Where can you work with a LPN?

minnymi · Jun 9, 2012

I'm not sure where Fiona59 is from (Canada maybe?) but in the VAST, VAST majority of hospitals across the US are not hiring LPNs anymore. All those I have seen have been "grandfathered" in because they were hired, like, 30 years ago when the hospital DID hire LPNs.
The LPN students in my class who wanted to work in the local, metropolitan hospital were all silly, silly people who didn't do their reseach before signing up for the PN program.
Before I went to school, I did extensive research as to who hired LPNs in my state (Michigan).
Only a couple tiny rural hospitals waaaay up north hired LPNs.
Doctors offices do indeed hire LPNs... but you will be paid relatively low wages. Like 13-14 dollars an hour as a new grad. If you want to make more substantial wages as a LPN you have to try LTC, Corrections, Home care. LTC LPNs make more than office nurses, which is only fair considering the work load and irregular hours. But if you really want regular hours and "quieter" environment, than maybe a lower pay is worth it?

thank you, brandon!

i wasn't bashing LPNs as nurses. in fact, i mentioned that my favorite nurses when i first started working were LPNs!

i was just stating the facts of what is happening HERE...in my area..if not the US in general. they aren't being hired in HOSPITALS. that's not necessarily a bad thing. it depends on where you want to work! it goes along with that 'grass is always greener' saying....

i had worked in hospitals as a student, and when i had clinical experience as a student nurse...i found that i loved ltc and the hospital SUCKED in comparison. not to mention, the hospital pays LESS so i couldn't understand why anyone would think it was better.

either way...the fact that i'm a RN who thinks hospitals suck, and there are LPNs who would love to work in hospitals is neither here nor there...

the fact is...hospitals aren't hiring lpn's anymore.

minnymi · Jun 9, 2012

oh....on the flip side....it's difficult for a RN to get a job in ltc because lpn's are preferred since the pay is less. sucks for those RNs who are burnt out on hospitals just as much as lpn's think it sucks that they can't get hired in hospitals!

HazelLPN, LPN · Jun 9, 2012

What a positve ray of sunshine.
My hospital hires new grad LPNs every graduating class
Your last paragraph is completely false. I practice under my own liability insurance. No RN is responsible for my work. The RNs and LPNs within my system both report to the Charge Nurse who is an RN.
I do my own initial assessments, pre/post op care, discharge teaching.
I understand that I work in an system that utlizes my to my full scope of practice, something that seems to be greatly lacking in yours.
Here, and LPN attends college for two years before writing their registration exam. An RN must hold a BScN.
So I guess many of your RNs just wouldn't be an RN here.

It depends on the state or province where an LPN practices because each one is different. I too had a very broad scope of practice..I worked in critical care where titrated my own drips, gave my own IV push meds (No chemo or anesthetics), took care of patients on vents, the oscillator, HFO and ECMO. I had pts with Swanz, IABPs and on CRRT. I didn't take new admissions, but I was responsible for the shift assessment and for my own scope of practice. The charge nurse was responsible for what was outside of that scope.

I know there are states in the USA where LPNs are severely restricted to the point that they may not be useful in acute care, which is a shame that LPNs are not allowed to work to the fullest extent of their training.

Posters should take note. It is mistaken to say "hospitals aren't hiriing LPNs anymore", instead they should say "in my state/province (fill in the blank). If I had a quarter every time I corrected posters about this, I'd have that addition on my house I've been wanting for the past few years...

Best to you,

Mrs H.