"Just an LPN"....does anyone else get discouraged?

moonchild20002000 · Jan 21, 2005

I have been "just an LPN' for the past 32 years.

I have been very successful and well respected. I never let those remarks bother me, I know who I am and what I can do.

I know that what I do has made a difference in a lot of peoples lives. If I feel someone is trying to really be insulting I will take time to educate them about what my role is.

MD,BSN,RN,LPN,CNA....we are all part of the team to provide the best care that we can to our patients. We are ALL important.

busylynn · Jan 21, 2005

Yes, I know exactly how you feel. People treat you as if your not a REAL NURSE if your not an RN. I have been an LPN for almost 15 years and I work in a hospital. There are only a few things that RN's do that I am not permitted to do. Unfortunately it is only going to get worse as places are beginning to phase out LPNs. I decided to go back to school and I will graduate in April. Good Luck. Don't let people get you down. You are a real nurse!

Hello nurses!
I have been discouraged lately...I feel like I am constantly fighting off the stigma of being "just an LPN." When people ask what I do, I always say I am a nurse....they then want to know if that means "RN" and of course what hospital do I work at???!!!!! I work in a clinic and have been an LPN for several years. UGGGHHH!!! Anyone else have this challenge?
Denise

buckeyenursey · Jan 21, 2005

My nephew was sick about 6 months ago, and my sis was asking me what she should tell his doc (who she had paged), so I told her what to say and while she was on the phone with him I overheard her tell him that her sis was "just a LPN"... after the phone call, she informed me that he told her that I was not "just an LPN", I had a very important job. I thought that was kinda cool. Where I work the difference between LPN's and RN's are IV's and a few dollars. I love being an LPN!

Born2BAnurse · Jan 21, 2005

what I have come to realize is that, a lot of people dont know what a LPN's do, they dont understand all that the work that we do. They think the RN's do all the work and that why they get all the prestige... I think if they knew all that LPN's do it wouldnt be "OHH your just a LPN" I am proud to be a LPN..and I believe that Being a great LPN will make you a Better RN. IF you choose to go further in your career...

Mommy/Grandma · Jan 22, 2005

What is funny is that if any of these people were our patients they would not know the difference that a LPN or an RN was taking care of them. We do just as much as an RN does except for those few things that keep our pay checks different.

LEL · Jan 22, 2005

LPN = Licensed PROFESSIONAL Nurse. We really need to change our title.....:chuckle

I totally agree with you. :rotfl:

**SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN** · Jan 22, 2005

i find these comments as hilarious personally...the other day at work... a patient asked me if i was a nurse i said yes i am an lpn he was like oh your half a nurse then...i simply said no i am a full nurse!!!

he was a new patient to the hem/onco clinic i work at, so i needed to list his medications, i asked him for a list he said he didn't have it but remembered them, well he couldn't tell me half the names....i wanted to ask him if he was just half a patient then? but i kept my mouth shut!!!

see people don't understand, nurses are nurses, we all have roles from cna, ma, lpn, rn, rn bsn....being a nurse isn't a title but rather a caring perosn...that is what nursing is helping someone get better...all of those titles do it, imo...

another point to this is i have met some really incompetent nurses all the way from cna to rn doesn't matter your title...because imo being a good nursing is taking the knowledge you have, being capable of applying that to real life situations, wrapping it all up with a whole lot of compassion that is what makes a good nurse...those three combinations.

a title doesn't imply good or bad, or full or not....it is who we are and what we do that is what makes us a nurse or not!!!

but unfortunately, you're a little off base :uhoh21:. cnas & mas no doubt are vital people within the healthcare industry; but they aren't licensed nurses! please don't further confuse the "lay people" who come here to read this bb. the general public is already confused enough :chuckle.

only lpns/lvns & rns hold licenses to practice as nurses

cheers!

moe

LEL · Jan 22, 2005

I am "just a LPN" and proud of it!!!!! I planned to go back to college to become an RN, then discovered that ALL my science classes are past the 7 year mark, sooo to be accepted into the LPN to RN program I will have to do all the A& P's over, besides Micorbiology, plus Nutrition, plus Pathophysiology, plus I would need another psych class...ugh!
Just the idea of doing all my science classes over exhausts me, so I have decided that I will remain "just a LPN" and be the best LPN I can be. Besides now on my nights off I can paint my seascapes and landscapes and animal protraits and really enjoy my nights off. What I really love is the fact that I no longer have the need to fight with myself about this decision. I have made my choice and am content with it. From now on I can enjoy my life as a 53 year old Wife/Mom/Artist/LPN. :)
So if someone says you are just a LPN, I'll say "YUP at least I'm doing what I love, how about you?!"

Love your answer.:balloons:

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

It used to really piss me off when they would ask "Oh a nurse, RN?". I would reply "No just a Little Peon Nurse". :angryfire I got mad enough one day to go back to school. Sometimes anger can be a good motivator.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

Respect must be earned. This can be done by using each opportunity you have to explain the difference in the scope of practice between Rn's and Lpn's.

In the HCA hospital where I work there is no difference in the scope of practice between RN's and LPN's except the pay. Having been both I do see the difference in pay because I know what it cost me to go back to school only to come back and do the same job.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2005

I am "just a LPN" and proud of it!!!!! I planned to go back to college to become an RN, then discovered that ALL my science classes are past the 7 year mark

With EC there's no time limit with the sciences. At least there wasn't 3 years ago when I graduated.

**SKM-NURSIEPOOH, BSN, RN** · Jan 22, 2005

it used to really piss me off when they would ask "oh a nurse, rn?". i would reply "no just a little peon nurse". :angryfire i got mad enough one day to go back to school. sometimes anger can be a good motivator.

that used to burn me up too :angryfire.... ~ still does really ~ 'cept now when i'm asked that stupid question....i just say i'm both !

cheers!

moe