LPN's Getting No Respect

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 26, 2008

I am not a LPN yet because I sit for my boards next month,but I have to agree with you when it comes to clinicals and when it comes to certain instructors for example I decided to go for my LPN I knew one thing I did not want to do as a career was to work in LTC but with children only,{my view has changed since then }but one instructor while teaching NF would keep telling us"let's skip this chapter because you will only be working with the elder"I was so annoyed!!!!this went on every day and I started thinking maybe I made a big mistake....needless to say that while doing clinicals my feelings changed and the only thing that actually keeps me scared of working in LTC is the lack of employee's not the actual client's but this shows you how even a teacher will teach,when we got to Med Surg we were lost because that one teacher kept skipping over things in NF because she has it in her mind that we will only be working in certain areas....all I know is I am sick of hearing about nursing shortages because it wouldn't be if more places hired LPN's and if RN's would treat us like equals because we are Nurses Too!!

It was stupid of those instructors to skip over various aspects of teaching because you have no idea WHAT will appear on NCLEX...and that exam may cover any of the 4 domains taught to practical nurses. You may get an exam that is flooded with pediatrics, for example, of more concentrated on psych. In any event, be proud of who you are and don't let anyone make you feel otherwise.

mume2mykidz · Oct 26, 2008

Thank god for my medsurg,Maternity and Peds teachers we were able to gain the knowledge....It's not that we didn't learn from NF it's just we were told over and over again that we would all be in LTC's and thats basically it!!!!and if something in the book was about peds for instince we were told,you wont see this ..skip....

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2008

We're sort of the Rodney Dangerfields of nursing.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 27, 2008

Thank god for my medsurg,Maternity and Peds teachers we were able to gain the knowledge....It's not that we didn't learn from NF it's just we were told over and over again that we would all be in LTC's and thats basically it!!!!and if something in the book was about peds for instince we were told,you wont see this ..skip....

The bottom line is that once you obtain the license, you are responsible for knowing the basic principals of nursing in these domains, so, be sure that you keep your books available in case you have to refer to them. You never know if you will be working in these areas, and they will not hear as an excuse that 'my professors didn't think it was relevent' at that point. This is why I believe they did your class a grave disservice by skipping over these things. The nerve of these people; assuming that you would not gain additional opportunities elsewhere!! How do they know that you would not move to a state where LPNs are more utilized in other areas beside nursing homes? Once I graduated and obtained my license, I would certainly be writing them letters expressing my displeasure. :down: :madface:

julvaz · Oct 28, 2008

I feel you! I worked for a medical software company where I was the only employee with any clinical experience. However, once they found out I was only an LPN they suddenly lost all interest in what I had to say about medical software in a clinical environment. Needless to say, I'm proud of all my accomplishments, but can't help to feel embarrassed when I tell people I'm an LPN. I guess I've let this misconception about LPNs get to me in a negative way.

I was an LPN in the Army for 12 years. And, I can tell you that I've received more training and have done more procedures in a clinical setting than any RN I know. After I left the Army I went to work for a hospital in Tampa. I was amazed by the lack of hands on knowledge that 95% of the RNs working the floor had.

I quickly became the go-to-guy for difficult IV sticks, NG Tubes, blood draws, and Foley caths. I was team lead for the CODE response team. I can honestly say that I ran circles around 95% of the RNs working at the hospital when it came down to hands-on tasks. I credit that ability to the training I received in the Army.

In my opinion the difference between 85% of all RNs I've worked with and 99% of LPNs is the Pay, nothing else.

OncologyRN23, BSN, RN · Oct 29, 2008

I feel you! I worked for a medical software company where I was the only employee with any clinical experience. However, once they found out I was only an LPN they suddenly lost all interest in what I had to say about medical software in a clinical environment. Needless to say, I'm proud of all my accomplishments, but can't help to feel embarrassed when I tell people I'm an LPN. I guess I've let this misconception about LPNs get to me in a negative way.
I was an LPN in the Army for 12 years. And, I can tell you that I've received more training and have done more procedures in a clinical setting than any RN I know. After I left the Army I went to work for a hospital in Tampa. I was amazed by the lack of hands on knowledge that 95% of the RNs working the floor had.
I quickly became the go-to-guy for difficult IV sticks, NG Tubes, blood draws, and Foley caths. I was team lead for the CODE response team. I can honestly say that I ran circles around 95% of the RNs working at the hospital when it came down to hands-on tasks. I credit that ability to the training I received in the Army.
In my opinion the difference between 85% of all RNs I've worked with and 99% of LPNs is the Pay, nothing else.

I assure you the pay is NOT the only difference....besides how can someone who has never worked as an RN possibly know any of the differences that being an RN means compared to an LPN??

Dottie78 · Oct 29, 2008

I assure you the pay is NOT the only difference....besides how can someone who has never worked as an RN possibly know any of the differences that being an RN means compared to an LPN??

You're right, the pay is not the only difference between an LPN and an RN. Another difference is the education. Where I'm at, the RN programs are 2 years as opposed to 1 year for LPN, and there are also more prerequisites required for the RN program. But I also hear that a lot of LPN's do a lot more work than RN's. I'm sure there are other differences, but since I'm not a nurse yet, that is all I know.

But I totally disagree with the RN's who look down on LPN's. What gives them the right to judge and look down on anyone? A lot of RN's don't realize that some LPN's had no other choice but to become an LPN (as opposed to RN) because of financial or personal reasons, or whatever the case may be. I'm currently in that situation. My goal is to become an RN, but due to financial reasons, I may not be able to afford to work just part-time for 2 whole years. So I decided if I'm still in that financial bind, I'll get my LPN first, and later go back for RN.

Don't worry about what others think or say. Those kind of people just want to feel better about themselves by putting down others. You don't need the opinions of others to help you feel better about yourself. :twocents:

momtojosh · Oct 30, 2008

jjrz1037 ....hey there!!...I was a stay at home mom for 20 yrs also....my yoiungest is 11......i only work PT as a LPN...and LOVE IT.....

where i work..we are all LPNS.....no aids....one RN during the day...IF she stays......i work in a house with 12 mentally retarded very frail people...aged 21 to 86.......we do it all...from ADLS to giving meds.....ALL....even tho the RNs are busy with "paperwork" i ask them for their help.......if another LPN is in another hall busy and i am at the end of the house where the office is...and no one else is around....i ask who ever is in the house for help.....i am new and the others who have been there for a while cant believe i ask the "office rns"....i tell them.....hey....they work here too,the residents are their responsibilty too......no one is above me.....no matter what there education,grade or anything is.....we are ALL there for the same reason(i hope) to give these people the best care and the best quality of life they deserve.........i dont have to be there...i WANT to be there.......i can stay at home eating bon bons if i want....but i dont...I LOVE BEING A LPN...and my hunsband and kids are so very proud of me....

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 30, 2008

A great deal of this is not per se the educational and clinical differences between LPNs and RNs, many times, these seem to be more character issues; it is either that a person is going to be ethical or they are not, work or not, care or don't care.

Just Monday, I was told to teach a new grad BSN orientee. Most of the RNs didn't want to teach her, they kept dumping her off from one another. I spent the entire day with her, toured her through the clinic, gave her copies of as many things as I can remember and showed her as much as I can. Mind you, RNs get paid to orient new nurses, not me. But it was the character flaws of these people (not the title) that did not allow them to remember how afraid new grads are and how abandoned many of them feel. And, I knew that the following day, she would see the difference between the time that this LPN showed her and then the rest of the week. She came to me today and told me that she learned more from me than she did they. I don't believe that it is because they were RNs, it was because most of them (even though I get along with all of them very well) are not patient with new people.

I think that this is what many are trying to convey...it doesn't have to take a boatload of education to be a good team player, teacher or even a mentor.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 30, 2008

In addition, I want to add that it was easier for me to show her things because I wasn't distracted with some of the same nonsense that is unfairly infringed on the RNs (which is why I don't want to be one-I have peace of mind).

furious · Oct 30, 2008

I work at a Hospital for kids, and i feel as if i get no respect. Im constantly being told to communicate with my RN, and I do, but they never communicate with me. Im never told when they go on break or who's covering for them. If the pt's we share don't have any IV meds the RN never goes and sees the Pt. the RNs usually can be found sitting and just talking away. Huh, LVNs are stuck in the middle, we're not "nurses" but we're not nursing assistants ( according to the childrens hospital i work for)

Candyheart · Oct 30, 2008

I am happy to be an LPN. I feel I do many of the same duties the RN's in my facility do. The clinical directors of some of the units are LPN's There are good LPN' and not so good, the same as RN's You can't tell what kind of nurse a person is by the letters after their name.