What is a typical day like for an LPN?

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I am currently accepted into an LPN program starting in January. I was wondering if some of the LPNs on this board would share with me what a typical work day is like for them. I have an idea in my mind, but would really like to know what to expect. Thanks so much for sharing the good and the not so good!

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Well you can expect long-term care. We are trained to do everything that a RN can do minus IV push meds, transfusions. We have the knowledge yet not the legal authority to do so. At least thats the way in PA. Equal responsibility less, pay that about sums it up. Sorry but you should of went for your RN I wish I would of. I am planning to for this very reason. Little Pretend Nurse, thats what LPN stands for. RN means real nurse.

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It is much faster to become an RN when you are already an LPN where I am located. There were 2 schools of thought on going straight for RN versus LPN. I could sit in school for probably about 2 years while I take my pre-reqs or go for 1 year to LPN and get advanced standing or do an online program which would be paid for by the hospital I work for. So, it seemed to me that the obvious choice was to do the LPN program.

I am sorry that you are calling yourself a "little pretend nurse". You are not a pretend anything!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Little Pretend Nurse, thats what LPN stands for. RN means real nurse.
Hey! What's up with all of the negativity? There's no reason to insult the LPN title that many wonderful nurses hold. Life's Perfect Nurse...that's what LPN really stands for.

I'm an RN, but I was an LPN/LVN for four years, mostly in long term care (a.k.a. nursing homes). My typical days consisted of medication passes, charting, assessments of pain and skin, and routinized tasks such as finger stick blood sugars, breathing treatments, dressing changes, simple IV therapy, and taking off orders.

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Thanks! That was much more helpful. I am actually probably one of the few who enjoys working with the elderly and disabled, so this might be something I might be able to look forward to.

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I've been an LPN for only a few months now and I have heard MANY, MANY times that doctor's prefer to work with LPN's turned RN than straight RN's. We learn everything hands on. I suggest to everyone to consider LPN to RN. In Ga, there is no obviously written scope that I have found, but I was taught in school that the only thing RN's can do the LPN's can't is blood infusions and the first 15 minute assessment. (so if someone can correct me, please do!)

But my day consists of (with 47 pts) collecting VS, passing meds, physical and skin assessments, charting, talking with MD's and families, drawing labs, dressing changes (until we got a full time Wound-Care Nurse) things like that.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
Hey! What's up with all of the negativity? There's no reason to insult the LPN title that many wonderful nurses hold. Life's Perfect Nurse...that's what LPN really stands for.

I'm an RN, but I was an LPN/LVN for four years, mostly in long term care (a.k.a. nursing homes). My typical days consisted of medication passes, charting, assessments of pain and skin, and routinized tasks such as finger stick blood sugars, breathing treatments, dressing changes, simple IV therapy, and taking off orders.

That's what I did in LTC too. And I just want to say: I was a CNA for 3 years before I became an LPN. I've been an LPN for 6 years and will finish RN school in December. I've found it helpful to take it in steps like that. I was much less afraid of clinicals in LPN and RN as a result. I also got to skip the first semester of RN. My work also gave me a scholarship toward LPN and my entire tuition towards RN. Why the attitude towards LPNs?

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Why the attitude towards LPNs?

I am seeing lots of attitude towards LPNs, not only from RNs, but also from the LPNs themselves. It's making me reconsider. I don't want to surround myself with a bunch negativity from RNs who think they are better than me or a bunch of miserable LPNs and I don't take very kindly to being bullied. How discouraging that this is how adults act towards each other. I already work for a hospital and have a great job, this isn't something I have to do, it is something I want to do.

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I don't have an attitude towards LPN's my issue is the attitudes I have felt towards myself for being an LPN. I am proud of what I have accomplished. When I worked as a CNA, which was for 15 years before I became a LPN, 7 years ago, I really never understood the difference. All of the nurses I worked with seemed equally educated both RNs and LPNs. My frustrations really lie within the western portion of PA. No where is it that I can obtain any additional experience other than long-term care. Which Ive been doing since 1989. I love the elderly people too. I believe they deserve quality healthcare just like everyone else. But I deserve, as well, the opportunity to utilize my education in other areas. Not one hospital in my area will hire a LPN for a MED-SURG unit. They won't even consider us for out-patient clinics. If I had a dollar for every supervisor of mine who told me "You should go back to school. Your wasting yourself" I wouldn't need to work or worry about this. I wonder if they even realized as they were trying to compliment me they were slapping me in the face.

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My entire family lives in Western Pa and there is a huge elderly population out that way. I still live in Pa and it is the same here as far as LPNs and what jobs you will be hired for. Have you considered working for a correctional institution? I just saw an ad on PA civil service jobs for LPNs working in correctional institutes and the pay looked pretty good. I think 2 of them were located in the wester part of the state. Did you ever consider relocating? I thought about doing weekends in a bigger city. I heard "rumors" about nurses pulling weekend shifts at hospitals in New York and making a huge chunk of change and then having the rest of the week off with their kids. However, not sure if those were LPNs or Rns.

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Long term care can be a wonderful field for LPN's! Where I worked, all of the unit managers were LPN's. Almost all of the supervisors were LPN's. RN's were the minority. The med passes are big and you can spend 6-7 hours JUST passing meds. That doesn't take into consideration obtaining vitals on 28:30 patients, blood sugars, transferring patients to the hospital, addressing family members, calling in labs, managing the CNA's etc. There were no secretaties--just alot of blood pumping and sweat. LPN's ran the units. The RN's minimally supervised.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

Yeah mostly the opportunies for LPNs are in LTC. I've seen a few hospital positions for LPN but they usually require experience....(But how are you supposed to get experience if they won't give you any....????) That's why I want to be an RN. I've been working in LTC almost 9 years and I just want something new.

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