Why LPN but not LRN?

[jackson145]

At my school, they make a big deal about how it's the RN program and the PN program, not the LPN program. They say the L only gets added once you get the license. So, why doesn't it change from RN to LRN once you get your license?

This is just one of the oddball things that crosses my mind from time to time!

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

We have a BSN program, and you don't get the RN til you get your license.

[SunnyAndrsn]

Ours is a PN and ADN program. You can't call yourself and LPN or an RN until you pass the NCLEX testing.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I think I get your drift - why isn't an RN called a LRN for Licensed Registered Nurse? The answer is tradition. For a long time there was only RN's who were licensed and there was no need to differentiate. Those who were not licensed were practical nurses, or not much more than a CNA. Then the nursing profession began to get more strict about defining the nursing scope of practice. That meant that the practical nurses either had to get a license to perform nursing tasks, or drop off into oblivion. The degree required for either license is not reflected in the licensure status. Many RN's have BSN or even MSN and PhD degrees. But they only get one license.

[michigooseBSN]

I think LRN would be redundant. The R stands for Registered which means licensed by the registry. When it started RNs were registered and PNs were not because they didn't need to be registerd by the Board of Nursing. So to be consistent, there ought to be LPNs and LNs. Now, of course, it is just a matter of "how it's always been done".