I am a new BSN grad, fresh out of nursing school, with no previous experience other than my rotations. I have encountered an issue with an old LPN on the unit. I won't get into the specifics, but it had to do with an outdated practice. I was using what was emphasized as "evidenced based" by my preceptors and nursing school instructors. However, when the LPN saw me do that, she chewed me out in front of the patient and basically said what I was doing was completely wrong. She then stepped in and did my work for me. This was not my first, or tenth time doing the technique, and when the LPN stepped in, she was doing something quite different.
What should I do now? Should I go talk to her tomorrow? If so, what should I talk about/how should I approach her about this subject?
I remember trying once to tell a brand new intern and a brand new GN (didn't even have a license yet) that giving 20 mEq of KCl IV push into a 22 g. hand IV for a K+ of 3.9 was a bad idea.
Picking jaw up off the floor (you may have noticed, I liked this post yesterday. Yes, just now picking up my jaw )
Yeah...lets treat a normal K+ with a lethal injection.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Based on the title of this post and how you set yourself as the "new" nurse compared to the "old" LPN, I am going on the hunch that the other nurse may not be the problem here. Do not discount the years of experience this nurse has and discounting them due to being an LPN. The ego coming off this post really sets the tone here. The way you have it set up as BSN vs LPN clearly indicates you think you are better than this other nurse. Remember you are a bloody team and are not competing with one another.
All this, especially the bold part. You are NOT better because you have a BSN. You are team member. Period.
Bad, bad advice!!! Pretty sure "educating" an experienced nurse isn't going to have the desired effect. Unless the desired effect is to have a giant target placed on her back. On the other hand I'm sure the manager will be super appreciative of the new person letting her know that the policies aren't up to her standards. Not!
Jealous of the new grad?!!! Wow, that is particularly laughable and hugely insulting at the same time.
I've experienced the hostility and jealousy first hand. I haven't gotten it from many LPNs, just a couple. What the OP described sounds like jealousy to me. Even though the LPN has many years of experience, she still has things she can learn from the new grad. And I say this as a former LPN, now RN.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I've experienced the hostility and jealousy first hand. I haven't gotten it from many LPNs, just a couple. What the OP described sounds like jealousy to me. Even though the LPN has many years of experience, she still has things she can learn from the new grad. And I say this as a former LPN, now RN.
Hostility, OK. But how do you know someone is "jealous". Do they announce this, or do you just presume they're jealous because they're hostile? Perhaps they were hostile because you were being a donkey -- or maybe they didn't like your accent or they were having a bad week. I cannot believe that anyone over the age of 11 believes this crap about "they're just jealous of you."
As a preceptor, I've learned something new from every orientee I've precepted. If we don't learn from each other, we're not doing it right. However, in the situation described in the original post, we don't know that the LPN wasn't the one doing it right. The OP comes across as somewhat arrogant and that leads me to believe that the more experienced nurse had tried to legitimately correct her and the OP just wasn't having it because she was the RN, the BSN and besides, her clinical instructor told her so. But we don't really know for sure, and that is my point. We don't know.
Why is it that the assumption would be jealousy? I don't understand why someone would think the LPN is jealous of the BSN. News flash, plenty of LPNs are satisfied being LPNs and have no desire to be an RN and therefore eliminating the automatic jealousy that some believe to occur. To automatically assume the LPN is jealous due to the OP being a BSN, is insulting to LPNs and minimizes them as nurses.
I've experienced the hostility and jealousy first hand. I haven't gotten it from many LPNs, just a couple. What the OP described sounds like jealousy to me. Even though the LPN has many years of experience, she still has things she can learn from the new grad. And I say this as a former LPN, now RN.
The title of this post hit me wrong. New BSN vs veteran LPN? It isn't a competition. One thing to remember is that there is going to be somewhat of a difference between an experienced nurse and a new nurse. Doesn't matter what license the person holds. As a new nurse, you have recent knowledge about procedures, while the experienced nurse has years of experience. Are either of them "wrong?" Probably not.
While with a patient, if the experienced nurse intervenes, let them. After the procedure is finished, go to another place and talk with the nurse about what you have learned as well as why she does it another way. You both will learn something. When new, I would ask what I was doing wrong or how I could do it better and discuss it. This way, respect will be earned going both ways.
"Old" LPNs can offer a lot if you are willing to listen. Don't start out with the us vs. them mentality. You are all nurses working towards the same goals.
I can relate with your situation. While in my facility we don't have LPNs, we do have CNAs. I have been a CNA for 5 yrs, and I have worked at the facility where I am currently a RN. I graduated a month or so ago, and I am 23, so the older CNAs look at me and think I don't know what I'm doing. They have never attacked me in front of a patient like in the situation you mentioned, but if they did, I would take them into a private area and discuss it with them. I feel that you cannot let this behavior continue. Educate her on EBP, and look at your hospital's policies to ensure they are up to date. This may be a policy issue and should be brought up to your manager or unit educator. But with regards to the LPN, she should be spoken to. I would let her know that it isn't appropriate to address you in such a way, and in front of a patient. Being honest, jealousy is probably in issue here. You're this new RN and she's an LPN. I find that with the CNAs, this is the cause of a lot of conflict too.
Best of luck.
Excuse me? So I'm guessing you feel LPNs are beneath ENd? Comparing a CNA to a LPN is like apples and oranges. LPNs go to school, pass, sit for the NCLEX, and have to obtain CEUs and renew their license like every other nurse. The behavior was wrong, but assuming the LPN is jealous is ridiculous. I would put my life in the hands of some LPNs I know over RNs any day. That attitude is part of what is wrong with nursing. LPNs are a valuable resource that is greatly under used at times
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Why is it that the assumption would be jealousy? I don't understand why someone would think the LPN is jealous of the BSN. News flash, plenty of LPNs are satisfied being LPNs and have no desire to be an RN and therefore eliminating the automatic jealousy that some believe to occur. To automatically assume the LPN is jealous due to the OP being a BSN, is insulting to LPNs and minimizes them as nurses.
I believe that the assumption of jealousy is because the person who assumes it is themselves immature and prone to jealousy.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
"Old" LPNs can offer a lot if you are willing to listen. Don't start out with the us vs. them mentality. You are all nurses working towards the same goals.
"Old" LPNs are experienced nurses and that means that they know a lot more than a brand new nurse of any license or degree!
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NurseLauraM
135 Posts
What was the procedure? How did you do it and how did the LPN do it? This post is far too vague.