Why can't I do everything a RN does as a LPN? We should be equal.

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Why do RN's make more when we practically do the SAME THING. I don't understand how RN's having the ability to start IV's and give a few medications IV push make them more valuable than an LPN. Those extra courses you take to become RN's, heck even BSN's don't add anything clinically. When I am on the floor, WE DO THE SAME THING, yet I take home 30% less than my RN/BSN colleagues. Does anyone else agree that us as LPNS should be able to make the same salary? I hope the Affordable Healthcare Act (AHR) addresses this issue with EQUAL PAY for EQUAL work. We are a lot cheaper to higher than RN's so hopefully the (AHC) will realize this and create more of a demand for efficient LPN's that are easier to train, and cheaper to higher, thus bringing RN wages on par with our wages. It just doesn't make sense for the hospital to pay a RN $25-30/hr to start, while I make $22/hr and have more than 18 years experience. Any thoughts?

Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.

And for the actual topic of this post, where I work, many of the RPNs have complained that our scope is being expanded so rapidly but we never see a pay increase. We have a huge skill set and lots of education to back it up, but at the end of the day, we still have a 2-3 year college diploma vs the 4 year degree. Yes a little more moolah would be great! But I don't see it happening

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Yes, and if you search on Allnurses.com you will find plenty of bashing going all around. I dislike being classified with all others who have ever posted on Allnurses. My discourse, along with all others who have responded to you has been measured and respectful.

This.

Because we have given supportive evidence to our argument, is NOT "bashing". We may be bashing your argument with our counter argument, but not YOU. :no:

Best believe, I LOVE my LPN roots; those roots helped be bridge over into my professional nurse classes for a bit, however the TOTAL theory and practicum to be knowledgeable in the scope and role of the RN, and the classes made that LPN knowledge CLICK and MORE.

You won't understand that until you take those courses, and you cannot speak about "knowing RN stuff" when you haven't take those classes; if anything, taking said courses will help you gain newer knowledge ALONE-I know it did for me, even in my Fundamentals class; something I could've skipped; I am very glad I didn't make that choice. :yes:

The fact that you weren't aware of studies or knowledgeable about evidence based practice further proves how your argument is flawed;if you know "RN stuff" you would've been able to do a quick search and find what you needed from the appropriate sources, in order to support your argument.

However, if you really want to further this then see what NAPNES or NFLPN thinks about it; you may not like the response, or rather your states BON for that matter.

Unless there is a state that challenges LPN education plus experience, again, the only option is to go back to school and get the education.

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Simple, I can easily read books, and if you give insulin to a hypokalemic pt you would drive K back into the cells driving the pt into a serious hypokalemia. Wikipedia is not that difficult, second I told you I work on a step down ICU, so that is nothing new, I learned that 15 years ago on the floor while working with highly experienced ICU nurses and physicians, so please don't try to belittle me.

UMM.. that would be a HYPERkalemic patient. Certainly not wanting to belittle you. But that kind of miscommunication can cause HUGE problems.

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Specializes in nursing education.
UMM.. that would be a HYPERkalemic patient. Certainly not wanting to belittle you. But that kind of miscommunication can cause HUGE problems.

No, the poster did mean to say hypokalemia. Insulin drives K+ into cells (out of the bloodstream...we measure it from the blood, not from the cell). Insulin can make a normokalemic pt hypokalemic, too. Certainly not wanting to belittle you.

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UMM.. that would be a HYPERkalemic patient. Certainly not wanting to belittle you. But that kind of miscommunication can cause HUGE problems.

You're real bright, the future looks good for you. The nurse mentioned a pt who was HYPOkalemic, less than 3.5. And Mr. Steven Hawkins, who ever you may be, you should know giving insulin drives K+ back into the cells worsening their HYPOkalemic state. Insulin activates the Sodium/K ATPase pump on the cells outer membrane. Which is why Mr. Steven Hawkings, the principles to why we should anticipate on giving a hyperkalemic patient especially in DKA more

K+ once the insulin drip is started K+ levels will plummet. Because, pts are depleted of K+ intracellularly where most of it resides and will be shifted during acidosis through a Hydrogen/K+ exchange pump on the cell membrane which will mobilize K+ ions to the outside and take in more Hydrogen ions to try to balance the PH. Thus, leading a severe HYPOkalemia which leads to really bad arrhythmias which will lead to Death. Way to go Mr Hawkings, you killed your first virtual patient. Read Wiki once in a while. It does save lives. And like I said I work on a step down ICU unit, so don't try to Belittle me.

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SweetPoo, that comment is by far the most condescending thing I have read on this thread. Pot meet kettle.

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My knowledge has been attacked all day, I respond with 1 snarky comment in response to someone trying to clown me and I'm the bad person?

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No, I don't think you are a bad person. I think you're previous comment was rude. I never questioned your technical knowledge as a bedside nurse.

I have questioned your opinion on LPNs. You have yet to provide me with any legitimate sources of information to sway that opinion.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
You're real bright, the future looks good for you. The nurse mentioned a pt who was HYPOkalemic, less than 3.5. And Mr. Steven Hawkins, who ever you may be, you should know giving insulin drives K+ back into the cells worsening their HYPOkalemic state. Insulin activates the Sodium/K ATPase pump on the cells outer membrane. Which is why Mr. Steven Hawkings, the principles to why we should anticipate on giving a hyperkalemic patient especially in DKA more

K+ once the insulin drip is started K+ levels will plummet. Because, pts are depleted of K+ intracellularly where most of it resides and will be shifted during acidosis through a Hydrogen/K+ exchange pump on the cell membrane which will mobilize K+ ions to the outside and take in more Hydrogen ions to try to balance the PH. Thus, leading a severe HYPOkalemia which leads to really bad arrhythmias which will lead to Death. Way to go Mr Hawkings, you killed your first virtual patient. Read Wiki once in a while. It does save lives. And like I said I work on a step down ICU unit, so don't try to Belittle me.

Do you mean "Stephen Hawking" ?

Wouldn't *dream* of belittling you. You've done a pretty good job of doing that yourself, Wikipedia LVN.

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Specializes in Public Health.

Stop referencing Wikipedia! Literally a four year old can go to Wikipedia and edit ANY article there WITHOUT references!

Regardless, if you have no EBP to support your position then your argument holds no weight. Opinion is not enough, you must be able to find scientific evidence that supports your argument. Scientific- meaning that the hypothesis has been tested again and again and within a certain margin, the data demonstrated itself to be reproducible and reliable. THAT is how you prove something to be true. If you don't follow that process then you have stopped short of achieving EVIDENCE based research.

When you go back to get your RN, you will understand.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Jesus, this thread is literally the dumbest crap I've read all day. I had to chase baby docs around the ICU each July at my old job, maybe I shoulda demanded equal pay for that too. Cause God and Allah and Zoroaster and the Flying Spaghetti Monster all know the nurses knew more than they did.

Let's set a precedent, shall we? Wikipedia is on my side, I'm going to start writing all my own orders and rxing my own meds cause I have the bemefit of "more experience." Who's with me?

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Can I tell you about the time when the RN who had recently graduated asked me "hey this PTs BUN is really

Low, should I call the doctor to see if he wants to give the pt more BUN. I don't know what they are teaching the new generation of nurses, but we don't hand out BUN's to pts when the lab Value comes back as low.

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