Where do you work & do you get respect??

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2006

It is estimated that seventy percent of all LPNs work in either long term care, rehab, or home health. There are many home health LPNs, but very few LPN travel nurses.

I work at a nursing home in Texas and earn $18.50 per hour with 7 months of experience. I get more respect at nursing homes than I did when I was working PRN as a medication nurse at a psychiatric hospital.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 19, 2006

I work in a hospital. Most of the LPNs that work inpatient tell me that they feel that they do not get the respect that RNs get. I was in med-surg for 6 weeks of orientation, and then, I was moved to the clinic where I worked before, but as an LPN. I have gained a great deal of respect there, but am not sure if it is because I already knew these people or what.

On the med-surg floors, the LPN is the medication nurse, and she will get about 10 patients to medicate only, but the RN will have about 5 patients, medicate those 5, do treatments, suctioning, catherization;plus the paperwork. For some reason, they took primary care from the LPNs and now, they just do PO medications and piggybacks. They don't really do many nursing notes, either. Personally, if I were on the floor, I would say that they were doing me a favor; but they may be losing skills. I would be losing skills in the clinic, but I plan to work the floors once I get off of orientation so that I don't forget how to do IV care. But, my perspective is that I'd let the RN have the headache if she feels that I am not competent enough to assist her. I do hear of plently of stories where LPNs feel disregarded. I feel that way sometimes, but I also know (for myself) that I am not interested in taking on the responsibility of the RN, either, so, they can actually breathe easy...I don't want their job in the least.

I think that respect is earned, and as time runs on, if the LPN carries herself properly, she may be able to gain the respect that is earned. And, if I were to feel that I did not receive it, I'd leave.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 19, 2006

It is estimated that seventy percent of all LPNs work in either long term care, rehab, or home health. There are many home health LPNs, but very few LPN travel nurses.
I work at a nursing home in Texas and earn $18.50 per hour with 7 months of experience. I get more respect at nursing homes than I did when I was working PRN as a medication nurse at a psychiatric hospital.

Hello Commuter;

When you say that you did not get the respect as a medication nurse, what do you mean? Would you mind sharing an experience?

Thanks!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2006

Hello Commuter;
When you say that you did not get the respect as a medication nurse, what do you mean? Would you mind sharing an experience?
Thanks!

I feel respected at the nursing homes, but not at the psychiatric hospital. Here's why.

All I did was pass medications at the psychiatric hospital. I was forbidden from doing admissions, discharges, assessments, vital signs, or anything of significance. I was not allowed to participate in this hospital's retirement plan or 401(k); in fact, only the RNs were allowed. My signature was worthless at the psych hospital and all of my signatures had to be cosigned by an RN. I was not expected to write any nurses notes. I felt really belittled and underminded at this facility.

geniann · Sep 19, 2006

I work at a LTC/Rehab facility and make $20.70/ hr with NO benefits. I live in Florida. Base pay for Lpns with less than 5 years experience is $18/hr. I feel like I get a good deal of respect but I know I would get more if I were an RN. Whenever someone asks me " are you an Rn?" I say "no an LPn" and their face sometimes changes. Almost like a "oh thought you were an Rn- maybe I need to speak to an RN" kinda look. That is rare but it does happen. I feel if you are competent and confident, people will respect you no matter where you work.Just my opinion- :jester:

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Sep 19, 2006

I was not allowed to participate in this hospital's retirement plan or 401(k); in fact, only the RNs were allowed.

Sounds like a form of discrimination to me.

KatieKt · Sep 19, 2006

Wow, I'm surprised at some of these replies. I thought I wasn't getting respect as an LPN because I was jr enlisted instead of officer or civilian! I really had no clue that it spread over into the civilian workforce too. heh.

Seriously though... I was working in a LDRP in a hospital when I first graduated LPN school...I did all the care for the postpartum couplets. Anything they needed I did. I did assessments, started IVs, IVPB Meds, IM meds, PO meds, Infant IV meds (with an RN signing off of course), newborn venipuncture, NG tubes, caths, NRP, newborn resuscitation, intubating if necessary (never had to do that, but was ready if it was necessary), Patient education, discharges.. just about anything those postpartum couplets needed! I dont know what those RNs would have done without us LPNS! They were always doing active labors and monitering fetal heart strips. Something I was never taught in depth in LPN school.

I did not get any respect at first. Well thats to be expected of course. But I learned quick and always did an excellent and thorough job, and they noticed that and respected that. Not just the nurses, but the docs too.

What kind of made me mad though, was that some of them got a little lazy and would assign me all the patients on the floor while two or three of them would "wait for labors" (sit on their ass and shop on Ebay all day) Being a small hospital, it was unlikely that we would even get three labors in a night....so we put the kabosh on that. Soon after we said something, I noticed that on slow days, the PP patients would be split between RNs and LPNs.

I've noticed in big Army hospitals, that LPNs and RNs have a lot ( but not all of course) of the same duties. Like say for example, on a Med Surge or Med ward. Or even step down units. I've seen a lot of "high speed" LPNs in ICUs doing a fantastic job!

Yeah, their notes have to be signed off by the charge nurse, but its not like they go behind them to see if they're doing a good job. Because, if they've been trained right and have proved themselves as a valuable asset , then that shouldn't be happening. OK....whew.

ehsarhTer · Sep 20, 2006

I work in Naval Health Clinic Hawaii and although this is a Military command It is converting into a civilian run clinic. I think this is an awsome place for LPN's because there is pretty much no difference here, both LPN's and RN's handle triage, patient routine blood pressure checks and are senior to all of the HM's here. I was looking at the pay log and kind of thought it was funny it said:Health Promotion department head O-5 90k, RN tobacco cessation coordinator 80k, Military RN 70k, LPN (2)shared 135k , Corpsman (3)shared 70k. 3 enlisted make less then one RN......MA's start at 13.50/h and LPN's start around 22-30 which isnt too bad considering oahu is about the same as california in cost of living.

HeatherLPN · Sep 20, 2006

I work LTC, and we have a doc that won't even talk to an LPN unless she's a supervisor or he absolutely has to b/c he thinks LPN's are morons. But the other docs trust our judgement. To me, it's more important to have respect from my aides than the facility. And to respect them back. Although I do feel respected and a part of the team with the RN's at my facility.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2006

I work LTC, and we have a doc that won't even talk to an LPN unless she's a supervisor or he absolutely has to b/c he thinks LPN's are morons.

Unfortunately I have heard of a few doctors and student doctors who have referred to LPNs/LVNs as merely 'attendants'. Fortunately these types of doctors are in the minority.

anamnesis2 · Sep 21, 2006

Where do I work and do I get respect?

I am an LPN and have an associates degree in nursing. I worked for 10 years on a critical/acute unit where I did everything from post-op for fresh open-hearts to orienting new RN's to the floor. I received much respect from my RN co-workers, but nothing from the managers.

I had just finished sending a patient to intensive care after my team saved his life when the new clinical lead for my division took the LPN's into her office (one at a time) and told us that we were being taken out of the staffing matrix and could work as CNA's. We were then called off every other day. About 50 of us walked at pretty much the same time and I heard they really missed us when we were gone. We were all hard workers.

Our RN co-workers tried to go to bat for us, but even they couldn't stop what happened and were threatened with their jobs. So.....no, I wouldn't say there is much respect for all of the wonderful professionals who work under the LVN/PN license and scope of practice.

Right now, I am using my "other" degree and am working as a hotel manager where I DO feel valued. I am not sure I will ever return to floor nursing.

However, for those of you who continue despite the way you are often treated - God Bless You - those patients need you!