"LPNs should be done away with altogether"

Published

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...

Jennifer

~slightly confused and frustrated LPN student

Specializes in LTC, Wounds, Med/Surg, Tele, Triage.

in response to itsmyturn...your learning experiance sounds alot like mine. The LPN program I went to prepared us to further our education. Being an LPN was meant to be a stepping stone for most of us. By fostering a sense of competency, confidence, and adding a good amount of nursing theory to the program, the LPN's from our school were already 'preped' to take that next step. We were expected to.

Specializes in Acute post op ortho.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

"Licensed practical nurses held about 749,000 jobs in 2006. About 26 percent of LPNs worked in hospitals, 26 percent in nursing care facilities, and another 12 percent in offices of physicians. Others worked for home health care services; employment services; residential care facilities; community care facilities for the elderly; outpatient care centers; and Federal, State, and local government agencies. About 19 percent worked part time."

To remove this many licensed nurses from the work force would be disastrous, not only for our health care system, but for the economy in general.

Who would fill the gap?

Just as nurse practitioners & physician assistants provide vital services under the supervision of a physician, the LPN also provides everything from basic personal care to complex procedures requiring specialized training, under the supervision of the RN.

Should this country decide to abandon the LPN, I would hope they would be given the opportunity to bridge to an RN degree so as not to leave a void that would stretch our already stressed RN's to the breaking point.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm

You know there is a segment of the RN population that is a bunch of elitist assassins. If you're not like them, BSN at minimum, the hell with you. Luckily the job market doesn't see things their way. And maybe that's why they're so bitter.

I have been an LPN for 30 years. Did I ever think about going back to school for the RN ? yes, but life got in the way. Have I taken classes to improve my skills? yes, I have an IV certificate, and an MDS/Care Plan certicicate, a Rehab Nurse certificate, Advanced Phlebotomy certificate, a CNA Instructor certificate, I could go on & on. I work @ a Walk in Care that gets everything from head colds to heart attacks. Who do you think the RN calls when a child needs an IV ? Me. They either can't, or don't want to even try ! I love my job, and my patients, and truly believe God called me to do this, not manage, but interact. My middle daughter is an RN, and she admits I know more PRACTICAL applications that she does. She had never inserted a foley catheter in school, started an IV or Mixed antibiotics.

Yes, our training is different for many reasons, just as an MD is different from a PA or a DO. different jobs and different qualifications for different areas.

Go on to RN school if you choose, but don't let anyone tell you you are not a nurse if your license says LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE.

Not trying to start something ugly but in the area that I work in, most LPNs are African-American, while most RNs are still White Americans. This may be reflected across the states as well. I think somewhere in the whole mish-mash of LPN vs RN, this factor resides. And as in the 70s and 80s, advancement of African-American RNs is still more troublesome than White RNs.

:heartbeat :redpinkhe I am an RN. I've been an RN for 15 years. For 15 years prior, I was an LPN. In LPN training, we were told by our instructors that if we didn't continue our eduction, we would eventually be phased out by the ANA. This was in 1979. LPN's continue to function in nursing and will always have a place in rendering care to those in need. With the nursing shortage in many states eliminating LPNs will only add to the problem in those states. I live in a state where the shortage is so low that the ANA doesn't consider Mississippi as having a shortage. And, LPNs continue to render care in acute and long-term care settings in spite of the dire predictions of my LPN educators. The hospital where I work no longer hires LPNs but has in house about 10. I have worked with many of these nurses and they have years of experience and offer care comparable to most RN's. The main problems most RN's have with them is that they are not allowed to do the intial assessments on their patients and are not allowed to do IV therapy, even if they are certified in IVT, leaving the RN to do all their IVF"s and IV medications and their initial 12 hr shift assestments along with those of their own assignments. If management and the ANA allowed the LPN's to function to their abilities, the problem here in this state with LPNs in acute care would be eliminated. If LPNs are able to assess LTC patients with professional skill then they most assuredly are able to assess acutely ill patients with the same proficiency. IMO, LPN's are a vital part of nursing and should be allowed to function to their full capacity in both the long-term and acute care settings. I've worked with RN's of lesser skills then many LPN's I've had the pleasure of working with. :redpinkhe :heartbeat

Specializes in School Nursing.

?????? what does that have to do with anything ???

praiser

not trying to start something ugly but in the area that i work in, most lpns are african-american, while most rns are still white americans. this may be reflected across the states as well. i think somewhere in the whole mish-mash of lpn vs rn, this factor resides. and as in the 70s and 80s, advancement of african-american rns is still more troublesome than white rns.

Just that prejudices/biases other than skill set/education also reside in the LPN vs RN controversy.

to : dotherightthing

wow ! In my workplace almost all the RN's are African- American, there are very few white nurses. I am glad to work for a company that sees All THE TEAM as making valuable contributions, and not seeing the color of their skin. I am of mixed heritage, A/A, American Indian, Germanand Scot. I identify myself as a proud American, not as a race or color.

Specializes in LTC, Wounds, Med/Surg, Tele, Triage.

We probably shouldn't start down the prejudice/bias route! The men might get involved and back us into a corner ladies, lol. With that being said, I should admit that about 50% of the nurses on my unit are male, and things usually flow like a river. Coincidence?

Oh oh, please don't let this thread get under your skin...color of your skin has nothing to do with it so just ignore it and go on.

Good for you. The only place I've ever seen anything like that is in a community health center that sat right in the middle of a very poor, minority neighborhood. White nurses were afraid to drive into the area. As far as acute care, never seen it like that.

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