No respect for LVN's/LPN's

[Jen01tx]

I won't go into all the details of what happened to me today. I'm just getting off my shift and wanted to vent. The jist of it is I had a negative exchange with my supervior today. I questioned why we were taking a particular approach in patient care and her response was an eye roll and the statement: "Your just an LVN, you don't have the know how to make that call". Words cannot describe how her comment has brought me down.

I'm a recent grad ( working on the unit for about four months). School was time consuming and draining and it seems like we all work so hard to get where we are. There are still places I want to go and I won't stop until I at least have my BSN, but I chose this route for a reason.

The problem is that since I have been out of school it seems like people in general don't have much respect for LVN's. Administrators, nursing supervisors, doctors, CNA's, even family members at times. People always ask that dreaded question: "Oh, you're a nurse? RN?" Followed by body language that reveals an obvious lack of faith in my abilities once I say I'm a LVN. All this, not to mention the fact that I feel stifled, like there are no opportunities out there for me as "just an LVN". Anybody have any thoughts on this. I'm just feeling very down right now, and yearning for the respect I feel I deserve as a nurse.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

you have to come to a certain level of peace from within because the compliments and respect desired may not actually come from the outsiders, no matter how high up the level you get.

Well said.

[Butterfliesnroses]

In my facility you are seen as a nurse if you have your LPN or RN. It doesn't matter. There are 2 nurses on days and evenings and 1 on graveyard. There has to be 16 hours of RN coverage so the DNS does have to look at titles when doing scheduling. Anyways during the day each nurse takes a side and they do their own duties. So there is no difference between the two. A nurse once told me that I should go for my RN because you learn so much your RN year. I made some comment well you do everything for your residents right? She said you don't have to do anyting you don't learn but you can be willing to learn and do it (at least in the nursing home setting). A RN is the DNS and the RCM is a LPN. They are both valued as administrative nursing staff.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

In my facility you are seen as a nurse if you have your LPN or RN. It doesn't matter. There are 2 nurses on days and evenings and 1 on graveyard. There has to be 16 hours of RN coverage so the DNS does have to look at titles when doing scheduling. Anyways during the day each nurse takes a side and they do their own duties. So there is no difference between the two. A nurse once told me that I should go for my RN because you learn so much your RN year. I made some comment well you do everything for your residents right? She said you don't have to do anyting you don't learn but you can be willing to learn and do it (at least in the nursing home setting). A RN is the DNS and the RCM is a LPN. They are both valued as administrative nursing staff.

I can see how LPNs can be perceived differently in a nursing home setting, because we dominate there. Many are charge nurses and run their units very well. Most LPNs seem to encounter more of the disrespect and challenges of our positions in hospitals (at least from what I have seen).

I know that we can contribute positive outcomes to any setting, and have seen this see-saw over the years.

[systerm]

I am not a LPN yet, but I think this respect thing is running through most work places.

Everybody wants respect, but nobody is willing to give it.

If subjected to disrespect over and over, it can wear you down, in time.

In a nut shell, I think everybody is a tiny emotional scared person to various degrees. We put a shell on to protect outselves. Sometimes some boost their egos by putting others down - and that is wrong.

If it could be remembered "walk a mile in the other persons shoes before you judge" I think everybody would be more forgiving and understanding.

Some are born under better circumstances and life unfolds fairly wrinklefree - they have the stability in the family, no economic hardships, educated parents that model education/learning in the home, the child gets an early advantage in language development, good nutrition, etc. These are many times the ones can pursue degrees (rn) more easily.

Some have to achieve everything on their own. Deal with family issues, bad finances, luggage related to socioeconomic factors, etc. It is much harder for those individuals to attain a degree. Education cost.

You need more than a school and books, you need a place live, food, supportive family friends, clothing, hope, cheering on.. you get the idea.

So who did the more gruelling work? Who had to walk further to get the level of education they got? In this comparison, the person that had to work for every penny all the way, ie the LPN. She is the one that achieved the most considering the starting point.

If nurses and dr.s are educated, they SHOULD KNOW THIS. Should. And should respect everybody that they work with. Should.

But I guess this does not always happen. So, in essence, those that look down on others, got the degree, but learned nothing. I respect degrees up to a point, however, a smart person realize that we are 1st emotional beings, 2nd intellectual. We are that simple. And to work in a positive environment we all need to pitch in and respect each other. It is a need not a want. How about some caring?

Feel free to post this on the bulletin board.

Respectfully,

systerm

[payitforward]

Please don't be discouraged with the attitudes of small minded people. Many people, especially other NURSES believe that if you aren't an RN, or for that matter a BSN, you don't deserve the time of day. That is an unfortunate attitude to have! If you are an LPN/LVN you BE THE BEST that you are! I have worked with RNS and have worked circles around above and below them, and they were actually VERY resentful because I knew my stuff, and I was confident in my skillls. I made it my business to be the best at what I do, and I take pride in that. Now? I am a clinic manager:nurse:, managing 3 subclinics, and I STILL hear, " Oh you are such a good nurse! you should go back to school!" Well, here's the zinger to that statement: I did go back to school and got a bachelor's degree in health care management!!! Hang in there and smile. " My people perish for lack of knowledge".

[AngelaLPN08]

I honestly believe people who have attitudes about things such as LPN/RN's also have attitudes in other aspects of their life. This is their issue not mine. I am an LPN and so proud. RN's at my job do nothing with the pt's. Paperwork, and a few IV's. The real care comes from the LPN! we are appreciated and respected as the nurses we are are. We can use our full scope of practice. I had more clinical experience, care plan experience than any RN program! My instructors wanted us to be the BEST! and we are! Be proud and all you do and as some say only you can let people get to you!

[PiperLPN]

Just remember all the hard work it was to get to the LVN level and then you'll KNOW your own self-worth. You rock, you are a nurse

[Tolle_lege]

I am precepting at a facility that is sub acute and uses a lot of LVN's ratio is about 50-50. I think that a lot does come from the administration and the feeling that they give about using LVNs.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

The public will not have more respect for nursing as a legitimate profession unless we respect ourselves more.

In other words, the petty one-upmanship games between the different levels of nursing should come to an end.

[nursynurseRN]

I knwo eaxactly how you feel! When the RN HAS to COVER "THE LVN" people make a big stink the LVn is a drain. It is suffice to say as ME being the LVN that I am feel disrespected many times in the beginning. Now that I am a little more seasoned, I sometimes feel for knowledgeable then some RN's. Hang in there, it gets better.

[gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN]

We all admit that LPN's get very little respect from others in the medical professions along with patients, thier families, etc...

So, as I see it, we should remember to respect each other. I've seen LPN's disrespecting new LPNs, old LPNs and older/younger LPN's. We will never get the respect of others if we don't clean our own house first. Respect is something we earn, not something automatically given when we graduate. We earn it by our actions to each other and to others.

That being said, no one can cause us to feel ashamed unless we allow them to.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I think that all disciplines feel disrespected, to tell you the truth. There is not one level that has not complained to me that with all of their education and alphabet soup behind their names that they have not felt slighted or demeaned in some way. This has included RNs with their Masters and Doctorate degrees, DONs, etc... This also happens in all professions. For this reason, I harp on the fact that it must come from within, because otherwise, one will be chasing pipe dreams, believing that the grass will be greener on the other side only to wind up there and believe that they are not satisfied.

For those that choose to rise in education and position, I strongly advise to do it because of the growth and opportunity you feel you will receive moreso than pleasing the scholastic Jonses. You'll feel better that way, believe me.