RN's Replaced By RPN's - GTA

[2bNurse-88]

Hey all.

I just wanted to share something that's currently happening in a lot of Ontario hospitals & i'd like to get some insight as to why it's happening?

Where I work (i'm a nursing student working part-time) in Toronto, Ontario, they have laid-off 26 RN's in the past 3 months & have replaced them with RPN's in mental-health, extended care, medical, and surgical (post-op) units across the hospital. Where my mother works in Hamilton, through Hamilton Health Sciences, they laid-off 15 RN's in the past month, and replaced them with RPN's, & from what I hear from my nursing instructors, this is happening in a lot more places than just Toronto and Hamilton.

Why is this happening? is it because RPN's cost less to pay? or is there a deeper meaning to all of this?

[RescueNinja]

This is happening at my hospital as well, but they are being really quiet about it. They are closing beds, offering senior RNs early retirement packages, and replacing these expensive nurses with RPNs and new grad RNs because it's cheaper ($25 max for RPN compared to $42 for RN).

Less than 5 years ago at this hospital RPNs were used essentially as "nurses aides" doing what PSWs are doing now and now RPNs are working in all non-critical areas of the hospital at their full capacity. They have already started hiring RPNs into the ED in minor treatment and the "holding area" for admitted med-surg pts. They just recently began starting IVs and are now able to give IV abx if the pt has been given at least one dose by a RN and all was ok. There is also one RPN working as a scrub nurse in the OR. I realize these are things that RPNs have been doing elsewhere for a long time and I'm not knocking their skills, but to think that at this particular hospital it's only been a few short years since they were just giving baths and whatnot (not even taking VS) is remarkable.

It's kind of scary for me as a new grad RN to think that there's even the slightest possibility that one day I'll have to sit at a desk because there won't be any more RNs in a clinical capacity.

[ruralgirl08]

Hi...I just think they have created a big mess to cut costs. Transitioning levels of responsibility between RN & RPN are just another addition to the workload for everyone. RPNs will want a better wage as well, especially with the kind of run your ass off, stress filled, understaffed environment we all work in. Nursing is a very emotionally and physically stressful job, we should be paid well. That being said, I personally would be will to take a slightly lower wage for a better work environment.

[RescueNinja]

Hi...I just think they have created a big mess to cut costs. Transitioning levels of responsibility between RN & RPN are just another addition to the workload for everyone. RPNs will want a better wage as well, especially with the kind of run your ass off, stress filled, understaffed environment we all work in. Nursing is a very emotionally and physically stressful job, we should be paid well. That being said, I personally would be will to take a slightly lower wage for a better work environment.

Yep, me too.