LVNs or RNs - Who is most helpful to students during clinicals?

[belgarion]

This may be risky but I have a question. I am an LVN student and I have noticed that the RNs at the hospital where we do most of our clinicals are by and large very good to students. They seem eager to help us learn and will actually help us find procedures to do so we can get credit for them. I alway enjoy being assigned to follw one of them for the day.

On the other hand, the LVNs act like they would just as soon have a swarm of roaches show up on the floor as a couple of LVN students. On the rare occassions they speak to us it it to tell us how stupid we are. I have had charge nurses who actually had to order an LVN to allow me to do the most basic care on a patient. One LVN threw a total hissy fit because the charge nurse told her that I would put a Foley in one of her patients (With my instructor present of course). To me, this is backwards. You would think LVNs would have some empathy for LVN students and actually be grateful for having some of the load taken off them for a few hours.

Don't even get me started on the way we get treated by the PCAs.

Has anyone else noticed this or is it something peculiar to my area?

[pharmgirl]

Actually, I have and haven't noticed. I'm in a bridge program and during the LPN year our precepting was done ONLY by LPN's. We were not allowed to have RNs as preceptors (they are reserved for the second year RN students). A lot of the LPNs preferred the swarm of roaches. So yes, I have noticed it but thought only because my exposure to RNs precepting was limited.

Secondly, I have heard a few people at my job say that some of the LPNs have "RNV" which is RN envy. They are quite frankly, rude to RN and RN students alike. Who knows, its all drama to me and quite silly actually but thats the word on the street LOL.

GOOD LUCK!!

[shann106]

The LPNs at the hospitals where I have done clinicals have been horrible to students. Last semester one got suspended because there where so many studnet complaints about her, not just from my clinical group but from every clinical group from every school that rotated through there. I think there is a inferiority complex with some LPNs. The most hateful things that LPN's have done in my presence have all evolved from a student asking a question that the LPN did not know the answer to but the RN did.

Some of the RNs have been hateful to, but none have come close to the LPNs that I have come in contact with. When the RN's have been mean it seems to be because they are just so busy and they are stressed out and don't really have time to answer a bunch of questions.

[cursedandblessed]

a lot of it is just atmosphere of the facility. i've had both lpn's and rn's treat me well, and treat me badly. some are just having a bad day, some just aren't good teachers and really don't want to have students. my techs have always loved me, because i help them out whenever i can. i just smile, do whatever i can, and if i have a nurse who really doesn't want a student, i let the nurse know that i'm available to help her, and i just focus on the patient. most of the times i've done this, i've had lonely patients who really needed some one on one tlc, and it worked out well.