Phasing out LPNs/LVNs?

[darcieg]

The hospital I work at is making a big change that's making a big stink for a lot of people. Instead of assigning LPNs to direct patient care, they are now using LPNs as more of a resource (like they do with CNAs) and assigning the patients only an RN. This basically has cut the LPNs on the floor from about 6 per shift to 1 or 2. They had meetings and basically told the existing LPNs that they could go back to school to get an RN, or just transition through the change even though the hospital couldn't promise they would get many hours or keep the position they have now.

I just want to know, is this unique to my hospital, or are changes like this going on in other places? What role do LPN/LVNs have where you work?

[NoCrumping]

Hypothetical question..........

If all the BON's said that LPN's are no longer an option in nursing education,that the existing ones would have to become RN's or become techs/aids..what would you do?

(dont get into a debate of how many skills you have vs an RN, just think and answer)

[NoCrumping]

It doesnt matter what the hell your credentials are if you cant even hook up O2.

What does that have to do with ANYTHING!!!!! RN vs LPN this is NOT. I simply think we can all have different skill sets, learning curves, etc, under one nursing credential. Is that so hard to understand? We can all be the great nurses we all think we are. Just have one credential to attest to that. We all do mostly the same work, would you agree to that?

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Now, I know all of the LPN's are thinking, how dare I "insult" you or suggest you are not capable of taking care of patients, I am not.

You are, though.

[KrisRNwannabe]

Nocrumping I would like to see do the work of the LPN and CNA since they are so beneath you. LPNs have been and are a wonderful resource in the hospital. while I agree they maybe aren't the best fit in some areas, THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM IN THE HOSPITAL FOR LPNs!!!!!! Do you have any idea how long it would take for some of these LPNs to go back to school??? they would have to start from scratch more than likely because of the age of their pre-reqs. and then you want them to have their BSN???? Is there anything else that you would like? maybe a MSN??? maybe they should do it with a crown and a pink tutu on??? BSNs DO NOT MAKE THE NURSE. THE PERSON MAKES A NURSE. you need to wake up an smell the coffee.

[mattsmom81]

Personally I would love it if all of nursing became BSN entry level, for solidarity and professional reasons. If its done right, that is.

RIGHT is if all nurses currently practicing are grandfathered. I bet LPN's would go for this too...IF they were grandfathered ...and the only programs out there from say 2008 on would be BSN programs.

But we would see a whole lot of nursing programs (LPN, ADN, Diploma) fight this tooth and nail wouldn't we. They would be out of business, and training nurses is big business today.

But if I were mandated to return to school for that BSN? Nope...I'd just retire. Too many games involved and I jumped through hoops for years working slowly on that dang BSN while I worked and raised a family (I'm an old diploma RN, LPN prior to that) only to have the uni add more coursework everytime I was close to graduating. Its just a big money grab.

I finally threw it all away and decided I'd be a Diploma RN til I die...I get enough disrespect on the job everday and won't tolerate any more from the nurse education system.

[Ted]

remember to keep the focus on the topic and not your fellow member. closing this thread for moderator's discussion and for a cooling off period.