Where have all the LPN's gone?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

First off, I think this site is awsome!! I have been on for a couple of months now, and don't think I've even scratched the surface of info I could find here.

So.... I am starting to get a little concerned about the decision I have recently made. See, I am about to leave a pretty decent paying job to pursue a career in nursing. I have always wanted to do this, but, the timing was never right. Now I am on my way, a more than a little nervous about the outlook.

I have been trolling the want ads, hospital sites, and of course AN.com to see what the job market is like. My plan is (was) to get my lpn, get a job, and continue to rn. However, I seem to be seeing that lpn's are kind of being phased out. Is this true. If so, what is one to do? Don't know if I can afford not to work for nearly 3 years. I live in west central Florida if that helps any. Looking forward to your feedback.

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

LPN's are gone...

Replaced by cheaper CNA's. Thank you for asking.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
LPN's are gone...

Replaced by cheaper CNA's. Thank you for asking.

Wow, seriously?? :stone

To the OP

I think a lot of it depends on the area, I know rumors have been going around for a long time, I personally know a few LPN's that had no trouble finding work, their is also a CNA in my nursing class that will be taking her LPN this summer because the hospital she works for told her they would be more willing to work with her nursing school schedule to get her RN if she was an LPN instead of a CNA so she will do those boards this summer and move up at her job and then finish the next year to get her RN.

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In my place of work, I was told that they were given a "two-weeks' notice" and were told that they will no longer be utilized. Their last week of work is this week. Some have worked there for two/three decades. But of course some other places still need them.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care, Palliative Care.

The VA hospitals and outpatient clinics hire LPNs. Try usajobs.gov, you'll likely find LPN positions. Good luck!

Hello,

First off, I think this site is awsome!! I have been on for a couple of months now, and don't think I've even scratched the surface of info I could find here.

So.... I am starting to get a little concerned about the decision I have recently made. See, I am about to leave a pretty decent paying job to pursue a career in nursing. I have always wanted to do this, but, the timing was never right. Now I am on my way, a more than a little nervous about the outlook.

I have been trolling the want ads, hospital sites, and of course AN.com to see what the job market is like. My plan is (was) to get my lpn, get a job, and continue to rn. However, I seem to be seeing that lpn's are kind of being phased out. Is this true. If so, what is one to do? Don't know if I can afford not to work for nearly 3 years. I live in west central Florida if that helps any. Looking forward to your feedback.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
In my place of work, I was told that they were given a "two-weeks' notice" and were told that they will no longer be utilized. Their last week of work is this week. Some have worked there for two/three decades. But of course some other places still need them.
That is really ruthless. The last place I worked they merely stopped hiring LPNs, they did not lay anyone off. I thought it was a decent thing to do. Some of the LPNs that worked there had 35 years, they just waited for them retire or leave for other reasons. It was amazing how quickly the LPN ranks dwindled down but there was no one sobbing in the halls or cleaning out their lockers and being led to the door by security. I have seen that and it is an awful thing to watch. I hope the management people that come up with those procedures have to experience them some day.
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It's called Primary Care Nursing.... staffing with RN's & CNA's

Many magnet achieving hospitals are trying to go towards this cause they believe it's cheaper, and it may be, but my opinion is it's not necessarily great for patient care. I have worked 4 years in a magnet hospital that doesn't use LPN's and all I have seen is RN's quiting and not sticking around cause some nights they have up to 8 patients on med/surg acute care floors that they have to do assessments on, pass their meds, and plus any treatments they need. Instead of having team nursing of a CNA, LPN, & a RN to split up the work among 10 patients.

I am a LPN and I like team nursing. I refuse to stay in a hospital as a patient that doesn't have team nursing. I have seen to many patients crash under primary nursing cause the RN can not get to all of his/her rooms to do their assessments before detecting anything has went wrong after shift change/report and you can't depend on your CNA's to notice changes.

To me, unless primary care nursing RN/Pt ratio is at a safe ratio then I don't see it safe practicing. If I was an RN, I would NOT put my license at risk. And with the nurse shortage and all this Obama stuff going on, there's not as many people heading into the health care field anymore when there is a threat that their pay is going to be cut. Which means even more of a nursing shortage.

TO ME it's seems like the upper management only cares about what they look like to the public eye and could care less on patient care and well being. Even these magnet hospitals with the primary care say they do the patient satisfaction surveys and education... I guess if your dead you can't send them a negative response.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care, Palliative Care.

I've worked at a facility that gave all of us LPNs zero noticed. Called us at home and said all the LPNs positions are being terminated as of today. I wished I did get 2 weeks notice!

That is really ruthless. The last place I worked they merely stopped hiring LPNs, they did not lay anyone off. I thought it was a decent thing to do. Some of the LPNs that worked there had 35 years, they just waited for them retire or leave for other reasons. It was amazing how quickly the LPN ranks dwindled down but there was no one sobbing in the halls or cleaning out their lockers and being led to the door by security. I have seen that and it is an awful thing to watch. I hope the management people that come up with those procedures have to experience them some day.
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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

FL is one of the states in the US that uses LPN's in a wide variety of areas. i am on the south eastern part of the state and atleast 25% of the nursing staff where i work is LPN, we do not do team nursing, we get our own assignments.

do what is best for you. waiting on the list for an RN program wasn't feesible for me and i had to work full time through my LPN program just to make ends meet anyways, so it was a good choice for me, and i have a job on a telemetry floor.

some hospitals and areas of the country do not use LPN's very much but you can always shop around your local job market--MD offices, ambulatory clinics, endo centers, nursing homes, home health.... there ARE places for you to work besides a hospital.

just do what is best for you. good luck!

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

We're in skilled nursing and long-term care, assisted living, some psychiatric hospitals... not as much acute care out here.

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

lots of lpn jobs in ltc (nursing home). if you can, try going the rn route first and use lpn only as a back up. that's what i did. i was put on the "waiting list" for the rn but they did not call me so i did lpn. i am now pursuing my rn. being an lpn is not that bad, i made 60k last year (with ot of course). anyway, good luck with school.

angel

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
lpn's are gone...

replaced by cheaper cna's. thank you for asking.

in the hospitals maybe. but there are lots of lpn work outside of hospital.

thanks for sharing.....:angthts:

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