LPNs who are jealous or resentful of RNs??

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Wondering something here. Hoping it doesn't turn into a rant, but I'm pretty perturbed just now. I've personally had NO issues during school, as a student working with RNs or LPNs, about who was "better" or had it "harder" in either school or work. We all just did our thing, for the most part, and I didn't really see too much animosity. Occasionally maybe, but I didn't see it as a problem widespread.

And then I had a conversation today with someone who made me so angry I had to wonder if it was just her, or just her school, or....what? Maybe there IS more animosity than I knew of??

While we were watching our kids play, she asked me what I 'did'; I told her I recently graduated NS, recently got my RN license, and was now needing to make some decisions about job offers :) . She told me that she had gotten halfway through LPN school (a local vocational school that teaches LPN courses amongst many other types of vocations), had to drop out for family reasons, and how much harder it was to do that than "your RN school". Huh? I asked her how she figured that program was "harder" (I KNOW that program, btw, so this was very curious to me). She said the RN students could "do what they wanted, wear what they wanted" and so on. I told her that if the DRESS CODE was a measure of how "hard" a school was, wasn't that a bit silly.....and anyway, NO, we had specific uniforms that were enforced, as well as clinical criteria that was certainly enforced. She said that their instructors commented on how much more "professional" the LPN students were. I smiled, thinking it ridiculous to say; I'm quite aware of what standards WE were held to, thank you very much.

She told me that there were students who "couldn't make it" in her school but then went into the RN program at the college and did great (a double 'HUH?' here). Never heard of that; actually, have seen it the other way around, but who's counting. We had quite a few LPNs IN our program, but certainly no one that had not been able to achieve an LPN license first. I asked her if it really made sense to her that it was "harder" to get an LPN license than an RN one; did she REALLY think that RNs were getting their licenses so much easier, when it's a higher level in the nursing hierarchy? Was that logical? She didn't answer exactly, but continued....

She told me that LPNs were more "hands on" nursing and RNs were more "paperwork". Another "HUH?" since we had to learn to do at LEAST as much 'hands on' work, even a few MORE things in our program than they did in theirs, PLUS the paperwork.

I really began to resent the outright statements that LPNs were "better", even more professional nurses; as a subtle suggestion it would be laughable, but as an outright statement it was ludicrous. The thing is, *I* had not and would not suggest that RNs are "better" or "more professional"!

Which leads me to wonder if RNs overall are more secure in what they are and do to NOT degrade LPNs, or am I just not seeing it? Is this woman a fluke, or (since she said her whole class and instructors felt this way) there's a jealousy or resentment issue for those of us who are RNs not LPNs??

What gives? Here I am thinking "treat everyone with the respect they earn" and I'm faced with someone who automatically places herself (and other LPNs-to-be) in a position of pseudo-superiority??

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OK, you've had no issues the whole way through school.

Then you spoke to one idiot and thought it was an issue? Sounds as if it's her issue, and she isn't any kind of nurse.

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OK, you've had no issues the whole way through school.

Then you spoke to one idiot and thought it was an issue? Sounds as if it's her issue, and she isn't any kind of nurse.

I just had to wonder, since she spoke as though "everyone" at her school had this as a forgone conclusion. Kinda burned me.

She won't be any kind of nurse anyway; she didn't finish and now has no plans to. Maybe that's part of it...? I finished...?

I don't know. I just didn't want to go into a new career having lived in a sheltered bubble, if I'm unaware of something that's really out there. We WERE sheltered as students, of course, so maybe I missed something :(

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

The only probelm I ever had with an LPN was the fact that the RN's before me treated her poorly....she was bold, in my face, and was unreasonable at some points.

But ya know what? I felt this was no different from anyone else I had worked with ...or even pts! I listened to her...bit my lip a lot, and treated her like any other professional.

After a while, and it did seem like a long while..LOL, she and I became quite close and working like an awesome team together! She wasn't quite the bully I thought...well okay kinda! LOL, but she just needed to prove herself to her satisfaction before she could trust another RN that may just leave in a month or two like the others.

I still talk to her even though I don't work there...and the underlying thing that both she and I admitted...I treated her like a professional that knew her stuff (she was 30 years my senior and a heck of a lot more experienced!). And it showed!

I think that is the trick with many people..no matter the title! LISTEN....you will find out so much about someone by just taking time to listen! :)

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It's possible that she feels a grudge because you did finish and she didn't.

When you say you were sheltered as students, unfortunately just like in real life, she isn't going to be the last idiot you encounter. It might be a CNA, respiratory therapist, PT, doctor, fellow RN that's a pain in your neck next time.

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I am a LPN working Med-Surg in Indiana. I will have completed my LPN-RN program in December. At work on my unit, the patient census is split between and 1-2 RNs (depending on census). I have the same autonomy as the Rn and do the same assessment, med pass, and treatment. They treat me wonderful and continue to encourage me to finish my LPN-RN program. No resentment whatsoever.

In my nursing program now I find the material and the clinicals very much easier. The attendance policy is more leniant (anytime you missed a day in my LPN program you had to write a 5 page paper), clinicals are 1-2 days VS. 3days and so on...

Those things are surely a factor in why I find it easier, or maybe experience and support helps.

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I just had to wonder, since she spoke as though "everyone" at her school had this as a forgone conclusion. Kinda burned me.

She won't be any kind of nurse anyway; she didn't finish and now has no plans to. Maybe that's part of it...? I finished...?

I don't know. I just didn't want to go into a new career having lived in a sheltered bubble, if I'm unaware of something that's really out there. We WERE sheltered as students, of course, so maybe I missed something :(

I was an RPN/LPN prior to becoming an RN. I wouldn't classify the RPN/LPN program I attended as a "piece of cake," if anything that education and experience was an asset when I chose to purse further education. In fact I attended the same college for both, the same teachers taught both programs, and yes we had to adhere to the same standards when it came to clinicals et al. Your "friend" for whatever reason seems to have a lot of resentment based on her school experience towards RNs. The resentments may not be based on actual facts, more likely assumptions. Unfortunately, IMO, she's coming across as belittling your achievements, perhaps because she was unable to finish school.

In the work place it all boils down to respecting each other, irregardless of what our role is, and it goes both ways. Treat others with the same respect that you want to be treated with.

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Specializes in Assisted Living Nurse Manager.

I would say this person has a chip in her shoulder from not finishing nursing school, so she tried to make you feel as if what you accomplished meant nothing. You will run into many people like this in your career. There will always be those who think that they are better than you, no matter what they do for a living. Our attitude is our choice, 10% what is dealt and 90% how we handle it! Obviously this girl is confused and lives in her own little world:rotfl: .

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Thanks all for your input :) I didn't word it as such, but YES, I felt like I was being belittled for having an "easy RN"! Ridiculous!

I hope to heck it's just her, and not an overall attitude coming out of the LPN program in general. To suggest that the LPN student is "more professional" or better prepared for bedside nursing really killed me.

I have no problem whatsoever treating any LPN with respect--I DO expect her/him to EARN that respect, too, JUST like I have to earn respect from my co-workers. But I'll be darned if I have to prove myself worthy with my 'little ol' RN education'.....sheeesh!

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Sounds to me like someone has a bit of a chip on her shoulder! I have had problems with individual RNs (and LPNs and CNAs and housekeepers, etc), btu I can't imagine being angry at RNs in general. Someone needs a hug...

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I'll only agree with your 'friend' in that my particular LPN program was 11 months, 8am-3:30pm, M-F (40 hours a week), with a week and a half off for the holidays; another week for spring break. You miss a day, you miss a lot. IIRC, we could only miss 5 days through the whole program or we were out.

So yeah, that part is harder than the typical RN program.

Do I think I'm better than an RN? Heck no. They have more knowledge of the 'why' of disease and illness; LPNs have more of the 'what to do'. Together, we make a dynamic team, able to learn anything not taught in school off one another.

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She told me that she had gotten halfway through LPN school (a local vocational school that teaches LPN courses amongst many other types of vocations), had to drop out for family reasons....

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me a sob story about how they got "halfway" through their nursing program, then had to drop out for some tragic reason or another........

While in LPN school, I once worked with a fellow CNA who continuously reminded me that she was "almost" an LPN (and was therefore more knowledgeable than me) because she had gotten "halfway" through the LPN program, then had to drop out because she got pregnant or her husband left her, etc. or whatever lame reason........

I come to find out that she failed A&P the first time, went back and repeated it, and then came to the conclusion that since she spent so much time taking the class twice, that it was the same as being "halfway" through an LPN program.

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