being hired as a "nurse." The next question that comes to mind...if you are not being hired as a nurse however you need to be an LPN for the "licensed" positions doesn't that fly in the face of practicing at the level you were trained for?

Unfortunately where I live, there is pretty slim pickens for positions so until I finish up my RN, I am a bit stuck even though I totally find this practice mind boggling. It also makes me wonder if I take such a position if it would jeopardize my license in anyway.

I am surprised that the state board of nurses is allowing this. Talk about credibility...

DONN · Feb 13, 2006

If they change my title to "Care Team Assoc." where I work....... im gone.

DusktilDawn · Feb 13, 2006

Did I miss something here? "Care team associate" does not mean nurse. I have seen positions listed for licensed and unlicensed. Licensed is an LPN/VN. Is this the medical profession trying to remove the LPN/VN from the nursing profession?
Someone please explain this to me.

You know, when this type of thing happened where my sister worked, it was a prelude to phasing out LPNs and replacing them with UAPs. The term they used was Patient Care Associate. LPNs were no longer called "nurses." They also categorized by different levels based on skills and the PCA category included NAs. Understandably, LPNs were upset about not being referred to as "nurses." Talk about the proverbial slap in the face.

I don't like the sounds of this.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 13, 2006

I was wondering the same thing...if this is a prelude to phasing out LPN/LVNs in that hospital.

DusktilDawn · Feb 13, 2006

It makes me wonder about a number of things too! First of all, I am a second careerer coming from the corporate world. Your title means everything...legally. This title "change" makes me wonder if the nurse practice act, state and federal law, etc. apply since you are not being hired as a "nurse." The next question that comes to mind...if you are not being hired as a nurse however you need to be an LPN for the "licensed" positions doesn't that fly in the face of practicing at the level you were trained for?
Unfortunately where I live, there is pretty slim pickens for positions so until I finish up my RN, I am a bit stuck even though I totally find this practice mind boggling. It also makes me wonder if I take such a position if it would jeopardize my license in anyway.
I am surprised that the state board of nurses is allowing this. Talk about credibility...

It shouldn't jeopardize your license or your position with the SBON, it's just that your facility is now providing LPNs with a different title (not that I agree with this). You would still be held to the same standards as before. What your facility is probably doing is classifing different levels of "Care team associates," for instance an NA may be a level one, an LPN may be a level two. It does not change the fact that you are an LPN, what changes is the title you will be known as at this facility. You would no doubt still be expected to function in the capacity of an LPN, but your facility would discourage the use of the title "nurse." :angryfire

This situation does make me wonder what your facility is REALLY up to.

Jo Dirt · Feb 13, 2006

Well, please tell us what state you are in. I'm in Tennessee and have never heard this.

Don't be so sure the jobs will be plentiful as you think when you become an RN. Before I graduated it seemed like I could have my pick. But most all or the smaller town hospitals want 3 yrs. experience and only a few jobs at the bigger hospitals are suitable for new grads..

dekatn · Feb 13, 2006

I'm going to be a bit sarcastic here, so excuse me ahead of time. Why don't they close all the PN schools and programs if we are so stupid that we can't work as a "nurse", the schools obviously aren't doing their jobs. I was soooo proud when I graduated and obtained my license, that does give me the right to work as a nurse. I wish you could have seen my Dad's face. Now, it seems that all I did (and all the other LPN"s out there) was all for naught. Nobody wants us, except LTC, and I guess they think that our elderly people don't deserve any better than us stupid ignorant LPN"S. Hey, we can empty the bedpans w/o any problems, have to be careful and not spill it on the way out though!!! Darn, we need an inservice to reduce spillage!!! I really don't know why they had an educated RN waste her time for a year to teach us things about nursing, when obviously we are too ignorant to utilize what we learned. And please, I'm not bashing RN's, it's not their fault, it's the bean counters that are so educated that they can't see the forest for the trees. I would love to be an RN, but circumstances in my life have prevented it. I have been happy being an LPN for many years. I have studied, gone to lectures, learned new things in nursing over the years and for what? To be told that I'm not good enough to use the title "nurse". To be phased out of the job market because I'm "just not good enough or smart enough". I don't know how many LPN's there are in this country, it's just a shame that all that schooling and training was wasted on all of us ignorant people. The BON's don't mind taking our money when it's time to renew license though. Wonder why? I'm having a pitty party this a.m. It's just so disheartening to read about LPN's being phased out, refused jobs and just plain put down in general. That's the way I feel. At work the other day, we had an inservice, we were told that if we have a pt. die, it will take two LPN's to confirm there are no VS, but if there is an RN in the building it only takes one RN. Please, give me a break, do they know how that makes us feel. We aren't even intelligent enough to know if we have VS or not. I don't mind having another nurse confirm my findings, it's just the way they go about things that is so irritating. Can an RN hear VS or lack of, better than an LPN. Is that taught in RN school? I learned a long time ago that no VS meant dead, or has this changed also? I'm going to stop now, thanks for letting me rant.

pedinurse05 · Feb 13, 2006

In Orlando they did away with LPN positions and hired and trained 'patient care technicians'. I virtually saw no LPN's in the hospital. Here in California, I see no no LPN's. They do however hire them on the rehab flloor (I just don't ever work on the adult side). Sad...but true, many hospitals are going all RN with these unlicensed assistants.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Feb 13, 2006

Oh, I don't like this. A LICENSED practical nurse is a NURSE! :nurse:A care team associate sounds like a fancy name for a CNA. It does sound like LPN NURSES :nurse:will be demoted to CNA's in time. That sucks since you will still be held accountable to the level of a NURSE :nurse:and will still have to be licensed.

dekatn · Feb 13, 2006

I'll quit first.