BethB

Jodie I understand your concern, but look at it this way. Anything you can do to further you nursing abilities is not only good for you, but your patients as well. About 12 years ago I was working in a large ER in Arkansas and loved it. The hospital decided to train all LPN'S in IV therapy and administration. The training was held on the hospital campus and consisted of 5 weeks of 8 hour daily classes. At the end of this 5 weeks we were qualified to push 31 IV drugs and start IV lines. Over the years this increased to 41 drugs. These drugs, their generic and brand names, side effects, administration time, contraindications, ETC, were drilled into us. You knew all the drugs or you failed the course. Now 12 years later I have moved to SC and feel like I have been demoted. The hospital I work in is so far behind in everything I think I have stepped back in time. I am not allowed to do all the things I have been trained for. A few days ago management became very excited about allowing us to step up by levels. All we have to do is complete training in selected modules and can work up to an LPN 5. When I hired in, (it will be a year in June) the personal manager checked my references, copied my certificates, and gave me a badge with LPN 5 inprinted on. Two weeks later I was given a new badge with simply LPN. I have proven by documentation that I have already accomplished everything I need and more. Yet I have to be very careful in my daily work not to do something I have done for years, because it may not be acceptable here. Get all the free training you can get. Someday hospitals and boards will realize there is a group of very well trained and competant nurses out there called LPN's.

I have recently moved to South Carolina, and am working in a small hospital. I am amazed every day at the treatment of LPN's. I worked in Emergency Trauma back home and was trained to do anything ordered by a Doctor. Here I am allowed to do little more than a CNA. I feel I have been demoted in a profession I have enjoyed for many years. I find little joy in it any more. I do understand what you are saying about the lack of trust and confidence people have in LPN's, but have you noticed how unprepared the new grads are? Recently a fairly new LPN worked on my team, she worried all day about one of her patients having a fixture in his leg. When I looked at the diagnosis, it read Fx L Femur.