RN vs LPN

Specialties LTC Directors

Published

Listen, before anyone's feathers get ruffled. Understand that I know we are ALL nurses and would never consider myself 'better' then another human being just because I have 2 letters after my name instead of 3.

However...Why does it feel as though I am being castrated for having the RN after my name instead of LPN. Today, I worked a midnight and the day light LPN came in in a fowl mood as she always does. She points out every mistake, every error, every little tiny detail that dosn't specifically meet her dramatized standards. Shes gone as far as to report me to the DON and ADON for not filling humidifiers which is EVERYONES job not just mine. So my boast? Why didn't she do it? As it is not just the responsability of midnight but of all shifts?

Anyway, she always has an attitude, everyday without fail. She has mulitple times said in front of me 'I used to work midnight, I'll just go back and put SOMEONE out of a job' and 'Well, looks like I will have to do A. B. C. and D. because no one can seem to do it right.'. Its degrading and she dosn't care at ALL whom she says this in front of.

Being that I am new, I don't know what to do. I've gone to my ADON and was met with 'well, thats just how she is.'. I'm affraid to stand up to the LPN because she has black balled many RN's before I walked through the doors. Actually she was souly responsible for terminating 2 RN's since I have been there and I have only been there 5 months.

A part of me really wants to throw in the towel and quit. I feel stupid every day and it dosn't help that now my ADON is making comments to me about the census and not being done the way she wants it and small nit pick comments such as 'Well, IDK about YOU but when I went to RN school I was taught times matter!'. EVERY PERSON IN THAT FACILITY WRITES '9p' over and over and over if giving the 9pm dose! No ones writes '9:12' or '9:24' we all just write 9!

I can't tell if my skin needs to get thicker, or if I really do have a problem. It seems every morning I am in trouble and my stomach just flips the moment I see the LPN walking down the hall. Even worse when I see the ADON. As a new nurse, I barely have any confidence as is and today really just wanted to toss my hands in the air and say 'Screw it! Here is my two weeks! I'll call off for the next 10 days and we can just be done! Thats what you all want is'nt it?!?!' Unfortunately I am pregnant and this facility has promised to work around my pragnancy.

I guess I just need sme advice, keep my head down? Start fighting back (which I am telling you won't work), go higher? To administration? To the company? Plus today didn't help as I made my first mediciation error and gave Xanax instead of Ativan! I am so distraught about it I want to just cry. Of course, Mrs.HappyI'maJerk LPN caught it and HAD to make sure everyone knew. I was completely mortified. I sat at the front desk calling family and doctors near tears the whole time only to have a doctor tell me 'its not that big of a deal, just watch her' and I asked 'But its a narcotic??' he said 'Yes, but from the same family. It happeneds, its ok'. I felt as if this resident was going to DIE the way she acted.

I'm very scared to go to my administrater. I know she will back me, but how can she? They wrote me up over and IV mistake that I didn't do because the ADON and superjerk LPN told me to do it a certain way! Then reliquished when they realized they were wrong and hung ME for it. Now the narcotic error? How can the Administrater defend me even if she wanted to?

I don't want to be them, bitter nurses who complain about the smallest mistake. I don't want to become them and I feel it. Its making me so bitter toward LPN's and I never want to be that way. IDK what to do.

Halp! LOL

Melpomene RN

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You don't want to ruffle feathers? Then why is it you are up in arms about the behavior of the LPN but not your ADON (whom I am assuming is an RN). You then go on to call the LPN " Mrs.HappyI'maJerk LPN " and "superjerk LPN ". Really? What about the 'superjerk' ADON? She, too, has nitpicked at you yet you make no nasty comments about her. And this ONE LPN is making you feel bitter toward LPN's but the ADON is not making you feel anyway toward RNs?

I don't see this as much a RN vs LPN thing as it is one nurse (who happens to be an LPN) who has issues.

I've worked with LPNs, RNs and APRNs who acted just like you mention the LPN acting. Its the person, not the letters after their name. Some people just make themselves feel better by making others feel bad about themselves or by pointing out anothers errors, mistakes etc.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

She just sounds like a difficult person. You'll find them in all walks of life. To my knowledge, nursing school doesn't teach some people to be obnoxious and some to be wonderful.

Since you are new, pregnant and have already gone complaining to the ADON, and she blew off your concerns the best advice would probably be to keep your head down until you can find a job that won't cause you to be in a state of emotional upheaval all the time. Just be aware that type can rear it's head at any job. Wish I had a better answer for you. As I've related here before, I'm lucky in that I've only had one such supervising nurse who seemed to enjoy putting everyone else down. I had to leave that job eventually.

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I should of explained better. The super jerk LPN has blaintly stated that she dislikes me because 'I am an RN and I don't know what I'm doing' as she is aware I have only been a nurse for under a year she has no tolerance of that. The reason it seems I am complaining more over the LPN is because I do not see the ADON daily. I do not want to argue, and as I said I don't want to irritate anyone but maybe I didn't explain it right. She has said she is targeting me due to my credentials not skill. She has said that WAY before the nit picking began. No I am not going to ask why. As I have asked *** her problem is and been ignored on 3 occasions. So as stated in my post, she boasted quite admirably about having the other two RNs termed. She has also made the comment to me that 'this is an LPN only facility and RNs are not wanted.' as they have 'fought hard to keep it that way.' She's meaning floor RNs. What I am. The ADON I haven't had problems with till the past week. So does that help?

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Yes, that helps. Had you said that in your first post I would for sure agree that she's not fond of RNs. Sound like your in a lose/lose situation. If the ADON is backing her can you go to the DON about the statements she's made to you? Other than working the chain of command (ADON, DON, administrator) I would figure the best thing to do is get out of there ASAP.

And please don't become jadded to all LPNs. This LPN looks up admirably to RNs. (I hope to join the ranks of RNs in May 2013, 3 more classes to go!). We don't all dislike RNs, honestly I've never heard an LPN stating they don't like a nurse just because they are an RN.

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I am beginning to think that this place is very backward. Today a nurse tech stormed away from me down the hall on my midnight sift YELLING because she wasn't in the computer! There are no repercussions for her actions it seems and I am over all simply done. I attempted to write her up, only to be met with more disrespect. I called my administrator and was told she is 'like that'. Ok well, that makes it except able?

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Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.

Get out of there asap, and this is said by an Rn who was an lpn first. Your an Rn go to the hospital or maybe home health.Rod Rn, BsnI bet superjerk would love me because her @ss would be written up in an instant.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
. . .And please don't become jadded to all LPNs. This LPN looks up admirably to RNs. (I hope to join the ranks of RNs in May 2013, 3 more classes to go!). We don't all dislike RNs, honestly I've never heard an LPN stating they don't like a nurse just because they are an RN.

It's so irrational you wonder why they'd want a person like that to have any responsibilities. I've never come across it either.

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Specializes in LTC and School Health.

That nurses' behavior have NOTHING to do with LPNS. Got it?

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Specializes in Oncology.

My aides are disrespectful to me because I am younger than them, and the LPNS don't like me cause I am an RN. (I make less than some of them even because I am new and I get stuck with any difficult case or problem they can't solve.)

It stinks.

And they all talk bad about me in a foreign language. =/

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Take a breath!

There are bad LPNs and bad RNs. She sounds like a seasoned LPN who has a great capacity to mentor a new RN and chooses to prove her superiority by pointing out your flaws and mistakes.

Perhaps you could try and have an adult conversation with her? Tell her you appreciate her knowledge but feel constructive criticism would be more effective than simply being critical.

She can't "get" you fired if you are doing your job. Make it a policy not to make the same mistake twice. Be teachable. If your ADON wants the census documented a certain way, then do it that way. If she asks that you be more specific with your time documentation, then do it that way. Don't be concerned about what everyone else is doing. I don't document "9:12p" but I will document "9:15p". I round to the quarter hour. It's not a big deal to check your watch. :)

There could be an element of "hazing" going on. They might be trying to see what you are made of. Once you prove your chops, they will probably lay off.

Good luck and keep your chin up! Oh and keep in mind, your pregnancy may be exacerbating your feelings as well. I always took things WAY more personally when I was pregnant!!

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That nurses' behavior have NOTHING to do with LPNS. Got it?

I agree. Not sure why this thread is titled RN vs LPN... Being bullied in the workplace sounds more appropriate.

Personally, I admire the nurses I work with that are not only dedicated to their patients, but have a sense of loyalty to their coworkers... without regard to what initials follow the name. Obviously, what this coworker is doing to you is wrong.

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