Respect the letters

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I worked my butt off in Nursing school. I really did my best. I never worked in this field before becoming a nurse so basic nursing things weren't so basic to me. I really worked hard. I passed NCLEX first try 85 questions and graduated from school with a 3.0. Only for people to now say "are you an RN or LPN"? Then when I say LPN they look at me like I'm dumb. Everytime a friend , family member says congrats on becoming a nurse they say are you an RN or LPN. I was even told at my job by another nurse that I need to listen to her because she's an RN and I'm just an LPN. It really hurts my feelings that we are not respected as nurses. I was adevised by an RN student that LPNS don't give medications...I looked at her like what and quickly educated her. I try to ask her if she needs help with studying as she is in her first semester and she says no to the nursing classes that she is struggling in because I'm an LPN. She did allow me to help her write an English paper which she achieved a 93 on but the nursing classes she won't accept help. What's everyone's deal about LPNs?

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

WOW fellow nurses no comments and only 1 like but alot of views. So no one has experienced what I am talking about???? I find that very hard to believe

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Hi Chrissy - I feel your pain. I have been an LPN since 2009 and experienced exactly what you're talking about. I'm about to graduate July 23rd with my BSN and what has been most distressing is a lot of my RN courses have supported in my opinion looking down on LPNs [emoji53]. I am one of three LPNs in my class and whenever something is said about what an LPN can't do we all give each other a "knowing" look because we know what the reality is. Please don't get me wrong I do (especially now) understand the difference in training/education from an LPN to an RN, but LPNs deserve respect for the their education and skills too. I have met and worked with experienced LPNs that were far more knowledgable and could work rings around any RN. No one is JUST an LPN - we are all nurses and should be treated with respect!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Hi Chrissy - I feel your pain. I have been an LPN since 2009 and experienced exactly what you're talking about. I'm about to graduate July 23rd with my BSN and what has been most distressing is a lot of my RN courses have supported in my opinion looking down on LPNs [emoji53]. I am one of three LPNs in my class and whenever something is said about what an LPN can't do we all give each other a "knowing" look because we know what the reality is. Please don't get me wrong I do (especially now) understand the difference in training/education from an LPN to an RN, but LPNs deserve respect for the their education and skills too. I have met and worked with experienced LPNs that were far more knowledgable and could work rings around any RN. No one is JUST an LPN - we are all nurses and should be treated with respect!

I really appreciate your post

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to Nursing Professionalism

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
I worked my butt off in Nursing school. I really did my best. I never worked in this field before becoming a nurse so basic nursing things weren't so basic to me. I really worked hard. I passed NCLEX first try 85 questions and graduated from school with a 3.0. Only for people to now say "are you an RN or LPN"? Then when I say LPN they look at me like I'm dumb. Everytime a friend , family member says congrats on becoming a nurse they say are you an RN or LPN. I was even told at my job by another nurse that I need to listen to her because she's an RN and I'm just an LPN. It really hurts my feelings that we are not respected as nurses. I was adevised by an RN student that LPNS don't give medications...I looked at her like what and quickly educated her. I try to ask her if she needs help with studying as she is in her first semester and she says no to the nursing classes that she is struggling in because I'm an LPN. She did allow me to help her write an English paper which she achieved a 93 on but the nursing classes she won't accept help. What's everyone's deal about LPNs?

We'll never be able to explain or eliminate that 'just' mentality. If I remember my nursing history correctly, LPNs were founded because of an urgent need for trained nurses, faster than the normal training period required for RNs, to assist with whatever battle was going on back then. I was told back in 1984 (during my practical nursing program) that after that particular period of discard had ended, it was the initial plan to phase out LPNs; and so we should get our RN license as quickly as possible due to that phasing-out period having been years and years overdue.

Well, it hasn't happened yet. I've experienced what you've describe more times than I can count. That experience increased after I received an ASN-RN, and I have witnessed it from physician's assistants (PAs) towards nurse practitioners (NP), doctors in training (Residents) towards nurses, and actual doctors (MDs) towards nurses. But my all time favorite was between cardiac surgeon and a cardiologist when I worked on the cardiac step down unit in southeast Georgia.

So, my fellow LPN, at the risk of down-playing your experience, I say to you, keep living 'cuz you ain't seen nothing yet! Practice your duck-n-dodge and bob-n-weave technique or else you will be the victim of a TKO!:blackeye::dead:

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
We'll never be able to explain or eliminate that 'just' mentality. If I remember my nursing history correctly, LPNs were founded because of an urgent need for trained nurses, faster than the normal training period required for RNs, to assist with whatever battle was going on back then. I was told back in 1984 (during my practical nursing program) that after that particular period of discard had ended, it was the initial plan to phase out LPNs; and so we should get our RN license as quickly as possible due to that phasing-out period having been years and years overdue.

Well, it hasn't happened yet. I've experienced what you've describe more times than I can count. That experience increased after I received an ASN-RN, and I have witnessed it from physician's assistants (PAs) towards nurse practitioners (NP), doctors in training (Residents) towards nurses, and actual doctors (MDs) towards nurses. But my all time favorite was between cardiac surgeon and a cardiologist when I worked on the cardiac step down unit in southeast Georgia.

So, my fellow LPN, at the risk of down-playing your experience, I say to you, keep living 'cuz you ain't seen nothing yet! Practice your duck-n-dodge and bob-n-weave technique or else you will be the victim of a TKO!:blackeye::dead:

Thanks, I appreciate your post

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Maybe it's your approach? You're offering to help her write papers and study? How about waiting until you're asked?

I don't see someone asking "LPN or RN?" as being disrespectful--there IS a difference

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Maybe it's your approach? You're offering to help her write papers and study? How about waiting until you're asked?

I don't see someone asking "LPN or RN?" as being disrespectful--there IS a difference

I understand there is a difference but it shouldn't matter.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I understand there is a difference but it shouldn't matter.

I don't see anything wrong with offering to help study with someone is struggling. Someone that I've known for for 12 years..no problem or harm in that.

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Specializes in Geriatics.

I know exactly what you are saying. I see it to at work. An RN once told me the best trainer she ever had was an LVN.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Oh, but it does! Your BON has decided that---no one here!

I understand there is a difference but it shouldn't matter.
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