Lpn's being dumped?

RN34TX · Oct 20, 2004

I just want to find out if other hospitals are basically dumping their LPN's, or is Allina the only one.....We have LPN's who have worked in the hospital more then 35 years who have been told that if they don't get their RN within two years they might as well find another job,thank you very much!!!!! Now these women have worked day and night, lots of overtime hours, and they get a gut punch like this...you know half of them can't retire because our retirement benefits are:rotfl: laughable. The next thing they're moving for is for the AD's to become BS's.
I can't stomach what's going on in nursing right now.....I know one thing it's not about what's best for the patient....

I was told the same thing by my nurse manager in 2001 about phasing out LPN's. I got my RN 2 years later in a panic but quit there beforehand. That same hospital still has not phased out LPN's and I doubt they ever will be able to. It's a cycle that comes and goes in nursing. It seems like a great idea to administration until they realize what it's going to cost them.

Unfortunately, the hospital I currently work in does not employ LPN's in any acute care areas, only in the clinics. I consider this to be a loss to the hospital as I see more managers forced to hire and retain RN's who basically need to go back to school because they are clueless on the floor.

I often wonder how many bad RN's could be eliminated if they would start to hire good experienced LPN's or at least new grads who are willing to learn and work. Many managers here would hire LPN's if they were given the option but it's current hospital policy.

RN34TX · Oct 20, 2004

I just noticed that you are in MN. I worked up there for a little while as an LPN. Very smug state about RN practice and not LPN friendly at all.

I remember not being allowed to even start IV's or touch a central line. Several years and several states later I was able to do all of that and IV push meds as an LPN. I'm sure Minnesota would have gasped if they ever learned what other states allow LPN's to do.

You can thank that great union MNA for that if you work in the Twin Cities area.

My advice to you if you are going to stay an LPN, get out of MN!!

avahsmiles · Oct 20, 2004

it's such a shame, but this is partly why i'm going to do the 'bridging' from lpn to rn program. it's only an extra year and i really want to become a community health nurse or work in oncology. :)

Fiona59 · Oct 20, 2004

The LPN RN bridge in Canada lets you enter in year 2 of a 4 year program, if there is space.

Currently there is a two plus year wait for the bridge in certain provinces.

I am glad ur outlook is so positive.

But tell me, why didn't you just do the RN first.

The way a lot of LPN's see it is that the LPN is becoming the old diploma two year nurse and the BScN is going to be administrative.

tiliimnrn · Oct 20, 2004

I'm not an LPN, I'm a concerned RN. They have started phasing the LPN's out, not a maybe. I'm concerned because these are good nurses that they're basically throwing away...

sharlynn · Oct 20, 2004

I've heard that since I graduated in 1967.I 've also heard diploma RNs needed a BSN. I'm still waiting for it to happen. It's just one of those rumors that never dies.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Oct 20, 2004

In North Carolina, radically pro-BSN forces in the NCBON are working towards this end. If some very controversial proposals are enacted next spring, most LPN schools across the state (as well as ADN schools) will close. The same elements in the NCBON are also proposing an equally controversial "medication aide" position. This "medication aide" (with 9 weeks' training) will be allowed to dispense medications in acute care facilities. This will effectively phase out many LPN positions in nursing homes across the state. Of course, according to the NCBON, the RN is still ultimately responsible for these medication aides as well as all nonlicensed personnel. :uhoh21:

HollyUTM · Oct 20, 2004

I am a LPN, and did clinicals in a hospital that ONLY employed RN's. And when we did clinicals there it was quite obvious that the nurses were overworked, and, in turn, patient care suffered from that. I will say this hospital that has been RN only for so long now, sent a notice to my teacher right before I graduated saying that they were now employing LPN's, but they had to have a minimum of three years of experience. I guess they told her so that she could tell some of her previous students if they were still in contact. In any case, I don't think that LPN's will ever completely fade away from being nurses. Looked down on, we might be, but incompetent, we OBVIOUSLY are not! So, in my opinion, that hospital will see that they are making a mistake and will, in time, turn around what they have done. It will be at their cost as they will have alread lost good, dedicated employees.

Haunted · Oct 20, 2004

Most facilities here in California use LVN's (LPN's) to make up 50 % of the ratios. I was an LVN before an RN and the scope of training is completely different in that LVN's here provide more direct patient care and have more clinical experience than RN's. I graduated from a 2 year program and felt that the intensive clinical experience I got made me more comfortable on the floor, performing procedures, assessments, etc. I have worked with BSN and MSN that are just helpless with technical procedures, etc. I also have worked with LVN's that were so damn good at their good they put really experienced RN's to shame! So come to California if you are an LVN, just don't speak up for patient safety or potential workplace injuries or you get the boot!

tommycher · Oct 20, 2004

Same here in TX for LVN's. The hospital in which I work uses equal number of LVN's, and we have intensive clinical training for bedside care and assessments. We work together with the RN's and they are very supportive, often ask us when we are going to start working on that degree so we can get paid the same as they, since we are doing the same job! Soon, very very soon....

NannaNurse · Oct 20, 2004

I've heard this for years too.........in reality, if all the LPN's were to be taken out of the system.........you talk about a nursing shortage the likes have never been seen!!! Why would they want to get rid of nurses that can do the same job but at a much lower wage??

I'm doing the same as I was when an LPN, just more pay. More opportunites?? Yes, but only if you want them.

Nursing homes will have to shut down, clinics will close, hospitals will lose $$ and many will close.

What those hospitals, that are 'trying' to phase out our backbone should do, is offer programs within the hospital to advance the LPN to RN. I think that work experience should count for a great part of that.

I work with great nurses. I have worked with some nurses that should not have been caring for others.......there are bad nurses, both RN and LPN. There are many more good nurses and when I say NURSES, I mean both LPN and RN.