Missed informed people about LPN profession boils my skin

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jul 28, 2009

There could be many reasons, but for RN's some of them feel threatened that they will be phased out because the LVN is cheaper than the RN, and they will only need a few of them because the floor will be pumped with LVN/LPN. That's just my thought, but I can be wrong.
See the LVN/LPN is more expensive than the CNA so a CNA is preferred. You really can't touch the RT's because then it would be left to the RN/LVN to take care of breathing treatments. Phlebotomists you really can't get rid of either because then that responsibility would be left to the RN/LVN. Oh if anybody dare get rid of the dietician then the kitchen would go crazy. PA's are good because they work under the Physician and can do most everything the Physician can do when it comes to general care. I think regarding LVN/LPN it's because we're right in the middle of the chain of command, CNA-->LVN-->RN. So we're picked on even though we do more than a CNA and less than a RN.

i love LPN's and wish my hospital hired them. i do disagree with RN's being phased out because they are expensive and LPN's taking their place. that couldn't happen because LPN's scope of practice is limited, they cannot hang certain medications , blood , cannot push cardaic meds or iv pain meds , phasing out the RN scope of practice just couldn't happen. you can get a RN to do more than a LPN and that is why the hospitals hire RN's. i worked parttime in a SNF ( i don't work there anymore.. ) where the LPN's worked as a phleobotmist and drew all the labs and the RN's only had to draw the central line draws ( which is what i do anyway)... anyway .. i just don't think the RN'sfeel threatened to being phased out .. but i love LPN's and have agreat respect for them.. i don't feel they will be phased out either we need all scopes of practice for good patient care.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2009

I agree totally with what you're saying, and I worded it wrong. I don't think really think that RN's would totally be phased out. But I've spoken to some RN's who feel that with the economy the way it is that they will be shifted because the LVN/LPN is cheaper. They can saturate the hospitals with LVN/LPN, and keep a few RN's on the floor do do those IV pushes, and other things that we can't do. In California we're allowed to hang blood as long as we're IV Certified, but we're not allowed to do IV pushes or draw from the central line. I believe that everyone needs everybody. We need our RN's to run our floors and we'd be nothing without them. We need our LVN/LPN's on the floor to assist the RN's with foleys, med pass, data collection etc. We need our CNA's to help with basic care, bed baths, etc. We all need each other, and with out each other we'd all be nothing.

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jul 28, 2009

I agree totally with what you're saying, and I worded it wrong. I don't think really think that RN's would totally be phased out. But I've spoken to some RN's who feel that with the economy the way it is that they will be shifted because the LVN/LPN is cheaper. They can saturate the hospitals with LVN/LPN, and keep a few RN's on the floor do do those IV pushes, and other things that we can't do. In California we're allowed to hang blood as long as we're IV Certified, but we're not allowed to do IV pushes or draw from the central line. I believe that everyone needs everybody. We need our RN's to run our floors and we'd be nothing without them. We need our LVN/LPN's on the floor to assist the RN's with foleys, med pass, data collection etc. We need our CNA's to help with basic care, bed baths, etc. We all need each other, and with out each other we'd all be nothing.

i wish we had LPN's in the hospital where i work , but the trend is to hire RN's because we can do everything .. they want alot of work for a little money so they would hire someone who could do it all rather than hire alot of people who can do most but not all .. as a RN it would be hard to cover her pushes if i was assigned a LPN and i would only cover for pushes , and i would be doing double the work . the LPN cannot do a inital assesment on a pt , and cannot hang blood on that pt so i would be doing my 6 patients and hanging her blood doing her pushes and my pushes and her admits and my admits , hanging my blood, hanging her blood , it would be to much for me ( i'm not a young chick anymore) ... so they don't hire LPN's because the RN's would be doing double the work in a acute care setting .. i would be doing her line draws from PICC or central lines and my line draws , and my patients wouldn't be getting the full care, i would be off doing other things.. i love LPN's and they are wonderful nurses , but the hospitals are going toward RN's only because they get more bang for their buck ( as my manager says)..... yes we need each other you are right. i agree with you!!! :yeah: good grief i confused my self just writing about it..lol....

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2009

It depends on how you look at it. In our hospital the LVN'S and the RN's would share the workload. So a RN will have maybe 5-6 patients max, and the LVN would be there to help her. Other than that if the RN would work on her own, she's had 3-4 patients and will have her/his CNA. Which the CNA can only do basic care.

It's the job of the RN to oversee the LVN/LPN/CNA. It's their responsiblity, and if they don't want that responsibility, then maybe they shouldn't be a RN. I love the RN's/LVN's/CNA's, they are all vital to the health care team and my goal is to be a RN, but I understand that I would be responsible for the LVN & CNA. It would be my job.

I agree with the previous poster, the hospital administrators will cut corners when they can in order to have a bigger bonus in the pockets. It's so true that the RN's can do everything, but IMO, they can't do everything, they really do need the LVN & CNA to help out. It's because they're so busy and they need that CNA to give that bed bath, and they need that LVN to dc that foley while they're giving meds. Our LVN can run circles around the RN's on the floor, she's been a nurse for over 30 years now, and she's still the best out there. Unfortunately our RN's spend more time doing paperwork and charting than they are with the patient.

matchsticktgt, LPN · Jul 28, 2009

I'm in AL too - what area are you in?

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jul 28, 2009

It depends on how you look at it. In our hospital the LVN'S and the RN's would share the workload. So a RN will have maybe 5-6 patients max, and the LVN would be there to help her. Other than that if the RN would work on her own, she's had 3-4 patients and will have her/his CNA. Which the CNA can only do basic care.
It's the job of the RN to oversee the LVN/LPN/CNA. It's their responsiblity, and if they don't want that responsibility, then maybe they shouldn't be a RN. I love the RN's/LVN's/CNA's, they are all vital to the health care team and my goal is to be a RN, but I understand that I would be responsible for the LVN & CNA. It would be my job.
I agree with the previous poster, the hospital administrators will cut corners when they can in order to have a bigger bonus in the pockets. It's so true that the RN's can do everything, but IMO, they can't do everything, they really do need the LVN & CNA to help out. It's because they're so busy and they need that CNA to give that bed bath, and they need that LVN to dc that foley while they're giving meds. Our LVN can run circles around the RN's on the floor, she's been a nurse for over 30 years now, and she's still the best out there. Unfortunately our RN's spend more time doing paperwork and charting than they are with the patient.

well it all depends on the hospital where you work and the policies. we have no LPN's in the hospital and from what i hear they will not hire LPN's. we do have 1.5 CNA's for 31 patients.. they are thinking of phasing them out and giving us a extra RN and no CNA's that way we would have 4 patients and do total care. which is fine with me because many of us do total care anyway.. if the census on our floor drops .. the CNA;s always get sent home first. the CNA's that we have donot even chart or go near the computer , we do all our own charting for vital signs and pt care. that way they can answer call lights rather than sit at the desk...our hospital is talking going all RN staff , it's a shame the "team " nursing is gone... one hospital in our city just fired 20 LPN's and hired RN;s in their place... we also have a subacute hospital that did the same thing,, i dislike that because there is no diversity in health care in acute care settings and it's sad.

pednursedeb · Jul 29, 2009

I was a LVN for 9 years before becoming a RN through a transitional ADN program. I graduated from LVN school in 1985 and they were talking about phasing out LVN's then. I don't think that will happen for some time.

Maybe because I was a LVN first I work alongside them as I would a RN. The RN does have more responsibilities and at some hospitals can do some procedures that a LVN can't, but LVN's as CNA's, I don't think so.

My only suggestion is that if it is possible to get your RN. You will get more money and more respect. LVN's work just as hard as RN's. If you are going to be working as hard and taking on most of the same responsibilities you might as well be making more money.

It's not all about money of course, but that's just how I feel.

Good luck with whatever you chose to do.

bethann27 · Jul 29, 2009

matchsticktgt

I'm in the Birmingham and Gadsen area (live in between)