LPN vs RN???????

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2009

Good day, everyone. . .

We are all adults who can disagree on different issues without behaving disagreeably. Please debate the topic without insulting each other.

Thanks for your understanding and patience.

paacollins · Dec 30, 2009

Prepare to be flamed! Depending on the setting, there is really very little difference between what the LPN's and RN's are permitted to do. Remember, not every nurse works in the hospital. In the nursing home setting the basic difference is that RN's do IV's and LPN's do not. And that has changed a lot from when I graduated. With an IV course LPN's are now able to initiate and maintain most any IV fluid with the exception of blood and a few IV push meds. LPN's in most nursing homes are permitted to do admission assessments which are "signed off " on by the RN. In most LPN programs, there is a much higher percentage of the time spent actually providing hands on care than the RN students get. For bedside nursing LPN grads are usually a lot more prepared to "hit the ground running" than the RN grads.
If the place you work is using their LPNs as aides most days then they are SERIOUSLY under-utilizing their staff.
Also, if you want to succeed in your job after graduating, I suggest you either work somewhere that has an all RN staff or lose the RN's are better than everyone else attitude quickly!. Everyone has a role to play and we all work together for the patient's benefit.
Oh, and by the way, I am an RN married to an LPN and he is every bit as competent as I. I was never an aide or LPN but appreciate their contribution to the team!

In the nursing home I worked in LPNS did IVs too. We usually had only one RN on staff at any given time and she did mostly paperwork if she wasn't covering for an LPN that called out. LPNS have a LOT of autonomy at LTC around here.

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Dec 30, 2009

"Okay.... So i really dont understand how it is that you can go to school for 12-18 months and be classified as a "Nurse" when there are those of us whom are going to school for 2-4 years and are classified the same?? In my opinon it seems to me that LPN's are just overglorified PCT's or Aides. Where I am currently employed as a phlebotomist while going through nursing school, they employ mainly LPN's and from my direct observations it is more of a pain in the Nurses (RN) *** because not only do they have there 5 to 8 pts but now they have to do ALL of the LPN's assesments, PICC line draws, IV meds, hanging blood. How is that benefical when all they are doing is adding to the RN's workload? And not to mention that most of them also work on any given day as an Aide anyway. So in conclusion, I just dont underdstand how and why LPN's and RN's are classified the same when clearly there scope of practice is not the same."

I can't even begin to explain how irritating it is to read crap like this from someone who isn't even a nurse (RN, LPN, or otherwise) yet. :angryfire

I'm a LPN. LPNs in my state can assess (not initial, but ongoing), hang most IVPBs, and monitor a patient receiving blood, among many, many, many other things. Obviously the scope of practice is different or the titles would be the same. Have you not learned about scopes of practice yet in nursing school? And since you have such an issue with people who go to school for 12-18 months to become "nurses", I'd just like to say this: The RN program I am in now is 12 months long. At the end, I will be eligible to sit for NCLEX to become a RN. Will it make me any less of a RN just because my program was 12 months? Hardly.

AshleyA · Dec 30, 2009

In my opinon it seems to me that LPN's are just overglorified PCT's or Aides.

LPNs take the NCLEX and are issued a NURSING license from the state, so they are nurses according to the law.

Your opinion has no bearing on that classification, sorry. :icon_roll

EMT216 · Dec 30, 2009

Your program is a bridge... thats why it is 12 months long..... LOL....

EMT216 · Dec 30, 2009

LTC exactly not hospitals.... :banghead:

pca_85 · Dec 30, 2009

Wow-there's nicer ways to voice opinions. Oh, and weather=temperature, whether=what you should have written. They taught us that in LPN school :)

EMT216 · Dec 30, 2009

Thats great, at least you learned something you can do with out a babysitter..

pca_85 · Dec 30, 2009

They also taught us about passive-agressive defense mechanisms-so I'll let you vent as you please. Happy new year.

paacollins · Dec 30, 2009

This thread is getting ugly so I think it should be closed. I WOULD like to say that EVERYONE IS entitled to their opinion but opinions can be voiced in a mature, considerate way that do not belittle, degrade, or hurt people. I hope that the OP will learn this before she becomes a nurse. Compassion is supposed to be a trait of ALL nurses, no matter what title they carry.

When you voice an opinion the way that you did, you are asking to be flamed because you are putting LPNS down and there are a great many LPNS that read this board. How about saying "it seems that IN MY workplace, LPNS don't do a great deal more than aides. What do LPNS do where YOU work?" You might have gotten much nicer responses and not hurt anyone's feelings.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2009

why are you here??? just to cause trouble cause it is definitely not welcome....i mean you are not even a nurse and have been on this board all day slamming people left and right.....

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2009

Sorry, but we really cannot handle rudeness, mean-spirited posts, unfriendly debate, personal attacks, and insulting language on these forums. We strive to be an online community of people who can make our opinions and feelings known in a polite manner.

With that being said, this thread is closed.