"What's an LPN?" A compltely meaningless rant

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm just curious as to how many other LPNs get annoyed by this question; actually, for me, it's mostly when I get asked that online (I'm a single gal and am registered with dating sites and once in awhile I go into chat rooms). So here are my two HUGE pet peeves associated with it:

1)"What hospital do you work at?" OK. First of all, you're a stranger to me. Am I really going to tell you my place of work, esp. if it is in a place with a vulnerable population? Secondly, NOT ALL NURSES WORK IN HOSPITALS!!! :uhoh3:

I typically respond to this question "Well, I'm an LPN and hospitals in my area don't hire us." I sit at the keyboard, knowing what's coming next. I feel my BP and pulse begin to spike, and my brow begin to crease evermore deeply as I await the inevitable: "What's an LPN?"

D'OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! :mad: It's like when you're out driving and sometimes you see a car and you just KNOW the driver is about to cut you off or do something else that's rude and/or stupid.

The two problems I have with the "What's an LPN" question: 1)Since 99% of the time it's asked by somebody with whom I'm chatting online, I want to respond with "Google it, Einstein." I mean really; you're on the Internet, sitting on your A$$ wasting time just like me. Nobody wants to get to know Lazy Guy. 2)Really? You have no idea what an LPN is? What cave have you been living in? I do realize that this statement is probably unfair as those who do not work in healthcare should not have to be responsible for knowing nursing and its different levels. Still, the level of ignorance I encounter in some individuals is ASTOUNDTING.

PLEASE do not turn this into a forum for the whole "That's why nursing needs to have one level blah blah blah." I mostly wrote this to hopefully get a few chuckles out of the Constant Readers out there. :)

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I sometimes get annoyed with the question because of the attitude that there must be something wrong with me because I am "not good enough to be an RN".

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Heh.

"I'm a nurse." That works.

:)

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Specializes in LTC.
Heh.

"I'm a nurse." That works.

:)

Yeah sometimes that works, but with the racka-frackin "Which hospital" question it just leads into "They don't hire LPNs." Also, and this cracks me up, I often get "Oh, so you're an RN?" And I say "No, LPN" and THAT is followed by "What's an LPN?" ***?!? Why ask if I'm an RN if you've never heard of an LPN? Sheesh. Maybe when I get the "So you're an RN" question I should say "Nah, I tie shoes for a living."

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I don't work at a hospital, either. The local one here hires ONE RN for nights, for the 90 bed nursing home AND the ED AND the 12-bed ward. LPNs and techs. Cheaper.

It used to frost my cookies when, "I'm a nurse" was followed with, "Oh, you're an RN?"

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Specializes in LTC.
I don't work at a hospital, either. The local one here hires ONE RN for nights, for the 90 bed nursing home AND the ED AND the 12-bed ward. LPNs and techs. Cheaper.

It used to frost my cookies when, "I'm a nurse" was followed with, "Oh, you're an RN?"

Wow...I'm sure there are lots of LPNs who wish that were the norm here, as well! But even new grad RNs cannot get hired at the hospitals here, it's so competitive.

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You'd get a job in a heartbeat here.

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Maybe these folks are just trying to make conversation with you -- "what kind of work do you do?" is a pretty typical (safe) topic of conversation with someone new, and maybe, without knowing anything about healthcare (which most people don't), and without realizing this is a sore spot for a lot of LPNs, they're just trying to keep the ol' conversational ball rolling. :)

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where i work we have a man that nomatter what happenes he says he wants a real nurse not a lpn but when i caomes down to it we are ones who are really taking care of the residents i really just want to be treated by people that we did have to go to school to and pass boards

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Specializes in LTC.
Maybe these folks are just trying to make conversation with you -- "what kind of work do you do?" is a pretty typical (safe) topic of conversation with someone new, and maybe, without knowing anything about healthcare (which most people don't), and without realizing this is a sore spot for a lot of LPNs, they're just trying to keep the ol' conversational ball rolling. :)

Yeah I'm sure you're right. Guess I'm just a bit of a brat (I think it's unavoidable when one becomes a nurse, bahahaha :devil:).

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How about using "I'm a nurse specializing in Long Term Care"?

The best description when it comes down to describing the nursing divide is: The military has officers and non-coms. RNs are like officers and LPNs are enlised. Officers require degrees, non-coms don't.

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Specializes in LTC, Dementia/Alzheimer's.

Fiona,

The OP didn't specify what type of setting she works in. Not all LPN's work in LTC facilities! Lol.

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