Just from reading on here, I've become aware of some of the differences between LPNs and RNs. Some of the things I've read were pushing IV meds and a few other things I can't recall them. But it doesn't seem like there is a whole lot of difference between the pn and rn. Am I wrong? Please fill me in...
I am not a nurse. I've applied to an LPN program...hoping & praying I get in.
Here's my question to the nurses- If there aren't THAT many differences between the 2, why is there such a difference in pay?
Hey no prob and I'm not even sure why they changed it!!
As to the absolutely silly argument about who knows more about what and when- when it comes to comparing an LPN in an allergy clinic and an RN in med-surg or whatever. . . it's very fair to compare the formal education needed to graduate from the respective schools, but after that it's going to be all over the place depending on the work environment. Heck, even a doctor is subject to that fact of life, which explains why dermatologists out of med school for some years are not going to be such hot stuff at a trauma scene when an experienced Trauma RN or an EMT is present.
Seems to me that there is an assumption here that education doesn't evolve after licensure. Some people freeze dry their brains, only doing enough to get by and get their minimum CE requirements, others are thirsty for and seek out knowledge every single day. I try to be, and hope to work with the latter, no matter where they are on the ladder. :)
That's true about it depends on the work enviroment but I don't understand why an rn who used to be an lpn still has to have 1 year of rn experience. I was an lpn for 4 years but not to many employers counted it as experience. Maybe those of us with both licenses can use them interchane although some states take away the lpn license if you become an rn,at least that what I read on allnurses.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I think an LPN who is a manager over an RN would be very unusual, but as I am beginning to realize, there is a vast array of differences from state to state, and even facilities in the same state or city! Confusing!
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
this all depends on the state you are from...in texas a rn has to be in the building for 8 hours and accessible by phone for 24 hours ... also, in my state a lvn is not allowed to delegate task and i am sure it is that way in most states...
does that mean an lpn who is a nurse manager can't delegate to an rn?
my area is way different because in nj there has to be an rn in the building all the time.
I disagree that LPNs have the same amount of education and experience as R.N.s. No disrepect intended, but facts are facts. My dad has been a R.N. for 20 years and he argues with my aunt(who is a LPN) all the time because she thinks she knows as much as he does while working in an allergy clinic. Like, I said no direspect, but that does irritate me when some(not all) LPNs try to take on the role of R.N. There are many things that LPNs cannot do mandated by law. Among other things, they don't have a higher knowledge or education of anatomy, physiology,micro, and maths. She had to call me to spell coccyx(which I would think would be basic enough for most to know). I just don't like the mindset of some (again not all) LPNs who think they know as much. I do respect LPNs who have completed their schooling, but I really believe that nursing students who haven't even graduated yet really have more education. The pay for R.N.s is also a lot higher than that of LPNs. Again, no disrespect. Just wanted to give some facts and my opinion :)
The inability to spell "coccyx" or any other medical word has absolutely nothing to do with being an RN or LPN, or even an MD.
That's true about it depends on the work enviroment but I don't understand why an rn who used to be an lpn still has to have 1 year of rn experience. I was an lpn for 4 years but not to many employers counted it as experience. Maybe those of us with both licenses can use them interchane although some states take away the lpn license if you become an rn,at least that what I read on allnurses.
It depends on the facility. 2 of the 4 hospitals here count your experience and actually pay more for LPN experience. I ended up getting $4 more an hour where I work now for 5 years of LPN experience. I still had to learn alot, but I had the basic tasks down.
I may have a perspective that might help answer your question regarding the difference between an RN and an LPN. I graduated from LPN school back in the late 80's in the Midwest and found myself gathering much experience in many different areas of nursing while raising my children and living my life. I worked in Hospice, Home Health, Skilled Nursing, Acute care such as Med/Surg, Mother/Baby, Telemetry and so on. I was very good at what I did and I knew my nursing. As my experience and competence increased over the decades, I found myself being placed in an RN role more often than not - and didn't ask for this.
I kept getting asked when I was going to get my RN by more and more of those folks that I worked with, until I finally went back to school in an LVN to RN bridge program.
You would think that all the years of being a nurse working in acute care and taking care of more and more complex patients along with the diverse patient population that I had been exposed to would have counted for something when I graduated.
Nope.
Not in California.
After almost 20 years of being a LPN/LVN, I started out as a Staff Nurse 1 Registered Nurse with "no experience". (You get to be a Staff Nurse 2 after a year of experience working as an RN in acute care.) I was lumped in with the "New Grad" RN's and was required to attend "New Grad" orientation classes where I "learned" how to do wound care/how to stage a decub, and how to lift/transfer patients safely and so on.
It would behoove you to inquire at local hospitals in your area as to what their policy is regarding giving you any credit for having your LVN/LPN experience first. This just may persuade you to go right on ahead and get your RN.
I agree with the first poster. It's really because the hospitals can pay what they want. At my school there is a one semester difference between an LPN and an RN if you go through their LPN program...not too much of a difference in terms of education.
I have taken Biology, A&P I&II, Micro, Chem, Algebra, Statistics, Sociology, Into and Developmental Psych...which were all prerequisites for my school's LPN program. My school's LPN-RN bridge program is 1 semester...yes it's more education, but not much. It really depends on the school and the education that they provide.
I think that is why there is so much confusion and discussion on this. In my area, the LPN is a technical clocked program - 10 months. To get your RN, you still have to go to a college and get all your prereqs. You are able to challenge only one semester of RN nursing school. So that still gives you 3 more you have to take. There is a LPN program here that is a two year program and gives you more credit towards your RN. You have to take your psych and one english before you start. But you can challenge 2 1/2 semesters of nursing school after getting the rest of your prereqs- leaving you 1 1/2 semesters of nursing school.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
10 months is the shortest amount of time I've ever seen to get an LPN/LVN. That's only a month more than most Medical Assistant programs! Maybe the young'uns are just smarter now, lol. :)
My school has a 2-semester LPN program. But there are still the pre-reqs. Sadly, our school is closing the LPN program after they admit the class for Fall '10-Spring'11.
in our hospital, the LPN can not do an assessment on a patient. They can take down factual information. Height wt, vita signs, medications. But they can not assess a patient or create a nursing diagnosis or plan of care.
LPN's can pas medications, but can not give IV push meds, can not give the first dose of an antibiotic. They can not run a code. they can not take a verbal order from an MD. they can transcribe orders, but the order must be verified or checked by an RN before it can be carried out.
The LPN's can not hang anything on a central line or PICC line. They can not discontinue a central, picc or arterial line. they can not hang Blood.
I hear all the time at our hospital, the LPN's complaining that they do the brunt of the work, and get the least pay....but when the **** hits the fan, its the RN's ass that is hanging in most cases. the RN oversees the LPN in the professional hospital setting at hour hospital. Even when an LPN messes up, the RN's name also goes on the incident report.
and for that, the RN's aren't paid enough.
I would truly hate to work in your hospital. I am a LPN and work on a skill unit and I do first admission assessments(the RN with her MSN will not do or help with the admission) we do wound care(pt's that have a wound vac) we give first dose of ABT p.o,and IV(PICC,Midline and Central lines) the only thing the LPN's can not do is IV push meds and here you go again the RN Supervisor do not do IV pushs..LPN's can transfer pt's to the hospital and who do the assessment for that is the LPN..Please I can go on and on with the function of LPN's compared to RN's in my state.
smartnurse1982
1,775 Posts
That's true about it depends on the work enviroment but I don't understand why an rn who used to be an lpn still has to have 1 year of rn experience. I was an lpn for 4 years but not to many employers counted it as experience. Maybe those of us with both licenses can use them interchane although some states take away the lpn license if you become an rn,at least that what I read on allnurses.