Hello. I am just about to finish my first semester in an LPN program. I hope no one will take this the wrong way, but I never knew there was so much negativity between LPN's and RN's, and in the work place with employees and bosses. When I joined this site it was to meet other nurses and receive support. I had no idea there is so much disagreement between each other. It is almost like a prejudice against certain groups because of the letters behind the name. I want to be a nurse to take care of patients, I really enjoy helping people. I didn't know all the stress I hear about nursing would be compounded by my peers. I guess I just had rose colored glasses on. I talked with my instructor about this and she told me it's true unfortunately. Doctors stick together and have a special bond because they are doctors, but nurses eat their young. She said it could be because we are mainly women, and women are catty. The males I have seen so far don't seem to be this way. Right now we are doing clinicals in a nursing home, and do the same job as the nurses aides. I would never consider myself above them.
I am happy to learn from them. When I first found out I would be doing clinicals in a nursing home I was scared. I thought ok I'll just get through it until I get to the part of nursing I really want to do. I found out that I love taking care of the patients so much that if I was just allowed to do that, I would be happy. It is very rewarding to be apart of their lives. We should all just pitch in where we can. (In our scope of practice) But certainly never consider ourselves above someone else. Maybe part of the nursing burnout is the lack of support from each other. I know there are alot of you who do not feel this way and express it here in your responses to the negative comments, but the fact that the animosity exists, I guess is just beyond my comprehension. Maybe it's because I am going the LPN route to get to my RN could be why I don't see it. I am just happy to be here till I get to the next step. I respect people where they are and the choices they make. Anyway just my 2 cents.
Kim Z. -SPN - SCC (Just 2 more semesters to go!!! YAA!!!)
I've been an LPN for 40 years. I don't EVER remember being treated badly or differently by RNs. I never felt disrespected by anyone and I respected the CNA's, secretaries, housekeeping, dietary and all other depts as much as I did my Rns. We're ALL there to do our jobs and we ALL need each other. Sure, I had disagreements with people but it had nothing to do with their position. Don't get discouraged. I also think going the LPN to RN route is the best way to become an RN. Good luck!
imho, it is not a myth. however, only true to a small degree, and not to the majority of female nurses. for the majority, female nurses are a credit to all females in the workforce. female nurses have done so much for the good of the nursing profession. imho, male nurses can learn from female nurses in so many ways regards to behavior modification.
you're right. there are catty female nurses that eat their young, who work aside males that behave and play nicely.
i've worked in a male dominated insurance office and saw catty, gossiping men. but i wouldn't say "insurance engineers are catty because it's a male dominated profession".
that's my main beef, is that there is idea that women are catty and they can't help it because they are women and by virtue of that fact nurses are catty because it's female dominated profession. that is so unfair. are there catty women? yes. so you're correct it's not a myth. but to say the nursing profession is catty doesn't site well with me obviously.
obviously too it's tainted by individual experience. my experience so far has been quite positive and can't lable profession negatively based on a few bad nurses.
I've been an LPN for 40 years. I don't EVER remember being treated badly or differently by RNs. I never felt disrespected by anyone and I respected the CNA's, secretaries, housekeeping, dietary and all other depts as much as I did my Rns. We're ALL there to do our jobs and we ALL need each other. Sure, I had disagreements with people but it had nothing to do with their position. Don't get discouraged. I also think going the LPN to RN route is the best way to become an RN. Good luck!
That is so refreshing to hear! (Although there are many ways to get an RN with no 'best' way, it's what is available and best for the individual at the time, but that's my opinion and off topic.)
Kim, if you think its bad on this board then your rose-colored glasses are going to be quite shattered once you start working in the real world. There's something about working in high-stress situations in which you are responsible for the lives of others that makes people a little terse, ya know? It's ironic that your instructor would refer to women as catty, that comment in and of itself is quite catty I think. You haven't seen men act that way, well if you just hang on you will. As far as thinking you are better than another person because of your educational level, I don't know what that's about but it seems that there is a lot of concern in this profession in making sure that certain members always keep humble, that bugs me. The minute you are perceived as stepping out of your place, there is resentment and grumbles from some quarters. That's unfortunate. If you can be proud of who you are, then you can draw your own conclusions from your experiences and a mere message board will not affect your viewpoint of nursing.
Sharon.....not wanting to cause an argument, but I think you need to reread Kimmy's post.
She never indicated that she thought she was better than someone else, she said she was happy to take care of people in the position most like a CNA and said she respects people and does not consider herself above them.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you just misread her post.
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
I live in the north part of the willamette valley and it is GORGEOUS today! Sun and rumors of high 70's today! Guess I better find those shorts! LOL!
After I quit percrastinating on here, I have a ton of weeding to do..LOL!
Enjoy the weather on your end neighbor...I wish I was there to see it! I love your area very much!!!!!!!! (I use to go to naval Brem all the time when my bro was there....).
Nursing isn't an easy job. But there are numerous benefits to it.
With the whole RN vs LPN thing... Some people (PEOPLE, NOT NURSES) are on a power trip. They do whatever they can to feel better about themselves. This would mean they like to put others down who don't have quite as much education. This is seen across all professions, and even fast food workers. I worked fast food befoe nursing. The one General Manager thought he was G-d. Everyone else should bow down to him. We also had an ASSistant manager who thought he was so much above the Shift managers. (I was a shift manager) Then some of the shift managers thought they were so much better than the crew members. Fast food isn't even a "skilled" job and its seen. Its at every job.
Just about all of the RN's I've worked with have nothing against LPN's and CNA's. Yes, I met RN's who have the superiority complex. They are usually (notice I say not always so please do not flame!) the RN's who have never worked as an LPN or CNA and don't know what their jobs consist of and how challenging they really are. So it can just be lack of education of their part. And a few of the RN's would be like that no matter what profession they were in.
I worked as an LPN and a CNA before becoming an RN. I know what it feels like to be asked about when you will be getting your LPN, then your RN. When you get the ADN, people will ask when you will get your BSN and MSN. Or when will you be going to med school?
Many in the nursing field really do value CNA's and LPN's. And rely on them. I know my job would be much more difficult without them. I am thankful that there are many avenues to work in nursing. That way everyone who wants to work in nursing regardless of availability to go to college or lack of interest in college can have a place in nursing and still make a difference in peoples lives.
As for the eating of the young... When I was a CNA I was eaten alive by a senior (not in age, but in experience. she was about 8 years older than me only) CNA. She chewed me up, swallowed me, regurgitated me up and then spit me out and stommped on me. It turns out she had some kind of inferiority complex since I was futher along in nursing school than she was. (She was still doing the pre-reqs) She realized that I would be her boss soon even though I was still a new CNA and very young. I was to be graduating LPN school soon.
However, once I became an LPN, I did not go through this. All of the LPN's where I worked were very helpful to me. I did not experience the eating of the young at all. I felt like they took me under their wing. Almost like they were my mom.
When I became an RN (I am an RN for 3 years now) the hospital where I started (Psych) all of the nurses helped me except one. Some were very helpful, some helped me as little as possible, and there was only one that tried to set me up to fail. It was just her personality. She liked to torture all of the new hires, especially new grads. (She was charge sometimes) She even liked to torture people that worked on specific units. She loved to be charge and feel like she had "the power". Admin did catch on to her. It was funny how I was only an RN 6 months and was offered to take her place. (I turned it down)
The next hospital I worked in (the last place) as in an area different geografically. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and helped me so much. No eating of the young at all.
I know this is getting long, but basically all I am saying is that some people are pompous jerks, in nursing, and in any job/profession.
Sharon.....not wanting to cause an argument, but I think you need to reread Kimmy's post.
She never indicated that she thought she was better than someone else, she said she was happy to take care of people in the position most like a CNA and said she respects people and does not consider herself above them.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you just misread her post.
Yes I got that 100%, I didn't misread her post at all.
In fact, I was saying in a long-winded, roundabout way that there should be no need to make statements about how she doesn't consider herself any better than a CNA.
Let me try this again: it's hard to explain. There seems to be this constant need among some members of our profession to either prove their own humility or keep others humble. Thus statements about whether or not some think they are better than others, statements about which degree is best, guilt about not wanting to work like a slave lest you be perceived as "lazy". I know that wasn't Kimmy's point, it was mine.
The original post saddened me that someone not even yet a nurse was thinking such negative thoughts about the profession. I did see the original post as the beginning steps of buying into the "nurses are catty because they are female" "nurses eat their young", "nurses have no teamwork" blah blah blah myths on top of venting her/his frustrations.
My main point that I hope the OP understands is that the overwhelming majority of us are good people. One RN out of 10 may mistreat and LPN, but no need to judge the entire RN workforce on that one person and go around thinking "RNs mistreat LPNs because they think they are better than us.", or the one catty nurse out of the dozens you work with "Nurses are catty, and it's funny how it's always a women, woman are catty, that's why nurses are catty."
That kind of stuff drives me crazy. My apologizies to the op if I sounded like a troll or too harsh. I didn't mean to go off on such a tangent.
Best not to have rose colored glasses as was said above. Best to know you're going to run into all kinds of personalities. That's life. That's nursing.
Well stated Tweety. Perhaps my original comment was harsh, but stuff like "women are catty" drives me bananas. There are some bad eggs, just accept that and move on. No need to put down an entire gender or profession.
But I do wonder about why so many nurses see putting the needs of nurses in the forefront as a negative thing. I think that this can be done without stepping on the toes of other medical professionals, and perhaps end the stereotype of the "angel of mercy". That's a tough title to live up to!!?
Oh I could not agree more! There is no doubt in my mind that we can advocate for ourselves and make gains for our profession without it being at the expense of healthcare consumers. In fact, I insist on it. I have no interest in being a martyr for the sake of our patients, that is why I have left the bedside.
So here's the question that I've been thinking about - can nurses rise about the "catty" stereotype, become a force to be heard and respected, without stepping on the toes of the consumer and other medical professionals?
so sorry that maybe i have vented my feeling to openly. but i have found this all to be true unfornately(spelling) about the only place that i've found to be even partly respectful of the lpn is in ltc unless you get an adminisiter that is also a nurse and think she has to have her finger in all the pies. but in all i think you'll enjoy being a nurse of any level.as long as you can stick up for yourselfand not let them make you think you have to kiss their you know what to keep your job and stay out of trouble.
You don't think women are more catty? I'm afraid I agree that they are. Have you ever sat with a group of women on break or at lunch? I feel that women definitely gossip more than men....myself included I'm afraid....which should be a
Well stated Tweety. Perhaps my original comment was harsh, but stuff like "women are catty" drives me bananas. There are some bad eggs, just accept that and move on. No need to put down an entire gender or profession.
Maybe we're too sensitive to stereotyping or have been the victim of certain -isms or -phobias in our society that makes us that way. I think it also makes us more apt not to stereotype others and see how detrimental it can be to our profession to do so.
(I turned it down) 
that there should be no need to make statements about how she doesn't consider herself any better than a CNA.
flasandy42
71 Posts
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I've been an LPN for 40 years. I don't EVER remember being treated badly or differently by RNs. I never felt disrespected by anyone and I respected the CNA's, secretaries, housekeeping, dietary and all other depts as much as I did my Rns. We're ALL there to do our jobs and we ALL need each other. Sure, I had disagreements with people but it had nothing to do with their position. Don't get discouraged. I also think going the LPN to RN route is the best way to become an RN. Good luck!