Why Does It Seem That RN's Hate Us and Hospitals Don't Believe In Us??

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Im a new PN grad and have been a STNA (state tested nurse assistant) for 7 years; but as a graduate it seems that RN's are threatened by PN's or feel that we don't know anything and hospitals dont want us, at least that's been my experience with my job search here in Ohio and Ga and I don't understand why. We as PN's have to learn @least 80% of the material that a student in a ADN program learns in 11 months vs. 2 yrs, so what makes us different besides the rate of pay, which really isn't any different at least in Oh where a UNEXPERIENCED LPN makes minimally TO START 16.75 w/o differential and more for being IV and CPR certified and a UNEXPERIENCEC RN makes IN OHIO makes 17.00/hr. I don't want to come across as confrontational because that's not why Im writing. I just want to get some other points of view from LPN'S AND RN'S to help me understand.:confused:

Rn's (even ADN's) take more general classes than LPN's. I took Micro, A&P 1&2, english comp 1 & 2, humanities electives, lifespan, a 3 credit human nutrition class, ethics, algebra, psychology, sociology...and a few others. There is a difference in education.

As for pay, RN's should be compensated more for the extra education. I think all nurses should be paid better in general.

Missy RN

Hi, I just wanted to add my two cents. I have all my prerequisites for our RN program (all the classes you stated above-except nutrition) and I have and AA, but I will be graduating from a PN program in a month. This is because the PN program picked me up before the RN program did (if it was going to).

Please don't take what I say the wrong way:mad: , I just would like for everyone to know that an LPN can have the same background education as the RN. Some LPN's have more education in their background then just the 1 year PN certificate. I feel that the RN gets more of the critical thinking in their education, where they know that this breakdown in this organ will lead to a chain reaction of events in this area of the body. But us as LPN only get the basic overview of things, we don't get the indebth stuff;)

But I do have a qustion for you, or anyone who can help. Since I have an Associates and I get my Associates in Nursing is that considered a bachelors degree? A friend told me that the answer is yes but I am doubtful.

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I compare my experience in LPN school to medic classes, they teach you to look at your patient and see signs and symptoms and you try to link up the disease with what you are seeing. RN school digs a little deeper, in that now you see the signs and symptoms of the patient, link up the disease, and know more in depth what that disease is, how it occurs, symptoms, what to expect in the future, what other things it could cause...etc. Harleygirl

You said what was on my mind. . Very well put and Thanks

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Specializes in 5 years peds, 35 years med-surg.

>>>

boy...no charting! i could handle that. charting is the part of my job i hated the most. of course now that i'm retired from hospital nursing, thank god, and do home health i have a lot less charting to do.....and of course i assess my pts every morning. i did it for years in the hospital, as well as admits, when they suddenly decided i wasn't capable anymore......after 30 years....lol.

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Specializes in ICU, Pediatric, Psychiatric, Med/Surg.

I have worked as an LPN for over 20 years, and I have enjoyed my job.

Now I will be graduating with my RN in a few months.

I have seen new Rns treat LPNs poorly, and it isn't an efficient way to work.

BUT-I understand now why students who have never worked as nurses feel the way they do.

The instructors stress legal issues and management skills, and they tell students not to trust LPNs.

They make it plain that the RN will be the one to get sued if anyone does anything wrong.

Now, I understand the responsibilities of the RN as a team leader, but you never mistreat your other team members.

I was in a discussion about this subject with some of the other LPN-RN students one day, and a younger student who has never worked as a nurse walked up and said "I don't know why you even care about the LPNs, because you will have your RN soon anyway, what difference does it make?"

I replied that my LPN is like my maiden name. It is true that I won't get to use it anymore, but I don't want anyone talking about it negatively, either.

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There are good people and idiots in the world, and the letters after their names have little to do with which category they fall into. Personally- when I get the "why didn't you go to RN school?" attitude, I reply with "why aren't you a short, middle-aged Irish guy?" and very few of them are smart enough to understand that I mean that only foolish arrogance would presume that the life path of one person must be the correct one for somebody else. Anyway, I'm working on a master's degree in management now, so will that entitle me to give the BSN's attitude?:nono: Nah- I just can't be that petty. Life's too short.

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Specializes in LTC/Sub Acute Rehab.

HarleyGirl,

If you know how each body system works in the first place, you can predict what's going to happen next; and when you do this it is called "critical thinking". You are thinking ahead of what is currently happening at the present time. So with that said, they teach that skill in LPN SCHOOL; I know b/c I received it! For me, once I got that basic knowledge of A&P taught to me, thinking "critically" just came naturally. You may learn things a little more "in depth" in RN school, but you learn how to think critically; it's what nursing is all about. I learned how to do more than "pass meds" while I was there. This is NOT meant to be hostile in any way but, I find it insulting and frustrating as a LPN when it is said that in RN training you learn how to think "critically." REGARDLESS TO WHAT ANYBODY SAYS, I'M A NURSE AND I'M PROUD OF IT! If I had to learn acid-base balance, understood it:idea: , passed the test and lived to tell about it, then, IM A NURRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSEEEE!:nurse: :lol2:

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But I do have a qustion for you, or anyone who can help. Since I have an Associates and I get my Associates in Nursing is that considered a bachelors degree? A friend told me that the answer is yes but I am doubtful.

2 associates degrees do not equal a bachelors degree.

This is not to say that you haven't put in the same number of credit hours, because if you have two associates degrees, you may very well have put in 120 credit hours easily.

But you need upper division level credits in a specific major, those credits that are considered to be at a junior and senior level. An associates degree only goes to a sophomore level.

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HEY Hello Kitty .Tell us what makes you So different from an lpn!

Why are you sooo mad at lpns is it that degree behind your name honey?

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I think the "critical thinking" debate will have to be rethought soon. My health authority is using "critical thinking" as a requirement in the LPN postings.

And yes many LPN's that I work with have two years of college in other things in their past. LPN-RN education only became available in my area in the last couple of years as did second degree admissions.

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Specializes in ICU, Pediatric, Psychiatric, Med/Surg.

It makes me sick to know that CNAs do not make as much as they should.

Yes, go on to school, brenda3....and good luck.

CNAs make really good nurses. My sister started out as a CNA many years ago,,,now she is a nursing RN instructor.

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I must have missed the original post....RN's hate LPN's? As far as I am concerned we are all just a part of the 'TEAM'. I have worked with some lousy RN's and some really great LPN's. I have felt/heard resentments from LPN's regarding the difference in pay scale, but...the answer is GET BACK TO SCHOOL!!. Where I work they pay 100% of your education....so many people do not take advantage of this. I understand...raising a family etc...but even if they would take one class a quarter eventually they would have the credit hours and such. Hate LPN'S? That is so unreasonable.

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Hi,

Even though I've only been an RN for 8 months, I haven't heard any other nurse say anything bad about LPNs. The hospital I work at don't employ LPNs so I only had a few occasions to have worked with LPNs when I did a few weeks at this rehab hospital. I saw the LPNs and RNs working side by side without any problems. If there is a problem with pay, that is because an RN and an LPN have 2 different scopes of practice legally. These facilities are taking advantage of LPNs by telling them they can perform all the extra tasks, almost the same as the RN but not paying the LPN the rate RNs are getting. There is one hospital in my county that hires LPNs but at $13 an hour, as ridicilous as that sounds, paying the pca's $9 an hour is even worst. As for as anything in life, the best way to improve pay is to continue education. I know some of you love being an LPN, but the only way to get RN pay without giving up benefis, nights, and weekends is too go back to school for your RN. I sacrificed and before nursing school, I was making 35,000 yearly. Now 4 years later, I am making 61,000 with a managed care company and 21,000 doing per diem one day a weekend at my old hospital so I can continue to work on my nursing skills.That education was one of the best investments I made, household income of a sinhle mom of 1 is over 80,000 annually 8 months after graduating. After taxed, my 80 grand will probably be $10 annual income (hahaha)

I look forward to working as a team with my LPN counterparts. Good luck to you all and when asked, you are a nurse, and I am a nurse, we are all nurses!!!

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