RN but working LPN cases HELP!!!!

Shimbo · Jun 11, 2014

I am a RN who graduated in May 2013. I have been struggling to find a job for a year. I recently started working at this agency as a home health nurse. Even though I am considered as a RN, the cases that they have been assigning me are LPN cases. I was wondering if working for this agency will help assist me on finding a RN job at a hospital even though I am not receiving the "real RN experience". I parenthesized that because the experience I am getting is LPN experience. I am assigned to cases in which I would take care of patients individually at there house (this is not considered VNS) and so far 2 of my cases have trach tubes and one is completely paralyzed so I would provide full care for this case. Im working here just for the experience in the hopes of finding a RN job at a hospital or even at a nursing home. I have been feeling discourage about not finding an RN job yet, just need some advice.

SquishyRN, BSN, RN · Jun 11, 2014

You are an RN. Therefore, any nursing work you do is RN experience. What exactly do you think is "real RN experience"?

enuf_already · Jun 11, 2014

My understanding when I worked home health is that the category is reimbursement based and dictates at which level the agency can bill insurance. It doesn't mean the patient is easier/not ill/doesn't require care.

The only difference between an RN and LPN case that I ever saw was when the patient had a line or medication that couldn't be managed under the scope of an LPN license. I worked mostly LPN cases as an RN and most were fairly intense including vent dependent kids who could go bad quickly. The "RN only" kid needed TPN at night through a port, could do self care, and I was there to hook up and manage fluids.

So do I think that by taking "LPN" cases you are not getting the whole RN experience? NO. You will take care of the same skill level patients in the hospital--only a lot more of them at the same time!

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Jun 12, 2014

They say you're an RN? Then you're an RN. In my state the scope of practice is a handful of differences overall. A few iv rules like an rn has to hang the initial iv infusion and has to do iv pushes. Lpns can even teach

Nonetheless · Jun 12, 2014

Do you get paid the same? Is it part time or full time? It sounds like they are abusing you if you don't get paid the same and it is part time.

Shimbo · Jun 12, 2014

Do you get paid the same? Is it part time or full time? It sounds like they are abusing you if you don't get paid the same and it is part time.

I get paid LPN rate and for now im only working 2 shifts a week, but they recently told me that i'll have more cases in the next 2 weeks which will add up to 40 hours. I took this job strictly for experience, so hopefully this will help me land a hospital or nursing job more easily.