Why do so many people insist that LPN'S AREN'T REAL NURSES!!??

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 27, 2006

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
I recieved my education in a strenuous, intensive well structured and well taught environment with instructors who demanded the very best from us. those who couldn't cut are not nurses now like I am. I AM a nurse. I am skilled, I am knowledgable, and I am not less than an RN because my schooling did not include hours of gen-ed courses that don't teach a person beans about our profession! I have been a NA, ward clerk, scrub tech and LPN for 8 years and you can't tell me that I don't have more knowledge and experience than an RN with no experience in health care and three years worth of classes that include such useful classes as english lit!
How can an RN claim to be responsible for another nurses pt load when the extent of their responsibility is IV pushes or mixing meds. God forbid you take time from your busy day to spike my PRBCs for me so that I can tend to the entire rest of the procedure. And nice jab at the experience of the PTAs of the country, they'll all be glad to know that the extensive study into the human body and proper care of injuries not to mention intricate knowledge of muscles and their movements that you have mastered, I'm sure is merely a parlor trick, not a valuable and needed part of recovery for many patients. You certainly have shown me that I must surely be at the bottom of the barrel, and should be ashamed of my commitment and schooling to become a valued part of my team.

We know that we are NURSES...not nurse wannabees. It is a shame that some people feel that we are less than that...but I strongly advocate for anyone's choice to be an LPN. It is harder to get into RN programs with the long waiting lists, and for a person to care enough about people to take it at any level should be commended, not criticized.

AtlantaRN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

No, LPNS ARE real nurses...I am an RN with an associates degree and have 10 yrs experience and I get the same "looking down their nose" from new graduates that have their BSN... Frankly i'm not impressed... Once THEY can do my job, then they will have my respect, not just a few letters behind their name.

linda

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 27, 2006

It's a program through BOCES. A vocational school. I don't know where you live and if they have vocational schools tied in with high school programs. Anyways, for our junior year we went to BOCES from 12-2 and in our senior year, we would go from 8:30-11. In between our junior and senior year there was a 6 wk summer program. Monday lecture, 8-4. Tuesday-Friday clinical from 7-3. However, the program is terrible. The teacher never teaches and the only time I ever learned anything was when I was out at clinical with a different instructor. The clinical rotations are so short that we never did anything besides bed baths and toileting. I maybe changed 10 wound dsg. and I passed meds maybe a total of 2 hours out of 2 years. I'm glad the program enabled me work as a GPN right out of high school, but I feel the program needs to be shut down. NY state tried to shut it down before but someone came to rescue it somehow.

I remember Hillcrest High School, in Queens, New York had such a program. Their students used to come to my hospital (still do, I think). I don't know if it was good or bad, but, I did hear that some of the teaching and experience was lacking.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 27, 2006

No, LPNS ARE real nurses...I am an RN with an associates degree and have 10 yrs experience and I get the same "looking down their nose" from new graduates that have their BSN... Frankly i'm not impressed... Once THEY can do my job, then they will have my respect, not just a few letters behind their name.
linda

One thing I noticed throughout this process is that no one is ever satisfied...each level has some people who believe themselves to be superior to others, rather than to appreciate the team members for their commitment and talents. Personally, I am done with nursing school...I will take this LPN and make it work. The title does not matter to me...the patients do.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

One thing I noticed throughout this process is that no one is ever satisfied...each level has some people who believe themselves to be superior to others, rather than to appreciate the team members for their commitment and talents.

1. Many MDs look down on DOs

2. Many MSNs look down on BSNs

3. Many BSNs look down on ADNs

4. Many ADNs look down on LPNs

5. Many LPNs look down on CNAs

6. Many CNAs look down on students

When is this insanity going to end? People ought to be thankful for what they already have.

Midwest4me · Sep 27, 2006

1. Many MDs look down on DOs
2. Many MSNs look down on BSNs
3. Many BSNs look down on ADNs
4. Many ADNs look down on LPNs
5. Many LPNs look down on CNAs
6. Many CNAs look down on students
When is this insanity going to end? People ought to be thankful for what they already have.

AMEN to that! I couldn't agree with you more!

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

2. Many MSNs look down on BSNs

Oh my yes! I presented a paper at a Sigma Theta Tau convention a few years ago and I was the only presenter without a graduate degree. I was treated like a leper. Everyone said "why don't you get your PhD?". I don't need it. Just that simple. I've got all the degrees I need for the job I do.

The snobbery can get you at any level.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 28, 2006

1. Many MDs look down on DOs
2. Many MSNs look down on BSNs
3. Many BSNs look down on ADNs
4. Many ADNs look down on LPNs
5. Many LPNs look down on CNAs
6. Many CNAs look down on students
When is this insanity going to end? People ought to be thankful for what they already have.

A Double AMEN to that!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 28, 2006

Oh my yes! I presented a paper at a Sigma Theta Tau convention a few years ago and I was the only presenter without a graduate degree. I was treated like a leper. Everyone said "why don't you get your PhD?". I don't need it. Just that simple. I've got all the degrees I need for the job I do.
The snobbery can get you at any level.

I had to take a stop at the madness...it turned me off completely from pursuing the RN license...I totally admire them, believe me...while I like being a nurse, (even as an LPN), I absolutely hated nursing school, and don't see me doing it ever again. I will be taking continuing ed classes in managed care, in case I decide to switch careers further down the road.

I admire you for being able to present yourself before all of the graduate degree nurses, and while I have not met you, I believe that your presentation probably put them to shame.

Markthemalenurse · Sep 28, 2006

1. Many MDs look down on DOs
2. Many MSNs look down on BSNs
3. Many BSNs look down on ADNs
4. Many ADNs look down on LPNs
5. Many LPNs look down on CNAs
6. Many CNAs look down on students

Who do the DOs look down on? (just kidding) I have never looked down on a LPN. They are some of the most knowledgable "NURSES" I have ever worked with. When I did my orientation at the LTC I used to work at, I was assigned to an LPN and thought it was one of the greatest orientations I have had.

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2006

1. Many MDs look down on DOs
2. Many MSNs look down on BSNs
3. Many BSNs look down on ADNs
4. Many ADNs look down on LPNs
5. Many LPNs look down on CNAs
6. Many CNAs look down on students

I would just replace "many" with "some". The word "many" almost makes it appear institutionalised.

When is this insanity going to end? People ought to be thankful for what they already have.

Thank You!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2006

I would just replace "many" with "some". The word "many" almost makes it appear institutionalised.

Okay. I'll replace, as it seems more appropriate. :wink2:

1. Some MDs look down on DOs

2. Some MSNs look down on BSNs

3. Some BSNs look down on ADNs

4. Some ADNs look down on LPNs

5. Some LPNs look down on CNAs

6. Some CNAs look down on students