LVN or LPN - that is the question

[abbaking]

I prefer the title LPN - but i have always wondered why Texas and California have this inferiority complex and call it LVN. 48 other states can get by just fine with what it is mostly known as but cali and texas call it vocational.

Its just me perhaps but i relish LPN as a title - its sounds better to me than Vocational - in my mind vocational sounds a little too much like a nun or a priest

[Karl Farmer]

Practical nursing, educationally speaking, is a vocational program. But the LVN thing is the registered nursemindset of seperating 'professional' nurses, from 'those others'. Interesting, isn't it- that LPNs/LVNS are not considered as 'professional nurses', but can be disciplined for the BON for 'unprofessional' conduct.

[andreasmom02]

At the college I attended, the LPN's could bridge over to the RN easier than an LVN. LVN's were taught at a local vocational school, and didn't have as many college credit courses. The LPN's took all of the same courses to be an RN, but lacked two nursing courses that the RN's had. So I guess my point is that in the state I got my LPN diploma in, there was an actuall difference between the two.. lol I guess it varies state by state. Thanks to that LPN program, I only need 2 more classes to be an RN. I prefer to be called LPN as well... lol

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

At the college I attended, the LPN's could bridge over to the RN easier than an LVN. LVN's were taught at a local vocational school, and didn't have as many college credit courses. The LPN's took all of the same courses to be an RN, but lacked two nursing courses that the RN's had. So I guess my point is that in the state I got my LPN diploma in, there was an actuall difference between the two.. lol I guess it varies state by state. Thanks to that LPN program, I only need 2 more classes to be an RN. I prefer to be called LPN as well... lol

In which state did you attend school? If you attended school in a state where the BON uses the 'LPN' title, then it is highly unlikely that there were any LVN programs in this state.

LPN and LVN are one and the same. California and Texas refer to their basic nurses as LVNs, whereas the remaining 48 states refer to their basic nurses as LPNs.

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

LPN/LVN. Same thing.