Why is it so bad to be an LPN ????

[hair_tie]

I have posted in other parts of this site, and it seems like soon as I mention I am going to school to be an LPN there seems to be a few people that ask why in the world would you want to do that? Why do I want to waste my time being and LPN. No place hires LPN's anymore, its just a gimmick for the school to get money from me.

I am tired of it. I am becoming an LPN because I want to why not ask an RN why waste your time on that just go be a PA or doctor. We each have our own reasons for doing what we do. If no place is hiring LPN's then how come I see ad's in the paper and on the state job bank ? RN's may have more of a choice but there are opportunities for LPN's too. The government wouldn't pay for you to go to school for LPN if there were no jobs.

One day I hope to be an RN but for now I would like encouragement or at least don't bash LPN's when a question is asked about LPN's.

[proud2b1]

OMG

It happened to me just today.This lady said"now r u an rn"? I felt

like saying "no I am the housekeeper here and passing meds for the nurse",anyway it really pi--ed me off.She didnt mean any harm.I think she assumed it because of my great expertise and ability that confused her,because I guess an lpn wouldnt have that?Oh well I thought it funny,since this discussed over and over yesterday!

[gods_gift]

most of the people that ask "why do you want to be an lpn" i have found don't know anything about what lpn's truly do. as far as i am concerned lpn's work their butts off and save lives just like rn's. and furthermore, schooling for an lpn is grueling and compact. if you don't have the drive to get through school then you would be hard-pressed to be an rn. i found that many of the students that i participated in clinicals with that were in the rn program didn't know anything. they were asking me dumb things like why is his pulse low when his bp is so high? i'm like are you serious? we truly learn everything that rn's learn in a 1 year nutshell. it is not a bad thing to be an lpn, it is a glorious thing in my opinion and it is what you make of it. people get their heads chewed off and stomped on when they ask me why i'm an lpn especially when they see my 2 children sitting next to me :angryfire! i'm like doesn't it look like they have to eat too? anywho, you do what makes you happy. i started school jan 2007 and graduated jan 2008 and passed the nclex feb 19th 2008. you'll be fine as long as you try to please yourself not others!

a penny for your thoughts:twocents:

god's gift

aka

kimberlee, lpn

[behensley]

Hang in there and don't let anyone get you down. I graduated in 2003 as an LPN and have found it to be very rewarding in my almost 5 year carreer. I have been called everything fro a "licensed pretend nurse", "low profile nurse", and (the one that I agree with) "low paid nurse". I have worked in a nursing home atmosphere, med/surg floor and psychiatric floor. I have found that when the chips are down the LPN is the one that is called on to save the ship and get everyone out of the bind that the unit is in.

Patients usually only ask about the difference once, and then they watch and see that I AM a nurse. My patients are comfortable asking my questions and trusting my replies. They know that if I don't know the answer, I will get them information on what they want to know.... Most of the time the RN is so busy with the paperwork that the LPN is the one that has to try and keep things balanced.

The RN has a place that is irreplaceable, but so does the LPN and our position is just as rewarding as theirs, if not more so.

[Jaguar Boy]

Gosh, I haven't read the whole thread here, but I've heard many discussions on generally the same topic...that TITLE=IMPORTANCE. In my view, no way...everyone is important, everyone has a role to play and should be respected for whatever they do. The individuals who clean floors, wash patients, pass meds, decides diagnosis' are all important.

I'm not a nurse yet, but whenever i mention my career aspiration, the response is usually positive and respectful, no one has ever asked me what kind of nurse I want to be, it doesn't matter...

[ann945n, RN]

As the saying goes, you dont know what you dont know

Having been a LPN and now about done with my RN and working on my BSN (advance placement program online) I can tell you I see a HUGE difference in the education level of the diffrent titles. Should RNs get more? You bet. SHould MSN get more? You bet. Everyone is equally important on the health care team and should be equally valued but should also be noted for their advanced level of education and reward salary wise as such. Also I would like to chime in that studies have show that when cared for by RN patients have less adverse outcomes. Thats not to say there are bad apples in every bunch.

[ER JUNKIE]

As the saying goes, you dont know what you dont know

Having been a LPN and now about done with my RN and working on my BSN (advance placement program online) I can tell you I see a HUGE difference in the education level of the diffrent titles. Should RNs get more? You bet. SHould MSN get more? You bet. Everyone is equally important on the health care team and should be equally valued but should also be noted for their advanced level of education and reward salary wise as such. Also I would like to chime in that studies have show that when cared for by RN patients have less adverse outcomes. Thats not to say there are bad apples in every bunch.

I think the main reason for this thread is not to say that RN's don't deserve more money for their education or BSN, MSN etc for that matter. I think that the point being made is that the level of respect is lacking for the LPN in alot of settings and that is a problem. As far as your "studies" show...where did this article come from? Are you saying that LPN'S miss important parts of an assessment and pt's in the long run are suffering? At my place of employment, the RN does the initial assessment, or if the LPN does it, they are co-signed by the RN. The LPN is allowed to do the secondary assessment and care totally for the patient. I would think that if pt's were having less than desirable outcomes under the care of a LPN, LPN's would not be able to work at all in acute care settings. Also, I think alot of it has to do w/ experience~it doesn't matter what your title holds. Of course this is just my opinion.

[caliotter3]

The only problem I have ever had with becoming an LVN is limited job opportunities. Occasionally I'm given snide remarks by patients who belittle my title. That doesn't bother me. I politely educate them or ignore them, depending upon the situation. But when I can't get a job because I'm not an RN, then I get disturbed. Unfortunately, that is the way it is.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It does upset me to keep reading in other areas that LPNs are being either phased out or limited from working in hospitals. I haven't seen it in my area, but basically, from reading here, it seems to be an unfortunate reality. I think that there is room at the table for everyone to eat.

I haven't been trained as an RN, so, I wouldn't really know, but I did notice a difference in the tone of the textbooks we read, so to speak versus the RNs. I have read that BSN nurses produce better patient outcomes. Not sure about that one, but it seems to me that while they are certainly trained to look deeper into the patient's issues, the actual plan that is created has to be implemented by someone else...may it be another RN, LPNs or CNAs. The issue that would make me uncomfortable as an RN is that in many cases, she/he has to count on others to make the positive outcome. Unfortunately, at least in my facility, it doesn't happen in the way that most would prefer. I think that is due to staff shortage and reduced staff satisfaction. Please, someone chime in to correct me, if needed.

[ann945n, RN]

Here is one of the site you can find various studies done on RN care and better outcomes

http://www.uannurse.org/crisis/studies.html

Also I would like to add that as a LPN I have just as little time to do patient care as the RN's I work with. In my experience I have not seen that LPN get more patient care time. In fact the hosptials in our area that use LPN's do not give them more pt time by giving them less paper work. The difference is they work under the RN but still do all their own charting, calling etc.... so Im not sure where this theory came from....

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Here is one of the site you can find various studies done on RN care and better outcomes

http://www.uannurse.org/crisis/studies.html

Also I would like to add that as a LPN I have just as little time to do patient care as the RN's I work with. In my experience I have not seen that LPN get more patient care time. In fact the hosptials in our area that use LPN's do not give them more pt time by giving them less paper work. The difference is they work under the RN but still do all their own charting, calling etc.... so Im not sure where this theory came from....

I can agree with your statement that an LPN can have just as little time to do patient care as an RN. What happens in our med-surg units is while the RNs are being burdened with paperwork, they will add additional patients to the LPN to medicate and do treatments, which, again,leads to a rush to get things done. We do get less paperwork, but the charting, calling the doctors, treatments, etc, but for more patients, again, takes away from individualized patient care.

[PamVal]

Our RN instructors are brilliant...and i mean GENIUS nurses.

They have lectured on the LPN vs RN debate saying that, LPN, RN, whatever your credential, if you're a good nurse, you're a good nurse period.

If you know your stuff, you will get respect, no matter what you are.

Nursing is a hostile field.

We have to fight for years in nursing school just to pass our exams.

Then we have to fight and work some more just to pass the NCLEX.

And THEN we have to fight and battle every dayon the job just to KEEP that liscence.

One slip up and that credential could be gone.

Nursing as we all know is not for the faint hearted...we have to be on our toes constantly, not allow ourselves to get lazy, complacent....we have to prove ourselves day in and day out.

Do this and you'll get the respect you want/deserve, LVN or RN

The most hardcore battleaxe of all our instructors said just last week that she had LPN co-workers who were worth their weight in gold. She went on to say that she would stand beside them and cosider them her colleagues, nothing less.

We all do what we do for different reasons.

Just keep up the good work and focus on being a good nurse...

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

One question that I would like to ask the RNs that are posting in this thread, and I would like to hear an honest answer; do you think that LPNs can make a positive contribution to nursing care? Or do you find them as a hinderance?

I can accept that RNs have a higher education. If you are guiding your LPNs and ancillary staff on the expectations to bring about positive outcomes bringing in your education and talents, and they give exceptional care because they are thriving and feeling as they are a real part of the team, then, would you believe that an LPN is a valued resource?

I think that part of the struggle of an LPN is that many feel they are doing a great deal of the physical labor of bringing about better outcomes and feel that they are not being appreciated for doing so. And, with many RNs leaving the bedside (most LPNs are not able to do so by virtue of the scope of practice), then, LPNs feel that they are suddenly called upon until the next phase comes in where they are no longer needed or acknowledged. Now, couple that with the reduction of career options can be further discouraging.

Personally, I take the road that PamVal says; I plan to keep learning, and keep up the fight to be the best nurse I can be. I no longer take it personal...I am proud of what I do. But, I can understand the positions of everyone involved.