I have worked in Maternal Child Health for almost 30 years at the same hospital. I have been an LVN for over 35 years now. I've enjoyed my great job and have done all work as allowed under my LVN scope of practice. My new director is out to get the LVN's saying we do too much of what the RN does. She says we need an RN to co-sign assessments and our RN's are unwilling to do this. They don't want the responsibility and the director states it's the choice of the RN not to do it. I feel that they are trying to phase me out. I have the support of my board and now have had to get the union involved. I am one of two LVN's left in our acute care hospital. The others work in a different building which is a restorative care unit known as a skilled nursing facility.
I have long been considered one of the top nurses in my unit. I've never been written up and continually bring in patient compliments. They tell me I've been in the top five for many years. This is not a problem of being good at what I do. I've even been a mentor for their RN's and taught computer classes for those who can't catch on to the new computer charting. This all came about when I asked the Director if I could become an LVN 3. She said she thought I was and RN and didn't realize she had any LVN's in the unit. She has an attitude towards LVN's. It became apparent as soon as she knew I wasn't an RN. She should have known who worked in her department when she took the job. She is an interim person working for the corporate CHW. I really feel like she is trying to pull the rug out from under me for no good reason at all. I'm getting a slap in the face for a job well done.
The thought is that they want me to work at a unit secretary and "help" the RN's. In other words, they want a super gopher. I'm disgusted and hurt by this. The greatest support has come from the LVN board but a hospital can limit a scope of practice if they want.
If there is anyone out there who has had their employer try to change their job in this way, please give me some advice as to what I can do. I have loved my job and it sure doesn't seem fair to try and put me into a whole new job description after 30 years!!!!!
Please, please respond as soon as possible. Next meeting is Wednesday. I thought of posting here just in the hopes someone out there might be able to shed some light on this.
Thanks from this California LVN:bluecry1::angryfire:uhoh3:
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Well, LVN California-- you're being incredibly gracious in the face of this--and it just makes me want to cry.
My first job was at Children's Hospital LA, I also worked at UCLA. That would never happen now, but I really feel so lucky that I was able to have that experience.
I was almost hired by USC Norris Cancer Hospital-- it was the lack of recent experience at that time that was the problem, not the LVN.
Not everybody who is an LVN really wants to be an RN. I know that I don't want to supervise others. I'm not good at it, and I'm too much of a control freak to be able to delegate things to others that I instinctively feel I could do better myself.
So yes, be proud of your career! So what if you were edged out by a cold-hearted corporation!! They can not take your years of exemplary work away from you!! You might decide to jump on the RN wagon at some point, but why not enjoy the cushy hours and weekends off? There's a plus side to everything!
When you decide to retire for good, you should have an awesome party, invite all your former acute care co-workers except Ms Full-of-Herself that demeaned you. Don't worry, she is racking up the bad karma every day. You've got decades of good karma on your side!! :flwrhrts:
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I live in so calif and am 62 and just starting my cna training. Lvn next and bridge after that. If I can do it at my age, why can't you?
It can (and has) been done by students in their sixties. However, I personally would be averse to changing careers and accruing student loan debt so close to retirement age.
Contrary to popular belief, ageism exists in hiring practices, and there's no guarantee that your nursing education will result in paid employment after all is said and done. If you cannot repay student loans, the government will take away your hard-earned social security. This is not an issue on which you can tread lightly. Good luck to you.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
Our East Coast health system closed all 4 hospitals OB units due to lack of effective reimbursement. If they can do that, they can change unit policies at any time. Hospitals in my area stoped hiring LPN's 10 yrs ago as accuity of patients increased (most patients on the floors would have been in ICU 10yrs ago).
Hopefully, you can duck and cover till new director arrives, but expect now that it's on Admin radar, my snowball into bigger issue. Your just the type of nurse Excellsior College distance learning program was developed---too bad California BON won't recognize it without practical hours developed.
The OP stated that she tried Excelsior and it did not work for her. EC is not a panacea for everyone and now that she is out of the program, she can not return, because the grandfathering of CA students only lasted as long as she remained a continuously enrolled student. The only viable option in CA that does not cost an arm and a leg, is WGU in southern CA, but the OP made it sound like she is averse to bothering with an RN program at this stage of her career game. Can't see that I blame her.
:angryfire:uhoh3:
nursel56
7,122 Posts
Well, LVN California-- you're being incredibly gracious in the face of this--and it just makes me want to cry.
My first job was at Children's Hospital LA, I also worked at UCLA. That would never happen now, but I really feel so lucky that I was able to have that experience.
I was almost hired by USC Norris Cancer Hospital-- it was the lack of recent experience at that time that was the problem, not the LVN.
Not everybody who is an LVN really wants to be an RN. I know that I don't want to supervise others. I'm not good at it, and I'm too much of a control freak to be able to delegate things to others that I instinctively feel I could do better myself.
So yes, be proud of your career! So what if you were edged out by a cold-hearted corporation!! They can not take your years of exemplary work away from you!! You might decide to jump on the RN wagon at some point, but why not enjoy the cushy hours and weekends off? There's a plus side to everything!
When you decide to retire for good, you should have an awesome party, invite all your former acute care co-workers except Ms Full-of-Herself that demeaned you. Don't worry, she is racking up the bad karma every day. You've got decades of good karma on your side!! :flwrhrts: