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.

[bondoson88]

I used to have things like that happen to me alot years ago,and it hurt my feelings but you just have to deal with it and ignore those comments. When you are an LVN/LPN you have to show that you are not an idiot.Do your job to the best of your ability and don't get all defensive and mad. That really makes you look like an idiot! Those RN's that insult you are usually the ones that don't know that much. When I was an new LVN I had this new RN following me into every room , on my case, on my back. It bugged me until my husband said ,"She's probably following you everywhere because she is trying to figure out things by watching you do them!" Then I thought he's right!You could be a dingy RN with no common sense but no one thinks you're dingy until they have to work with you and find out for themselves. So my advice is to work with the RNs and do your job,vent with an nurse whatever he/she is who agrees with you and show them nurses that you're not an idiot. Maybe they can learn something from you in the process!

[karmil]

Sweetie, I have been "only an LPN" for 34 years and STILL wish I went on, but choose to raise children instead. I cringe when I have to work with a ADN because there bedside skill is nill, and the head is huge. LOL! I am an EXPERT at the bedside and KNOW how to administer good care. I am a Home Health/Hospice Nurse and judgement calls are important in every home. The RN's depend on me being a great nurse to their pts as primary nurses. I got intorduced by my boss to a new RN as, "OUR LPN". Hmmm...I thought about that. It helped boost me that I was a team player that they depend on. Just an LPN is one thing but I am THEIR LPN. MOST of the RN's I work with were aids and then LPN's who went for their RN. If I was younger, I would go on to school just for the knowledge to deepen the quality of care.

It was not easy becoming an LPN and you need to remember that. Tell those who belittle your education that you are a trained professional bedside nurse!!

Smile big!!

[2008pn]

someone told me once that there really was not a difference between a LPN and a CNA but that we just push medications

[karmil]

someone told me once that there really was not a difference between a LPN and a CNA but that we just push medications

Tell them next time you know an LPN whose State Board (NY 1974) was 700 Questions and 8 hours long. What ignorant people!!!!

[PeepnBiscuitsRN]

I think you can't win. If you're a CNA, why aren't you an LPN?

If you're an LPN, why aren't you an RN?

If you're an ADN, why aren't you a BSN?

BSN? Why not MSN, Nurse Practioner?

MSN, NP? Why not MD?

The nurse who made that statement was probably jealous because you probably have more skill than she- especially if she's doing just administrative things and is bored. You know, there's this "magnet program" many hospitals are instituting, they're phasing out Associate RN's in favor of the BSN! Why? Don't we have a nursing shortage as it is? Isn't any nurse better than none?

I work in a clinic as an LPN, and the RN's I work with have said they wish they were doing our job. One even said she was jealous because I know how to do more things than she does. I dunno. I'm going back for my RN in May, and we'll see what happens.

[momtojosh]

i jsut finished LPN school last june.....passed boards in aug and had a job for the state before then.....i am working with medically frail mentally retarded individuals.....i love it!! while in school i always was the first in line to do trach care and g-tubes and the sorts..... and i just knew i didnt want to work in a hospital,but wanted to take care of the mentally challenged,.....and i do that all day long now.....i love haivng to do the sterile technique.....love it!!!.......when our people are hospitalized i have to show most of the RNs how to do the trach care or how to give meds via g-tubes.....now i know this is something you do not run into alot in the hospital setting,but i think it is so cool....me...a 46 yr old NEW nurse showing someone how to do something........

can ya tell i am proud to be a LPN!!.....the RNs where i work are great....there are only 2,.......i treat them with respect and they return it..........they are just normal people like me.....i do not trerat anyone like they are above me....and someone treats me like i am beneath them.....then i do not give them the time of day....like this one lady who works in the offce in our buliding.....she isnt there everyday,but the first time i met her back in july i walked into the office,i noticed a new face....went up to her and introduced myself,and she in return introduced herself,and put some kind of title behind her name....now she isnt a nurse or anything....just a state worker who has moved up the ladder.....she acts like she is above all.....perhaps title wise she is....who cares......we are all people here who just want the same thing.....the best care for these people who can not care for themselves....no matter what you title is!!!

be proud

[bondoson88]

I know that there are some RN's that when they have to cover your IV meds they act all put out and sometimes if can make you feel like you are a burden, which is something I do not want to ever be thought of. What I have found that helps with that situation is that I help the RN out, I"ll do their FSBS or answer their lights and I'll help them turn their patients and help them with their bed baths,or I'll trade "hang this for me and I'll do this for you". And when I help them with other things(not the barter system) they'll say" thanks a lot for your help" I just tell them that they are welcome and that I may need their help in the future with my IV meds. They always say sure anytime! Most people respond postive to this if they don't well I feel sorry for them because in nursing you need each other, not just for doing patient care but for moral support,for each other's knowledge/experience,emotional, mental support and just being your friends at a very demanding job that not everyone can do. And you all know their are a lot of nurses out there that think they know everything and that have big time attitudes, who are very outspoken/rude and have some control issues.To me it is because they actually feel insecure about themselves .and they know more than you. Right! For me I treat everyone the way that I want to be treated, with respect. It is a very simple rule, it's in the Bible. Some nurses that have a whole 2 lines of titles after their name may know a lot about something but they don't know everything and a lot of times they haven't got a clue, like no common sense., or no emotional intelligence. Oh well ,it takes all kinds of people that makes up this world! I say Just Go With The Flow!!

[bebe5]

jus dont let it get to u.. be strong..

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I had an experience over the weekend with perceived disrespect.

I work weekend double shifts at a local nursing home. A minister has been coming there for many years to preach to the residents, and he always asks a staff member to announce on an overhead paging system that "church services" are about to start.

He asked me, "Are you a registered nurse, or just a nurse?" He then proceeds to ask someone to make the overhead page announcement regarding church services.

One of my coworkers said to him with crossed arms and a major attitude in her voice, "Since we're just nurses, why don't you find a registered nurse to make your announcement!"

The little things add up, but you've got to confront them immediately.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I had an experience over the weekend with perceived disrespect.

I work weekend double shifts at a local nursing home. A minister has been coming there for many years to preach to the residents, and he always asks a staff member to announce on an overhead paging system that "church services" are about to start.

He asked me, "Are you a registered nurse, or just a nurse?" He then proceeds to ask someone to make the overhead page announcement regarding church services.

One of my coworkers said to him with crossed arms and a major attitude in her voice, "Since we're just nurses, why don't you find a registered nurse to make your announcement!"

The little things add up, but you've got to confront them immediately.

Most don't even catagorize LPNs in the nursing arena at all...even though we are licensed to practice. You are 1000% correct...confront it early or obtain ulcers.:angryfire

[ksangel]

i had a director of nursing that could always change my attitude. usually after one of those "just a lpn" moments. there are things lpns arent allowed to do. and its hard to step back and give a rn step by step instructions. just because of those silly intials. she told me i'd much rather have a lpn with expierence over a new rn. lpn are the jack of all trades in nursing really. we do the bottom of the barrel..... bed pans turning, tolieting, changing the worst messes and feeding problems. then we go all the way up to calling the code and running the code. in evenings and nights..... the lpn is the only nurse. most lpn have more hands on than the rn. right after school. i have came across the rn that thinks they are better because of those intials. but those intials mean nothing when you as the nurse. have to make the difficult decsion concerning the residents care. yes we have a lot of protocol to help us make this decsion and to this day. when im making choices on care..... i still hear my nurse managers and nursing school instructors words of advice. at the time i may not have like what they said. but as i grew as a nurse. i have gained more respect. 10 years later i hear those voices in my head and the advice..... the whole picture of the patient needs to be viewed not just one part. if not all parts are clear..... then its like a puzzle....many times its the lpn who puts those puzzle parts together.

[Kay1203]

I've been an LPN off and on since 1981 and I agree to a point. My career has been in LTC and agency work. Mostly the patients and their families appreciate what I do, but I've had several families request an RN take over the care of "mom" or "dad" after they read LPN behind my name. Telling them my years of working, education, passing state board etc doesn't help some times.

But by far the worst insult was from an RN in a LTC facility when I came in on short notice as an agency nurse to work a double shift because she was shorthanded.

When I walked up to her and she saw my LPN name badge she said loudly to the dietician "Oh a Lets-Play-Nurse is here" and then they both laughed.

I stood there stunned for a second then I said "you know, I came here to help you but you can do it all now cause I'm leaving" and asked where their DON's office is. Of course they said they were joking etc but I went to the DON and called my agency anyway. My agency told me I could leave and they even got the facility to pay me!!