I began working in a LTC/subacute rehab facility back in December. All of the units in this facility have LPNs as unit managers. Is this the norm in LTC? I'm not discounting the value of LPNs as nurses, please don't get me wrong. I have worked with many, many excellent LPNs over the years who gave great bedside care and had more nursing knowledge than some RNs. However, as an RN of just over 20 years, I admit that I have a problem being talked down to and taking orders from a unit manager who has been and LPN for two years and has almost no experience in nursing, much less in management. IMHO, nurse managers should, at the least, have their BSN. I don't have my BSN, I am a diploma nurse from a hospital-based nursing school. I wouldn't expect to get hired as a unit manager because I don't have my BSN, and it blows my mind that the unit managers where I work aren't even RNs. Again, nothing against LPNs, but if someone wants to be in management, it seems to me that they should be a "step up" from the rest of us. I figure that it's a cost saving maneuver, but it really bugs me, especially when my LPN unit manager comes walking down the hall giving out orders and correcting what we do when we are buried in work and can't even take a break. Any manager should have some empathy towards their staff, but IMHO they should also have proven that they were willing to take on the extra education to be in a management position. I realize that it's not the LPNs' fault if they were allowed to be managers by the facility, but what kind of a facility would allow this?
For example my LPN program gave us 600 hours of clinical while the local community college gives it's RN candidates 50 hours. The knowledge of LPN's and RN's is different, not one better than another. Don't assume that more time in the classroom means a better nurse. Or that more letters after ones name means 'smarter'.
Well said. I'm an RPN, and in one of the colleges I attended 2nd year RPNs were teaching RNs the basics in clinical (bed making, med administration, and dressing changes). The title doesn't make the person:). I'm a Charge Nurse in a retirement facility.
I have both RN and LPN unit managers. They NEVER walk around shouting orders or talking down to anyone! I don't think it matters if they are RN or LPN--I think it is personality and management skills that are important. Sounds as though the managers where you work need some management and people-skills training!
I have both RN and LPN unit managers. They NEVER walk around shouting orders or talking down to anyone! I don't think it matters if they are RN or LPN--I think it is personality and management skills that are important. Sounds as though the managers where you work need some management and people-skills training!
Yeah, I surely do agree with you on that. My unit manager walks down the hall a couple of times after I arrive at work for the afternoon shift telling us what we could be doing better without a trace of a smile on her face and then she'll walk up to a resident in their wheelchair, paste on a huge smile, and say, "Hi, Honey! How are you today? It's soooo nice to see you up and about!"
Like I said, I have absolutely nothing against LPNs as nurses and I have worked with LPNs who know circles around some of the RNs that I have worked with. I just have a problem with being talked down to by this particular manager who throws her weight around and acts like she is super nurse while we are working our butts off.
It would be nice if people would really look within themselves to decide if they are managment material. Not everyone should take that role, but many do because of the extra pay. With healthcare being so extremely dollar-driven these days rather than care/patient-driven we are going to see more managers with accounting skills than people skills, IMHO. Some people have both attributes but some do not.
I honestly see no problem with an LPN being a unit manager in a LTC facility, however I believe that they should have many years of experience in LTC before getting that sort of position. IMO no LPN or RN with minimal experience should be a unit manager. It's hard having someone with less experience be above you. I have been an LPN for 10 years and trained a brand new RN awhile back and not long after that she became my supervisor. The only shift she's even worked is 11-7. I know that being an RN makes her qualified for that, but still being told what to do by someone who knows much less than you about nursing at this point is hard to take. However, she's a nice girl and has the makings of what will be a very good supervisor eventually. So I just help her out and continue on with my own schooling. In PA, LPNs can be DONs in an assisted living setting.
I'm an LPN unit manager of a 58 bed LTC floor. I was a staff nurse for 9 months (my first and only job as a nurse so far) at my current facility when the unit manager position opened and I applied got and trained for the position. The 3 other unit managers at my facility are all LPN's as well. I was nervous people weren't going to respect me because of my age (23 when I took position) or level of experience. Although I feel that people respect me and think I'm a good boss. A large population of the nurses in the facility are LPN's there are also RN's. I don't think anyone looks down on me or thinks anything different of me because I'm an LPN. If my staff treats the residents right, do there job without issue and are respectful to me there is no need to talk down to anyone. Some days are harder than others I have been in my position for almost two years now and was a part of 2 state surveys, I feel like I'm gaining a ton of experience to further my career, and am thankful for that.
One of my first part time jobs was one of a LPN in long term care facility. I was 22 years old and was made charge nurse of my shift. I now have 27 years as a LTC nurse not only have I managed a unit or floor. But I have trained many RN's that passed through our facility. Some of them did not like the fact that I was in charge but when they realized my committment to the patients and the facility that changed. Those 27 years paid off because I was able to get my nursing home administrators license and after getting them I got a degree in health care administration. Regardless of the title or the letters behind your name you will still need training and education to become a great manager or a great leader in an organization. But most of all you have to have people who want to follow you.
AngelicDarkness
365 Posts
Well said. I'm an RPN, and in one of the colleges I attended 2nd year RPNs were teaching RNs the basics in clinical (bed making, med administration, and dressing changes). The title doesn't make the person:). I'm a Charge Nurse in a retirement facility.