"Are you an RN OR LPN ????"

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jan 9, 2008

well, for me, i worked wayyyyyyyyyy to hard to let my lpn licenses go (hold them in two states as i do my rn licenses). i'm proud of my accomplishments and feel it would be a *waste* for me to let them (lpn licensures) go. i mean, it's not like i went from lpn/rn to do/md...& even if i did, i may still maintain the other licensure just because (if allowed).
that being said, i work under both licenses for a few reasons...mainly because i don't wish to go into another tax bracket by doing ot strictly as an rn. the other reason is that i still enjoy working ltc/assistant living/ambulatory from time-to-time & most facilities requiring agency nurses do not & will not pay rns agency salary for something that lpns are cable to handle.
lastly, i would like to add that i'm a she & not a he...lol! moe is an nickname given to me due to my maiden sir name.
cheers :cheers:,
moe

if it works for you than that's all that is important.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2008

I'm an LVN. I've been asked by a handful of patients and family members about whether I'm an RN, but I never lie about my legal title. However, I have never had a patient refuse me because I'm an LVN.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jan 10, 2008

May I ask? What would be the purpose of keeping your LPN license once you get your RN license? Makes no sense what-so-ever to me. Please explain what the benefit would be? Why would I want to pay to keep my LPN license in addition to my RN license?

I have a friend who was an LPN and she told me that she decided to become an RN because there were more interesting opportunities and money than practical nursing. She became an RN, and suddenly, she said, that she is now seeing more interesting things she would like to do advertized for LPNs; but she let is lapse. Also, she stated that at times, it is not about the title, it is the fact that she still needs to eat and care for her family.

While I know that those who hold both licenses are held to the liability of the higher one if there is a legal lawsuit, I would probably keep both as well. You never know, and because I worked so hard to become an LPN, just on principle, I would keep it. In fact, I still retain my phlebotomy certification. Why? Because I would like to occasionally sign up for an agency just to draw blood and nothing else. I have done it as of yet, but, I am considering it.

One of my male friends obtained his LPN in his 3rd semester before graduating and taking his RN boards. He worked home care, and told me that he works as an RN at a hospital, but still works under his LPN license doing home care. He stated that if he got into home care as an RN, he would be more responsible for the paperwork and running around; while as an LPN, he makes decent money to remain with one client all day, give total care and is more restful. To each his own, I guess.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jan 10, 2008

sure you may ask what you like.. it is not my true desire to be a nurse and an lpn at the same time. the question stemmed from a conversation of of "what if's" i was having with an associate. and if you look at the post i was repling to in the previous message you would see that ...an RN who works in the unit stated that he worked with his rn in the hospital ...and he worked as an lpn at a rehab as extra because he needed the break. there's your benifit to it.....i think that is cool if thats what he want to do. my opinion.

I just have a question (not starting an argument); why do you say 'nurse' and 'lpn"? Again, this is not to start a flame war with you or anyone, however I just want to state that the language has to change. RNs and LPNs are both nurses. I made this comment at one of the nurse practice meetings at our hospital. There are about 12 RNs and 4 LPNs that take part in this, and they constantly say "The nurse [meaning RN] and the LPN..." and it denotes that the word nurse only applies to RNs. I see this all the time in the policy and procedure manuals. One of the first things I told them is that this needs to be changed to state RN and LPN. If there are specifics that RNs are allowed to do that LPNs can't, it should be stated there.

LPNs working in my hospital in med-surg experience this often, and most of them are really offended. LPNs working in med-surg at my facility are primarily responsible for administering medications. In fact, they took them away from primary nursing, leaving that to RNs. The RNs will have 5 patients; which include medications, paperwork and doing the other skills that the LPNs are not doing at this time, and the LPNs just give meds. During the shift to shift report, when the supervisors call the head nurse, she will say "I have 4 nurses [RNs] and an LPN". Many times, they will just say that they have "x amount of nurses [RNs]" and do not even count the LPN as part of them.

Basically, I am saying that we ALL are nurses; different scopes of practice, yes...but we are in this thing together.:cheers:

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jan 10, 2008

Years ago when I was an LPN I worked med/surg. I was not allowed to touch an IV period, not even change the bottle. Yes, they were glass bottles back then. I mainly passed PO meds because the RN's gave their own IM pain meds. We didn't do IV pain meds back then. Anyway, we had this supervisor and whenever something needed to be done she would always say "send the little LPN to do it" :angryfire I was a young nurse, in my 20's, good thing she wouldn't have a chance to say that to me today because I would have showed her what "the little LPN could say about that". I'm so glad times have changed! LPN's in my facility get alot of respect and do everything but start PCA pumps and spike blood, they can run it, just not spike it, really dumb.

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY !!! :cheers: :w00t:

showbizrn · Jan 10, 2008

Okay, I guess I have a question relating to....well I'll just give the situation...I usually introduce my self to my patients after I recieve my assignment and report. And I start out..."Hi, My name is Ally and I will be your nurse today....." Then usually 2 times out of 10....Ill get a question from my patient saying " Are you an LPN OR RN? " I have no problem answering thier question after that. but I was wondering does this happen to anyone else but me?........
I don't know what I feel about it really but i find it kind of odd that you get patients with no medical background asking whether youre and LPN or an RN...Just makes me feel alittle uneasy sometimes...lol... IT's like Hey I wonder is it for legal purposes.....

Don't underestimate today's informed consumer---You might meet them in court one day. Most of them KNOW the difference between an LPN and RN.

I wouldn't test the waters.

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Jan 10, 2008

An RN:nurse:

Katie82, RN · Jan 10, 2008

I think LPNs have come a long way from the day when their training was 1 year of clinicals with no prereqs. They were employed sparingly by hospitals and used primarily to pass oral meds and some procedures. Now they are respected team members and rightfully so. A lot of people don't realize that LPNs today have often had the same first year of curriculum that RNs have. What amazes me is that a lot of good LPNs never go back to finish the RN portion of the program.

Marie-123 · Jan 10, 2008

So sorry Moe about the gender issue. Yes, I have been working with alot of male Rns, CNA,s and LPN's lately. I am very very happy that more men are entering the nursing field. All the men I have been working with are middle age, went back to school to make this career change and are so appreciative of the nursing profession compared to working in a factory type job. :specs: ... I too was an LPN before going back to school and becoming an RN. Like a fool, I retired my LPN license and just pay the RN license. You all reponding to this thread have taught me the benefits of keeping both. Good for you:specs: and thank you!!!

Ms Kylee · Jan 10, 2008

One nurse I work with (whom I absolutely love because she's always so encouraging) always wants me to go in with her to do a patient's admission. I always go because this gives me the chance to do the patient's admission vitals.

We went into a new patient's room and he looked at me, then at her and said to me "Is she the RN?" I nodded and smiled and said "Yes, she is. And not only is she the RN, she's got a BSN." He looked at her, then at me, and told me "I'd better be good then." Took all I had not to laugh.

mom4jesus · Jan 10, 2008

I am currently a LPN going back for my RN after being inactive for 13 years. When a family member is in the hospital I don't tell the nurses that I have any experience in nursing or any medical knowlege. I just watch and ask appropriate questions. Sometimes they catch on and sometimes they don't. Most of the time the nurse's name tags are on backward and as a patient you can not tell whether they are a CNA, LPN, or RN. I found this very frustrating. I never have asked the creditials of the nurse doing the care, but you sure can't tell just by the name tag. I really wanted to ask why their name tag was on backwards though.

There has only been one hospital that really intoduced themselves and wrote their name on the board ect. They also had their name tags on the right way. I felt a lot better about the care at this hospital than at the one where all the nurses hid their name tags. I didn't feel better about the care because it was an all RN staff because it wasn't. I felt better because it wasn't like they were trying to hide who they were. I knew that an RN was doing my son's IV and not a CNA coming and doing something out of their scope of practice.

Ms Kylee · Jan 10, 2008

I always introduce myself as "I'm Kylee, I'm your nursing assistant today. So and So will be your nurse today." That way my patients and their families know I'm not the nurse.