Patently false rumours of LVN phase out.

[Redmiata1]

Honestly,

I am sick to death of hearing false rumours being circulated that LVN's are being phased out of the work force. AN unseen force seems to be at work Perpetrating this misinformation. Another similar force is working simultaneously to say that all ADN's nurse's will become a thing of the past.I have listened to this BS for far too long.The rumours circulate that all nurse's will be BSN and CMA well maybe in somebody's perfect world this might happen but, you know what folks "This ain't no perfect world ".First of all let me say that as a LVN for 25 year's I gave done RN work for LVN pay.The workplace and the driving forces in it (MONEY ) there I said it "are really what this is all about and also about some uppity BSN nurse's who think their **** doesn't stink.LVN'S play a needed role in places where most BSN nurse's fear to tread. Baby boomers, Alzheimers, and Screwed up from birth kids. I see this as some warped elitist mind discounting our contributions and I will not tolerate it any longer. Fact of the matter is as more health care costs continue to skyrocket Companies looking to pay less will continue to look to qualified LVNS to reduce their bottom line.The high cost of an education these days,student loan debt,etc.continues to make students aware of their impending debt and will look to ADN program's to get their RN.The groups who circulate false rumours about phasing out LVNS and ADN RN's are seeking a elitist club of Nurse's where only a certain people's can join. The separation of classes here is at work as our the other unseen forces in our society that are driven to divide us and set us on each other rather than the real culprits.Big business, Big Pharma,Lobbyists, are the real enemy. Income inequality as well as job inequality are at Play when you hear these rumours of "Phasing out "offshoring, downsizing. All phrases and words meant to divide us with misinformation. I ask all Nurse's don't fall prey to this and let's continue to support each other in a solidarity of Caregivers that not only care for other's but,care for each other and the roles we have chosen.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I assume you live and work in California. Based on anecdotes, being an LVN in California seems to be riddled with divisiveness and deflated pay rates when the staggering cost of living is taken into consideration.

I worked as an LVN in Texas for four years before earning my RN license. I felt valued during those four years (2006 to 2010). RNs who were educated at the BSN level did not treat me as a lowlier nurse back then.

[Redmiata1]

Appreciate your feedback. I live and work in Texas.Well the unfair treatment is like background noise nobody notices but, sadly it's still there. Nurse's need to step up and like racism stamp it out.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

LVNs aren't being phased out of the profession, but they are being phased out of hospitals in various markets.

I don't work in a hospital, but my facility rarely hires LVNs. The reason is that we do comprehensive assessments, and LVNs cannot do those in my state. They may do focused assessments, but it is out of their scope to do comprehensive assessments.

One of the sharpest nurses I know is an LVN, but she is tired of the limitations imposed by her license and is going back to school. I have no doubt she will end up with more education than I will ever want to pursue. I'm happy for her.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

My hospital system, one of the largest in my state, laid off all LPNs system wide last summer. Maybe it's not true where you are that LPNs are being phased out, but hundreds of them lost their jobs last year. Some of them had been with the company for 20+ years. I doubt it's much consolation to them that people on the internet think they're not being phased out when they are getting fired en masse.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

My hospital system, one of the largest in my state, laid off all LPNs system wide last summer. Maybe it's not true where you are that LPNs are being phased out, but hundreds of them lost their jobs last year. Some of them had been with the company for 20+ years. I doubt it's much consolation to them that people on the internet think they're not being phased out when they are getting fired en masse.

No kidding. One of the hospitals I worked at stopped hiring LPNs, but they didn't fire them. They eventually just died out as a result of attrition. Last I knew, there were still 2 LPNs working the oncology unit. But they haven't hired a new LPN in over 15 years, from what I understand.

[Asystole RN]

The United States is a very large place and job markets are different in different areas of the country.

For the past couple of years I have traveled much of the country going to various hospitals, usually 1-2 new hospitals a week. The number of hospitals that employed any significant amount of LPNs I can count on one hand, and those hospitals had hiring freezes on LPN/LVNs. Considering that years ago LPNs were common in many hospitals I would say this is a significiant trend.

There is still a significant presence of LPNs in alternate sites but RNs, especially ADNs seem to be increasing in numbers. While I worked per-diem placing PICCs in nursing homes I found 2 that only hired RNs and several that were phasing them out.

My former hospital fired all of the clinical LPNs several years ago and my former nursing home I worked at had a hiring freeze on them.

Will they ever go 100% away? No, not even the diploma RNs have gone away. Will it be very comfortable for LPNs in the future if the trend continues? Highly doubt it.

[brownbook]

What a scary mess!

Where I currently work, in California, out patient surgery, we use several LVN's in various positions.

In the 1990's I was at a nurse manager meeting and the director of nursing said "CNA's are going to be phased out of this hospital." Twenty years later we still had CNA's working there!

It is all clear as mud!

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

This is one of those things that are cyclical as well as regional. Also, LPNs may not be found in large numbers in hospitals, there are plenty of opportunities in other environments.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Moved to the LPN/LVN Corner forum.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

If this is such a hot topic for you, why would you start yet another thread on it?

by the way, my eyes glossed over when I got to "I did the work of an RN even though I was an LPN"

[Redmiata1]

Well its understandable your eyes would "Glaze over" as you put it. You've only been a nurse for four years (Your still wet behind the ears) Let me guess???You have a BSN? I Have worked alongside R.N's in Emergency Rooms,ICU's,CCU's,Recovery rooms.With little limitation,Well can't hang blood,and can't start a PICC line other than that Yes did RN work @LVN pay.