Nurse Practitioner vs. RN vs. practical nurse???

fergus51 · Apr 20, 2004

LPNs are in the rest of the country as we don't have RPNs. They take a year or so of school.

carz · Apr 21, 2004

LPNs are in the rest of the country as we don't have RPNs. They take a year or so of school.

RPN,s are LPN,s I trained as a RPN in Ontario however the Ontario program is now diploma where as sask, manitoba, and alberta have not gone diploma yet.One is a registered practical nurse the other a licensed practical nurse same scope of practice. However Ontario and Bc PAY BETTER!

mmeow · Apr 21, 2004

I guess that's my point right there...scope of practice. I commend you on highlighting this point in your reply but it is very interesting to me to hear and read about LPN's disscussing their roles in the health care system. I am unfamiliar with your instituation but in the acute care facility where I am employed when an LPN is scheduled there will always be an RN paired up with them....... but not vice versa...meaning I have worked units with an RN only mix but never in any institution have I seen a sole LPN mix taking care of patients independly........I find that when there is an RN LPN mix assistance can be given by both parties but realistically it is only too clear who is truly meant to assist the other.

carz · Apr 24, 2004

I guess that's my point right there...scope of practice. I commend you on highlighting this point in your reply but it is very interesting to me to hear and read about LPN's disscussing their roles in the health care system. I am unfamiliar with your instituation but in the acute care facility where I am employed when an LPN is scheduled there will always be an RN paired up with them....... but not vice versa...meaning I have worked units with an RN only mix but never in any institution have I seen a sole LPN mix taking care of patients independly........I find that when there is an RN LPN mix assistance can be given by both parties but realistically it is only too clear who is truly meant to assist the other.

May be this will clear up the confusion, at present I work in a rehab hospital on a sub-acute floor. We deal with neuro rehab cva,s head injury , mva ect. When I said each nurse had her own patient load I meant just that. We have what they call pods, and one pod is manned by a RN and a couple of aides another pod a LPN and a couple of aides both doing the same work load. We all work as a team and respect each others nursing functions. For what ever reason the whole point was lost in this conversation it was not who was in charge it was about not referring to LPN,S as aides.

mmeow · Apr 24, 2004

May be this will clear up the confusion, at present I work in a rehab hospital on a sub-acute floor. We deal with neuro rehab cva,s head injury , mva ect. When I said each nurse had her own patient load I meant just that. We have what they call pods, and one pod is manned by a RN and a couple of aides another pod a LPN and a couple of aides both doing the same work load. We all work as a team and respect each others nursing functions. For what ever reason the whole point was lost in this conversation it was not who was in charge it was about not referring to LPN,S as aides.

Whatever descriptive words you choose to use (assistant/aides) historically the role of the LPN was to provide care and assistance to the RN. Presently, both roles are expanding in scope due to an overwhelming need and strain on our health care professionals because of medical advances in sustaining life and compounding of chronic diseases within our population. The role of the LPN has expanded to provide more independence in areas where patients are classified as stable. I would only agreee that in these areas do they function in the primary nurse role ie: Long term care, rehab ect

However, in the majority of acute care settings, LPN's do not function independently in a primary nurse capacity and therfore in these insitutions their role and responsibility is to assist the RN.

So the point was not lost ... at least to my understanding. Semantics aside, whatever words are used to describe your profession it is informative to note in which areas LPN's work as this dictates differing responsibilities to the patient and to fellow coworkers.

mmeow · Apr 24, 2004

May be this will clear up the confusion, at present I work in a rehab hospital on a sub-acute floor. We deal with neuro rehab cva,s head injury , mva ect. When I said each nurse had her own patient load I meant just that. We have what they call pods, and one pod is manned by a RN and a couple of aides another pod a LPN and a couple of aides both doing the same work load. We all work as a team and respect each others nursing functions. For what ever reason the whole point was lost in this conversation it was not who was in charge it was about not referring to LPN,S as aides.

Whatever descriptive words you choose to use (assistant/aides) historically the role of the LPN was to provide care and assistance to the RN. Presently, both roles are expanding in scope due to an overwhelming need and strain on our health care professionals because of medical advances in sustaining life and compounding of chronic diseases within our population. The role of the LPN has expanded to provide more independence in areas where patients are classified as stable. I would only agreee that in these areas do they function in the primary nurse role ie: Long term care, rehab ect

However, in the majority of acute care settings, LPN's do not function independently in a primary nurse capacity and therfore in these insitutions their role and responsibility is to assist the RN.

So the point was not lost ... at least to my understanding. Semantics aside, whatever words are used to describe your profession it is informative to note in which areas LPN's work as this dictates differing responsibilities to the patient and to fellow coworkers.

hevanscent · Jun 11, 2004

hello everyone

mystic5m · Jul 14, 2004

I'm an RN working in an acute care setting. I am unsure about my responsibilities when working with LPN's on my unit. The scope of practice says they work under the supervision of an RN in my state but there seems to be little supervision at this point. I'm truly concerned. Some of our LPN's have alot of experience while others are new graduates and are caring for patients postoperatively. Is anyone else have thoughts on this matter?