As an offshoot to the News article about nursing education, an opinion was brought to the board that LPNs are not adequately prepared to care for patients, and that their education is not strenuous like an RN program is. Having been in the field for awhile, what is your opinion on the differences between LPNs and RNs, other than the legally different aspects (LPNs cannot do initial assessments or IVs in my state for instance)
I'm not looking to start trouble, but rather discuss the topic in an area other than an unrelated thread.
Differences in LPNs vs RNs (educationally, functionally, intellectually)
Best way to combat any possible negatives of the above
Advice for an LPN student (who is too far through her program to just throw it out and start over in an RN program - already applied for an LPN to RN program starting Jan 2010)
Should I really expect to run into attitudes in the workplace about my not being worthwhile as an employee and a care provider because I chose the path that I have? How do you handle it if you do?
There is a local small rural hospital that pays incredibly well for LPNs right out of school and who has been trying very hard to recruit us during clinicals... am I going to be inequipped to care for patients there because of my education? I would never want to get into a situation where patient care was compromised because my education was lacking somehow...
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
LPN's wil never be "phased out"....They are solely used in long term care and in hospitals...In my psych hospital only LPN's are the medication nurses and the RNs are the floor nurses/charge.....Let's face it, a corporation will use LPN's as much as they can due to the fact that they can save $$$$$...
It's all about them making a profit. If they could use CNA's as nurses and get away with it, they would....
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
above post,.....I am NOT comparing LPN's to CNA's....please don't misunderstand my post....I was just stating that corps. will always work the people that they can pay less to.....
LPN's are invaluable in hospitals, dr's offices, LTC, etc...they will never do away with them....
20 years ago we all heard that us ADN RN's would be phased out and a Bachelors would be required of RN's....never happened...
I have been an lpn since 1965. I have a great career and still working. Matter of fact i rec my retirement from a great hosp this april. I have worked in most areas of the hospital and i have also and still do work with 2 nursing agencies. I have never had a blemish on my license and no one has ever died due to my lack of knowledge as you put it. I am iv certified, andm very skilled in my nursing., and i also resent your attitude toward lpns. Grow up:::
Being a LPN for years now, Yes RNs are in college longer and work hard for their education that being said...
CNAs Med Tech.LPNs are all important in the healthcare system. I know several CNAs who are intelligent professional. Med Techs
who are a blessing to healthcare. There is great need for all as a team no one title is more important than any other,and job experience is most valuable. I have done assessment, have even orientated many RNs and have learnt from CNAs & CMTs
There is a nursing shortage it would not make since to do away with LPN
LPN's wil never be "phased out"....They are solely used in long term care and in hospitals...In my psych hospital only LPN's are the medication nurses and the RNs are the floor nurses/charge.....Let's face it, a corporation will use LPN's as much as they can due to the fact that they can save $$$$$...
It's all about them making a profit. If they could use CNA's as nurses and get away with it, they would....
Funny and not so funny...isn't that pretty much what hospitals are doing? In OR they have what they call a CNA II, which certifies CNAs to do foley caths, blood sugars, and minor dressing changes. Some think that is one reason LPNs have been pretty much phased out of hospitals.
Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.
I recently went in to local med. hospital for an IVP....I didn't see a nurse in the dept.....
they were "CMT"'s ....certified medical technicians....I thought I was in the auto repair shop....after two of them could not hit my vein, I waited 1/2 hr. for a nurse to finally come in from another floor...
it saddens me to hear of and see the untrained personnel doing the work of nurses....it is pitiful for the pts., for sure...
You, makes so good points, and I agree somewhat, but if we all take care of our own parents and grandparents then we wouldn't have to worry about the training that others have, I must admit, that I am in nursing school and in the same building there is a LVN school and we eat in the same place that they do, and most of us don't even speak or look at them. So, I decide to speak and give respect to them, because I know one day or night, I may be on the hospital floor and need one of them to help me save someone life. We have to look at this as a team. Its like day care, no one can take care of our kids like we can; however, we are not available, because we have to work, therefore we should thank them for being there for our kids, but many complain about that they kids are learning there, when we are the one who suppose to be teaching. I think if we look at LVNs with respect, then they will feel respected, then some will want to get more education, and some will just feel a little better doing their jobs, and remember doctors thinks nurses are stupid.
Funny and not so funny...isn't that pretty much what hospitals are doing? In OR they have what they call a CNA II, which certifies CNAs to do foley caths, blood sugars, and minor dressing changes. Some think that is one reason LPNs have been pretty much phased out of hospitals.
This is what I mean, not part of our CNAs practice ever in NJ! We have Clinical techs in the ER only and they are all EMTs, nursing students and paramedic students! They don't do foleys, but assist with procedures, draw blood and perform EKGs. AND they are not nurses! But they are invaluable to us! It is the only place in the hospital that has such requirements. WE don't hire MAs, we train our CTs and provide certification, most go on to be something else and cycle into our system. They learn good skills, they learn how to function in an ER, they learn to critically think at our knees. Personally, I think this type of job should be entry level for nursing as it encompasses alot more than actual clinicals do-anyone leaving our area will not how to do the standard skills and then some and not from nursing school!
And for the poster who said take care of your own, many of us do, many people can't. Finish school and look at life's realities. Only when you see a former football coach beating his wife because he has Alzheimers, or an old incontinent, confused man with only his little old wife to care for him will you understand that it is not possible to keep everyone home. Not everyone has extended family, supportive family or the financial situation to enable that. Blanket statements get everyone in trouble!
BTW, our ER doctors respect us because we protect the patients and them through our knowledge and actions. There are many doctors that don't and that's because the nurses allow it!
I have been an LPN for almost 20 years and have worked in all areas. Currently I am working as the MDS coordinator for my facility. Before that I was the ADON, with that came alot of responsibility and hard work. I was never singled out because of being an LPN. I have worked very hard to be where I'm at. It's not fair that some RN's think that they are better just because of the title. I had more clinical experience than most. I love my job and have been slowly taking courses for my RN. I have seen some real poor RN's over the years, and have watched all their major errors be swept under the carpet so to speak, so should we do away with LPN's I say no way, we are trained just as well if not better in patient care and is'nt that what it's all about, taking care of patients in the best possible manner.
Probably one of the most effectives things to do is to bring LPNs to where ADNs are right now. 6 to 10 months in school could probably accomplish this for new and experienced LPNs. Getting everyone on the RN track would likely satisfy state requirements. There would be a buzz about it for a while but then most would see the benefit.
It might also solve some of the problems with bringing foreign-born nurses to the states in large numbers. In my career, I've seen this as a huge problem in regard to both language and culture. It's not talked about much. Foreign-born nurses tend to be very task oriented but have a difficult time explaining theory to patients, families and other staff. In a facility where foreign-born nurse staff is much larger than American born nurses, LPN or RN, the culture of the facility changes to that of the majority of the workers. The pains that the patients experience can be seen especially for those who have dementia/alzheimers and have to listen to foreign languages being spoken around them, orienting them is much more difficult. It's why you don't see large numbers of foreign-born nurses in hospitals-considered more acute care and it's one of the reasons why you see american born RNs running screaming out of LTC when they have some experience.
So a couple of issues could be addressed by providing more formal education to LPNs and allowing them the RN title. In this way, LPNs could be successfully eliminated without causing yet more job loss in this difficult economy.
I believe that if the 1 yr LPN program was done away with and replaced with an 18 month associates RN, that would be good. I learn a lot more in school than people give us credit for. The things we can't do because of our scope is still taught to us so that we understand what is going on. I can't give blood but we are taught how to do it, what to watch for after it is given and who to send it back to if there is a transfusion reaction. We wrap ourselves all around things like this everyday but are not allow to do the core job. I wrote care plans every week on my patients in clinicals and in the class. I know how to do them. I know how to start an IV because they taught us. Now, I am having to take an IV therapy course which will be good, but why not save time and money for the hospitals by teaching me the rest of this while I am in school and put it within my scope before. So, if we had 6 more months of clinicals and advance education, we should be able to function in the RN position. After that program, they should require pre-reqs, another level of nursing classes and you will have your bsn and so on. The education I got was great but I am learning a lot on the floor than I ever did because lets face it, this job is a hands on learning experience that you get by doing it over and over.
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aloevera
861 Posts
LPN's wil never be "phased out"....They are solely used in long term care and in hospitals...In my psych hospital only LPN's are the medication nurses and the RNs are the floor nurses/charge.....Let's face it, a corporation will use LPN's as much as they can due to the fact that they can save $$$$$...
It's all about them making a profit. If they could use CNA's as nurses and get away with it, they would....