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...
i do agree that most hospitals are turning to RNs verses LPNs. It is what it is which in all cases is not smart.
If get sick at work there are 2 nurses that I would feel the most assured with the care they would provide. One RN one LPN
And lets not forget some people are book smart then some are life smart. Bottom line we are all nurses. We know how hard the work can be. RESPECT is the one thing we need from each other regardless RN LPN CMT CNA. ( and yes even DR.s LOL)
The one thing that really gets to me is when someone says ONLY a.... Regardless of title behind our name Like i tell the CMTs and CNA i work with I respect their job and couldn't do it without them
Unfortunately, very few RN's are willing to work in LTC's , passing, meds, doing treatments, all the documentation required by the state, and the chronically understaffed state of most LTC's . I was once told by a state inspector I had 3 minutes per patient, for meds, and that included the crushes and tube feeders, as you know, 1 med @ a time, flush, repeat, and God forbid there are fliud restrictions ! Not to mention the fighters, biters, scratchers, and families who hover over, waiting like vultures for you to mess up, and @ times, hoping you do !
I have worked 23 hours straight because of call offs, and ' there's no one else to do it " . Perhaps the government should 'rethink 'the patient to nurse ratio in a long term care, and go for the maximum, not the minimum staffing necessary.
If he can call him self black, I can too! The point is If you study hard the sky is the limit. It does not matter what other people think of you. Knowledge is power. They have to RESPECT that.
I'm an LPN & at the local hospital around here, the LPN's are the ones doing all the meds (that they can give as PN's, that is), I've been a nurse since 2004, & still get the question.... why don't you want to be an RN? No thanks, it's just not for me.
In NY, LPN's are not allowed to take a charge position (this includes LTC). You can see it for yourself if you look at the question and answer portion of the NYS Nurses Guide to Practice, page 16 question 14. They are not allowed to assess, not just initial assessment, but any assessment. Therefore, how would an LPN assess the need for a PRN medication? LPN's are a great asset for LTC facilities, but I believe they need to further their education. Also, how many LPN's could be facing fines or charges for taking these positions?
I also believe they should not be in the building without an RN on site. I was one who sat in my RN program and said I will never go back to college... I will just take my RN 2 year education and live with it. After working the field, I realized as a nurse you must NEVER stop learning. Now I am pushing for the advancement of our profession.
Here is the NYS nurses guide so you can see the question I mentioned:
In NY, LPN's are not allowed to take a charge position (this includes LTC). You can see it for yourself if you look at the question and answer portion of the NYS Nurses Guide to Practice, page 16 question 14. They are not allowed to assess, not just initial assessment, but any assessment. Therefore, how would an LPN assess the need for a PRN medication? LPN's are a great asset for LTC facilities, but I believe they need to further their education. Also, how many LPN's could be facing fines or charges for taking these positions?
I also believe they should not be in the building without an RN on site. I was one who sat in my RN program and said I will never go back to college... I will just take my RN 2 year education and live with it. After working the field, I realized as a nurse you must NEVER stop learning. Now I am pushing for the advancement of our profession.
Here is the NYS nurses guide so you can see the question I mentioned:
i would like to know what positions you are talking about?
for LPN's taking a position in LTC?
i don't live in NY, but i know that there is a poster on here who does that works in a hospital and is an incredibly knowledgable nurse.
and about the PRN med thing, give us more credit, please....... data collection (which BONs will tell you is different than assessment) IS within the scope of practice for the LPN, and data collection includes monitoring patient condition, pain level, breath sounds, vital signs, etc, etc, etc.
advancement of the profession is great, but by snubbing your nose at LPN's, you're only making us feel like our hard work is not valued. one of my main reasons for going back to school as soon as possible is so i don't have to feel like a second class nurse all the time.
In NY LPN's can be fined for taking charge nurse roles. There are many that do take these roles, especially in LTC facilities. Why do you prefer to work as a LPN at almost half the pay??? You do almost the same work, minus the assessments and some medications. In many instances the positions available are only those in LTC facilities. And there are many facilities that are phasing out the LPN positions. One hospital I know of gave their LPN's a choice, return to school for your RN or work as a CNA. This is something happening at many facilities now. AND YES....there are MANY wonderful LPN's out there that have been in nursing for years that can walk circles around some RN's.. and they should be the first to advance! They could bring so much more to the nursing profession. They are changing so many rules for nursing. Educational requirements are being changed. If they do enact the BSN in 10 in NY, they will also make changes to the LPN licensure.
I do not mean to snub the LPN's, I just believe that ANY nurse, no matter how long they have been a nurse should NEVER stop learning! Yes LPN's are a great resource, but they do need to advance. Every medical profession is advancing their entry level education and I think nursing needs to move with the times.
"In NY LPN's can be fined for taking charge nurse roles"
Taking charge? I've never worked anywhere that the charge nurse position wasn't decided by the DON. Are there LPN's out there that stage some sort of mutiny & overthrow management?
In NY LPN's can be fined for taking charge nurse roles. There are many that do take these roles, especially in LTC facilities. Why do you prefer to work as a LPN at almost half the pay??? You do almost the same work, minus the assessments and some medications. In many instances the positions available are only those in LTC facilities. And there are many facilities that are phasing out the LPN positions. One hospital I know of gave their LPN's a choice, return to school for your RN or work as a CNA. This is something happening at many facilities now. AND YES....there are MANY wonderful LPN's out there that have been in nursing for years that can walk circles around some RN's.. and they should be the first to advance! They could bring so much more to the nursing profession. They are changing so many rules for nursing. Educational requirements are being changed. If they do enact the BSN in 10 in NY, they will also make changes to the LPN licensure.
I do not mean to snub the LPN's, I just believe that ANY nurse, no matter how long they have been a nurse should NEVER stop learning! Yes LPN's are a great resource, but they do need to advance. Every medical profession is advancing their entry level education and I think nursing needs to move with the times.
i don't prefer to work for less. i didn't wake up one day and say "let me go to LPN school, because i really want to get $10 less an hour and have to work twice as hard for respect". i didn't get into an RN program. i was wait listed. i wanted to get my foot in the door and i work full time. i have the utmost respect for LPNs and i have learned so much from the LPNs i used to work with in the hospital, so i figured it was worth a shot. and i'm glad i did it.
i work in a GI med/surg unit and i love it and i have said before i am happy to work there for a little less than i would make at LTC and i'm glad the hospital has faith in my knowledge and skills and did not snub my application because i am "only" an LPN. i am moving next month and have been offered a job on telemetry unit in a hospital. the experience i will gain is invaluable to me and it will in the long run make me an awesome nurse.
i am bridging to RN within the next 2 years, as i am moving out of state and have to wait for the next application process which will probably be spring of 2010. and that will be an ADN program. i cannot afford at this time in my life to pay the tuition for four years at a university.
if the RN level was limited to BSN's, it would wipe out many an excellent nurse to be who cannot afford university tuition. what they need to do is bring back hospital diploma nursing programs, in my opinion, because those nurses are so well trained on bedside care and nursing, instead of paper writing, care planning and theory. my mom went to a diploma RN program before going back for her bachelor's degree and her tales of nursing school would make the students of today cringe, but she was ready to hit the floor running as a brand new grad nurse.
i learn each and everyday. just because i am a LPN doesn't mean i am some trained monkey. any nurse who tells you they don't learn everyday is lying.
i agree the more education, the better. some nurses are very content at being LPNs and that choice should be respected. we need to respect each other in this profession. and as a LPN, at work i feel respected, but when i come on here, i feel like i am a burden because of the comments made about us by my fellow nurses. LPNs are of a huge value to the field of nursing and should not go anywhere.
Specializes in Nursing Home, Home Health, Hosp, Correc..
I have been a LPN for going on 12 years now. I started in an Associate in Science in Nursing program that had a LPN option. After getting my LPN I had to leave the program due to personal reasons; so I got RN training up until I had to leave. I got a job that gave my IV training; so other than initial assessments, declaring death, and a few other things, in my state, I can do everything a RN can. So, where does that leave me? No job because most of the facilities around here only employ RN's. Nursing Homes are an exception, but I've done that most of my career, and now I'm burned out. Can anyone tell me what the solution is in today's economy? They scream nursing shortages in nearly all 50 states, but why are LPN's like me out of work? This also poses the question, "If LPN's are done away with what happens to those of us already out there"? Do we say they aren't nurses anymore? Do we give them honorary ABSN's ? What?
moblondielpn
17 Posts
i do agree that most hospitals are turning to RNs verses LPNs. It is what it is which in all cases is not smart.
If get sick at work there are 2 nurses that I would feel the most assured with the care they would provide. One RN one LPN
And lets not forget some people are book smart then some are life smart. Bottom line we are all nurses. We know how hard the work can be. RESPECT is the one thing we need from each other regardless RN LPN CMT CNA. ( and yes even DR.s LOL)
The one thing that really gets to me is when someone says ONLY a.... Regardless of title behind our name Like i tell the CMTs and CNA i work with I respect their job and couldn't do it without them