Lvn/Pn vs RN

Published

I believe nurses are nurses regardless of the "scope of practice".

We are all here to service care.

My question or curiosity is... why do some RN's (I am not saying ALL) treat LVN's like they are a burden to them? Like LVN's are the unnecessary hired help, I don't get it. :(

It's kind of sad.

Specializes in Internal Med, Primary Care, Ambulatory.

Agree with the need for making patients aware of who their "caregiver" is, but let's be real: patients rarely ask for an "advanced practice registered nurse" or a "certified medical assistant" or "certified nurse assistant" or "physician assistant-certified" in any real situation-they ask for the "nurse" or "doctor" even if their needs can be met by other types of personnel. Are patients really expected to know the billions of initials we have tacked to staff badges? It's not as if there are only a handful of initials/credentials-there are billions!!! I thought I illustrated the litany of alphabet insanity in my previous post.

Also, I am highly annoyed by the lack of support provided by fellow nursing staffers to other nursing staffers on this site-if people are looking for help, answers, or simply camaraderie, from any peers, this site would be a LAST resort. How can we possibly help patients/clients when we can't even help each other...

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I understand what you are saying and yes, there are many initials that come with the education; I agree there are patients who don't ask in advanced for a NP or PA; but I know many who do ask. When patients ask for a doctor or nurse, they might get a physician assistant or medical assistant. I blame the practices for not correcting patients in regards to misleading the patients to believe that a medical assistant is a nurse when they are not or that a physician assistant is a doctor when they are not. It's illegal for MA's to indicate they are nurses and so many do as well as other employees of the physician practices. I just feel patients need to be made aware who their caregivers are and the differences. I applaud and hold the highest regards for the nursing profession. My daughter is in nursing school and I know how hard it is for her. Patients don't understand they can speak up and ask questions in regards to their medical care. I've seen so many patients throughout the years who believed they were treated by a doctor and they were not. Patients need to be made aware and understand they can ask questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Remind us please, which initials are after YOUR name?

I understand what you are saying and yes, there are many initials that come with the education; I agree there are patients who don't ask in advanced for a NP or PA; but I know many who do ask. When patients ask for a doctor or nurse, they might get a physician assistant or medical assistant. I blame the practices for not correcting patients in regards to misleading the patients to believe that a medical assistant is a nurse when they are not or that a physician assistant is a doctor when they are not. It's illegal for MA's to indicate they are nurses and so many do as well as other employees of the physician practices. I just feel patients need to be made aware who their caregivers are and the differences. I applaud and hold the highest regards for the nursing profession. My daughter is in nursing school and I know how hard it is for her. Patients don't understand they can speak up and ask questions in regards to their medical care. I've seen so many patients throughout the years who believed they were treated by a doctor and they were not. Patients need to be made aware and understand they can ask questions.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Internal Med, Primary Care, Ambulatory.

Oh BB, always so accusing and confrontational in your posts-please let nurses nurse, without nasty comments or accusations from their peers!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is an issue I have run into more and more

frequently, and I am a little confused as well... And upset that because of my experience I'm feeling mistrust towards LPNs. I have worked with wonderful lpns who offered me alot of knowledge and different view points on how to treat and manage my patients care, and on the flips side I have met LPNs who when pressed demonstrated they didn't really have any idea what they were doing (like listening to a patient's heart on the wrong side)

I'm sure this is true for RNs as well, I just haven't experienced it yet, even with new RNs.

I have been wondering if it has anything to do with the graduate program they are coming from and amount of education received there? (I only suggest that because in VA it feels to me like there are alot of 14week long programs where as the registers Nursing programs in this area are well know and established and have really strict curriculums) ... I'm afraid that maybe in my area in particular there is a hit or miss system of education? ... I would love to have insight into a typical lpn course program

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics.

In my 20+ years of being an LPN, I have never been disrespected by a RN. I have learned a lot from them, and in turn I have had new grad RNs thank me for helping them out with things new to them. The way I see it is that we are all in this together, a team. Perhaps it's all in attitude or confidence.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion