LPNs Supervising RNs

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I am a "mature" RN who left the field of long term care after nearly 30 years. After several years off,I decided to return and took a job with an agency. My first day back was with a LTC facility and my job was to pass meds. I find that my direct supervisor, who was the unit charge nurse was an LPN. Back in the day, this would never have happened. I have always had great respect for LPNs but their area of practice was not equilivant to mine. I found it quite uncomfortable to digress to a young woman who frankly didn't know what she didn't know. I refused to carry out an order that I felt was a detrement to my patient. I felt I was within my scope of practice. My question is: Has this happened to any one else or has things changed so much that we now have LPNs supervising RNs.

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

It is not uncommon in LTC-the best NURSE for the position is the "charge nurse" We have many units with LPN's as charge nurse and always have. We happen to have several RN's who are completedly incapable of "charging" a unit. What was your problem with an LPN managing the unit? Should you have been "in charge" just because of your license? If she gave an order that you felt was detrimental to a resident did you call the house supervisor or the physican to clarify that order? What was the nature of the order? We have RN house supervisors-technically when an LPN is "charge" she uses the supervisor as her resource.We work "under" that supervisor.If we are on the unit with RN staff (non-charge) we are not working "under" them.It is seldon a problem-except for people like you.

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This is what LPNs can't do that RNs can:

1. They cannot complete the planning of phase of the nursing process independently (ie, they can contribute to a care plan but not write it)

2. Generally, they cannot push IV meds (depends on the state)

3. They should not be responsible for an initial assessment

4. They are not able to make a nursing diagnosis

5. They are not able to evaluate nursing care

6. They should not do the initial patient teaching, although they may reinforce it.

In short, they may only perform the implementation phase and selected components of the evaluation phase of the nursing process.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

http://www.oaklandcc.edu/nursing/Docs/PNE_Nursing.pdf

Here is the curriculum for the LPN program at a local community college. YES, they do take all of those classes.

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I took every single one of those courses in LPN school.

When I went to LPN school, I didn't take all the courses listed because they were for the RN's not the LPN's. These classes are not offered for every LPN course - I went to the top LPN school in the country, I should know.

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I am a "mature" RN who left the field of long term care after nearly 30 years. After several years off,I decided to return and took a job with an agency. My first day back was with a LTC facility and my job was to pass meds. I find that my direct supervisor, who was the unit charge nurse was an LPN. Back in the day, this would never have happened. I have always had great respect for LPNs but their area of practice was not equilivant to mine. I found it quite uncomfortable to digress to a young woman who frankly didn't know what she didn't know. I refused to carry out an order that I felt was a detrement to my patient. I felt I was within my scope of practice. My question is: Has this happened to any one else or has things changed so much that we now have LPNs supervising RNs.

Piece of advice - if you are given an order by an LPN or ever told anything about a patient or resident by an LPN, double check it yourself or call an another RN or your DON. LPN's love to burn RN's especially when they are wishing they could be an RN themself.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
When I went to LPN school, I didn't take all the courses listed because they were for the RN's not the LPN's. These classes are not offered for every LPN course - I went to the top LPN school in the country, I should know.

Don't know how long ago you were in that LPN program but things have changed. My friend decided to be an LPN before going straight to get her RN. She took every single science course that was required for her LPN because it was required. Ironically, they were the same courses that were needed for her RN.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Piece of advice - if you are given an order by an LPN or ever told anything about a patient or resident by an LPN, double check it yourself or call an another RN or your DON. LPN's love to burn RN's especially when they are wishing they could be an RN themself.

I can see where THIS thread is heading. :banghead: It's not even worth the trouble of addressing this type of attitude.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Piece of advice - if you are given an order by an LPN or ever told anything about a patient or resident by an LPN, double check it yourself or call an another RN or your DON. LPN's love to burn RN's especially when they are wishing they could be an RN themself.

Another ignorant comment about LPNs. You're portraying them as backstabbing. That's awfully rude and offensive. I can't even believe you would post such vile crap.

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Specializes in LTC.
Piece of advice - if you are given an order by an LPN or ever told anything about a patient or resident by an LPN, double check it yourself or call an another RN or your DON. LPN's love to burn RN's especially when they are wishing they could be an RN themself.

Please do not generalize about LPNs. I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but if you and I worked together, as a team, there's no way I would burn you but you would have to afford me the same courtesy.

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Specializes in Correctional, QA, Geriatrics.
When I went to LPN school, I didn't take all the courses listed because they were for the RN's not the LPN's. These classes are not offered for every LPN course - I went to the top LPN school in the country, I should know.

If you went to the top LPN school in the country and you didn't take all of those courses then I think your school does not qualify as a top school.

I went to LVN school a long time ago and I took all those courses plus additional courses not normally in civilian curriculum...to include leadership and supervision courses.

Just curious LadyJ. How long did you practice as a LPN before becoming a RN?

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

MichiganRN: Sorry, LVNs do not get "exactly the same education". Why would the RN program take longer? I have taught both and there is no real comparison. The State determines what is required to be a nurse. Why would the state give someone one license if they have completed the curriculum for another? There is a big difference. And by the way, BSN also gets more education than ADN. All you have to do is enroll in school and you will see what I mean.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
MichiganRN: Sorry, LVNs do not get "exactly the same education". Why would the RN program take longer? I have taught both and there is no real comparison. The State determines what is required to be a nurse. Why would the state give someone one license if they have completed the curriculum for another? There is a big difference. And by the way, BSN also gets more education than ADN. All you have to do is enroll in school and you will see what I mean.

I am in school. Thanks. Perhaps LPNs don't get the in-depth education as RNs but when I went to school the books for both programs were the same. What bothers me most about this thread is that some nurses complain about how doctors act superior towards nurses yet there are RNs who do the exact same thing to LPNs. It's disgusting.

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