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 have been an LVN/LPN for 27 years. I have trained many RN's because the RN does NOT get as much clinical time. Unfortunately, as hospitals vie for Magnet status, LPN's are being pushed out of hospitals.
I consider myself very fortunate to have gotten valuable hospital experience before I was 'forced 'to do longterm care. You can get experience as LPN in longterm care. One BIG thing you will learn is organization as you will be very busy.
Hospitals if they let us work, will require the RN to cosign LPN assessments in addition to the RN's own assignment. I soon will be that RN with 27 years experience as I have 9 months to complete my LPN to RN BSN program.
work for the government...military hospital or VA. they respect LPN's and pay for your school!!!
A former classmate of mine who was an LPN in a VA hospital said that the LPNs were treated like dogs. She said they were treated like CNAs who could give meds. So potential VA LPNs should try to feel out the attitude on any unit they're interested in.
Eliminating LPNs would be a very foolish move. They are needed in many settings including LTC and home care.
Specializes in Dementia, Developmental Disabilities.
I am an LPN Charge Nurse. Part of my duties (in addition to meds and treatments for 26 Dementia patients, and supervising CNAs) is precepting new RN Grads and new LPN Grads. I have repeatedly found the new LPNs much better suited to work in long-term care based on their varied and extensive clinical experience. The new RNs have had only Hospital clinical experience on at most 5 patients at a time. They have read most procedures only in books (catheters, etc.) where LPNs have physically performed these tasks repeatedly. I also found that the new RNs tend to have a chip on thier shoulder towards LPNs, even when they are being trained by one! I am two months away from finishing my RN through distance learning, which I have done for financial and advancement purposes, not status purposes. I am proud to be an LPN and everything it represents. However, in my State of CT, they have decided due to budget cuts to eliminate all state funded LPN programs. This will greatly add to the elimination of LPNs. Unfortunately, there is no current nursing shortage in our area and RNs are taking jobs that historically had only been available to LPNs, basically because RNs felt the positions were below them. LPNs are a vital part of the healthcare team, perhaps not in all areas of acute care due to their legal restrictions not their ability, but definitely in long-term care, developmentally disabled, home-care, school nurse, etc. Personally, if ill, I would choose an experienced LPN to take care of me over a fairly new RN any day!
Specializes in Chiropractic assistant, CNA in LTC, RN.
I'm a newly licensed RN (this week) and hope to start a new job in LTC next week. I am sure I will be learning a lot and asking a lot of questions from the seasoned nurses, many of whom are LPNs. I have no doubt that they will know way more than I do and will be valuable sources of knowledge for me. Do I think they should be phased out? Nope, not at all.
Everyone is not suppose to be a Dr., a Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot, RN.I am a LPN of 16 mths., I am the supervisor on the 3-11 shift in a LTC/Rehab with 110 pts.I have 24 skilled pts. I am responsible for, also three other units that I have to supervise the nurses and nurse aides. Yesterday I had to supervise RN students due to graduate in march who grumbled the whole time that they couldn't handle what I do (there were 2 students doing my job, 3 on another unit doing 1 nurses job). I am IV certified but I can't push IV meds and that bothers me, but I don't want to be a RN I am happy to be a LPN:yeah:.
I went to LPN school out of high school(graduated 1984). I worked as an LPN for 10 years in acute care settings. I did everything an RN would do and worked in critical care areas. I was one of those LPN's who took extra classes, became IV certified, EKG interpretation and IV medication certification. I admit there were many RN's and managers who treated me as less a nurse, but there were many who valued my experience and knowledge. I went back to school LPN-RN program and have been an RN for 15 years. I feel I have been a nurse for over 20 years but when calculating my experience managers and HR at hospitals give me credit for RN only! They do not take into account the 10 years of LPN experience at all even though most was working in hospitals in critical care areas and doing the same job as the RN. Let me add that I have worked in 6 different states in large hospitals and small community hospitals. I am now less than a year away from obtaining my BSN and hope to continue after that for my NP certification.
I believe the LPN instruction and education I had was valuable in my work today. I agree with a lot of others who state that LPN clinicals were much more intense and better preparred me for the actual work in caring for patients. I learned a lot from other LPN's and nursing assistants. I would encourage others interested in nursing to go for their RN degree, but also think LPN school is a good start.
As a footnote, there was talk of phasing out LPN's when I went to school. There was also a push for RN's to all have 4 year degrees when I was in that program. I don't think this possible with the shortage of nurses in many areas. We have been reading that the shortage is less than it was, but, I believe, with the advancing age of the average nurse this will again be a critical problem in the future.
I was an LPN for twenty something years and finally became an RN in 2005. I can honestly say that being a LPN was such a great learning experience. I learned to develop the bedside, assessment and medical procedures skills that were invaluable for my future as an RN. Remember that any education you have will always benefit you. Also being an LPN will help you decipher if this career is truly what you want. I wish you the best of luck. I believe that Nursing is a very wonderful and rewarding career!
Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
I was an LPN before RN. I do not consider LPN as sub nursing....they are quite capable of a lot of things. I too got tired w/ this so I continued my study to get out of this....because this will go on simply because of our laws and regs and also some people have sub brain..............small and not enough room to accomodate info and abstract information ...so they are stuck w/ the self imposed limitations on themselves and others.... Same mechanism of people who are racist.....just not enough brain up there to go beyond the color of the skin. In this case some are pretty hanged up w/ titles and dgrees .
I think becoming an LVN/LPN is extrememly important. I am beginning nursing school ina month and I would love to work in home health care. The LVNs are the nurses that make it possible for my father to stay home instead of being in an LTC. I also have worked with some awesome LPNs in Alabama that made me respect the nursing profession more than before. (There was seriously a nurse I swore was an RN because of her knowledge but was actually an LPN.) LVNs are also being utilitized more with correctional facilities and rehabs due to them being less expensive than RNs. I do plan on eventually becoming a PA at some point, but the LVN gives me my clinical experience I need. It also gives me the satisfaction of finally being a nurse! BTW, I also find it rather insulting that alot of people don't find LTCs as important or rewarding as an acute hospital. These are regular people. That could be us someday and they are still someone's family members. Taking care of the elderly can be a huge learning experience and they are not less important because they are elderly.
Personally, if ill, I would choose an experienced LPN to take care of me over a fairly new RN any day!
I think this statement goes without saying. I think it's very logical to assume that in any field, a consumer would rather an experienced professional over a novice any day of the week. It takes time to build skills/clinical judgement and confidence on the floor.
txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN
4,373 Posts
learned everything i know from being a lvn for many years....learned squat in rn school....