Attitudes towards LPN's

Be_Moore · Aug 28, 2009

As an RN who once had to work with LPN's, it sort of sucks working with them, honestly. I mean, yes we are all nurses, but working with an LPN means that I have to do my job and parts of yours too. Which, let's face it, sucks.

I have a little bit of disrespect for LPN's, but not for the reason you would think. Personally, I think if you are smart enough to become an LPN, you're smart enough to become an RN. So it's only prudent to get the more advanced degree and in some cases nearly double your income. I used to work with a 26 year veteran LPN who was an amazing clinician...but I as a newgrad made substantially more money than her. My disrespect for her was not based on her skills (because she was an amazing nurse), but because of complacency. I hate complacency.

pat8585 · Aug 28, 2009

All i know is that a few times when I say " I am a LPN" USUALLY i hear...."are you gonna go on for your RN?"

I don't really understand why....the "N" in lpn stands for something, ya know!

RNBSNMe · Aug 28, 2009

I think it is unfair to generalize. Ive worked with some LPN's that are great and know a lot more than RN's. If that is what you can do right now, I say go for the LPN. When u do graduate..u are a nurse regardless of being an LPN or an RN. Good luck

Sparrowhawk · Aug 28, 2009

Some LPNs are great and some suck..Some RNs are great and some suck. Honestly, it's better to go for the RN ...more jobs..less stigmatizim. I wish I had...and I'm going to.

husker_rn, RN · Aug 28, 2009

And this fussing at each other is one of the reasons nursing is in the state it's in; if we can't respect each other, is it any wonder other disciplines have a lack of respect for us. I have my BSN but learn every day from the great RNs, LPNs, and CNAs I work with.

BradleyRN · Aug 28, 2009

I have a little bit of disrespect for LPN's

Do you have a little bit of disrespect for CNA's as well?

Pompous! :stone

NotFlo · Aug 28, 2009

I was going to post to say that by and large, I see very few posts "disrespecting" LPNs...then one of the first responses says they disrespect LPNs. Well, do you have a BSN? Do you think you deserve to be disrespected by nurses with master's degrees or APRNs? Or should all doctors disrespect nurses because the nurses were too complacent to become MDs? I don't get your attitude at all. Everyone's life and circumstances are different.

I also wanted to say I would never work in a hospital because I don't want to be in the position of chasing RNs for IV pushes, etc. I would feel like a constant pain in the ass to my colleages.

I like rehab., I have a reasonable amount of autonomy.

Scrubby · Aug 28, 2009

We have similar issues in Australia with Enrolled Nurses-our equivelant to LPN's.

I have noticed that there is some degree of disrespect towards EN's because many RN's perceive that they are a burden on workload. That is why we delegate. If you have to do IV meds and so on for EN's/LPN's then they can help you out with bed baths, vitals, fluid balance etc.

But....I have also worked with EN's who have a resentful attitude towards RN's as well. I was yelled at by an EN for wanting to delegate my vitals signs to the EN. I had a huge medication round to do because I had to give meds for her 4 patients as well as my own. My request was well within her time frame yet she screamed that she was sick and tired of having to do nothing but vitals. I basically told them that if they have issues with delegation and are unhappy with their scope of practice then go to university and become an RN.

Be_Moore-Perhaps these LPN colleagues of yours did not wish to advance their career because they are quite happy with their job. oOr they did not want the extra responsibility that an RN has. I work with a highly skilled EN who actually made it 2/3rds of the way through an RN degree and gave up. Not because they weren't smart or anything but because they realised that they do not possess the degree of assertiveness that is needed of an RN.

nyteshade, BSN · Aug 28, 2009

You will be whatever type of nurse YOU choose to be, and it doesn't matter what follows behind your name. I started as a LPN, and my instructors taught me with their heart and soul. We went in depth as much as they could take us...in pharm, it wasn't good enough to know the drug class, and common side effects... we were expected to recite if the medication was affecting an alpha 1,2 or beta 1,2 receptor, etc, how it affects the overall person, yada, yada. I honestly felt bad when I went back to school (in a generic program) and the instructors didn't expect this of us.

Now for the kicker...I was in high school at the same time I earned my LPN!

Fiona59 · Aug 28, 2009

Hi, I am a nursing student, and after year 1 of my RN, Ive realized I can't afford to finish RN so I'm doing the 2 year LPN course instead. One day I do hope to upgrade but for now it will just be LPN. I've been reading alot of discussions on here and alot of what i read is people (RN's) talking about how bad LPNs are and how unsafe they are. I don't want to end up in a career where I have no respect from my colleagues. I thought we were all nurses, and although RNs do have a greater scope of practice what is the purpose of disrespecting LPNs?
Thanks

First, I notice that you are CANADIAN, so perhaps you would get more relevant responses by having this moved to the Canadian Forum.

LPNs in Canada are a different species from LPNs in the US and ENs in Australia.

In my province, under our Health Professions Act, I am an independent nurse responsible for my own actions and patient load. I do NOT require an RN to "sign off" on anything for me as many Americans do.

On my unit, you would have a hard time determining who is a RN and who is an LPN solely based on the patient load. The skills gap between the RN and PN is constantly becoming narrower.

Unlike in the US, to upgrade to the RN status you will have to go back to university to acquire your BScN. Pick up as many electives as you can while working.

My unit manager is very supportive of LPNs and nobody is permitted to be rude or abusive to any of her nurses regardless of their educational level.

chenoaspirit, ASN, RN · Aug 28, 2009

I dont disrespect anyone, regardless of any career choice. We all walk different paths in our lives. I worked with a LPN at the hospital who knew alot more than me...I was a new grad RN and she had been a nurse for 16 years. Experience means alot, whether you are RN or LPN. I did however make alot more money than she did. Our hospital allows LPN's to push SOME IV meds, but not many. I did help them and push any IV med they werent allowed to do. Yes, it did put me behind on my work when I had to stop doing my work to help them because I had to do it often. The only type of person I dont respect are the ones who wont help me in return, or who dont have compassion for their patients and coworkers. I dont know the difference in LPN education and RN education, but from what Ive seen, the LPN's I worked with really knew their stuff. I am asked alot by friends if Im an RN or "just a LPN" and really...a nurse is a nurse is a nurse.