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

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 1, 2006

I'm really trying not to offend anyone, this debate has been going on for so long and almost pointless, but this thread reminded me of what me brothers friend said about me! I'm young so it was MY choice to allways go to a 4yr college. I chose nursing (actually wanted be veternarian but ultimately only liked cats and dogs and didn't want deal with horses and farms!), so I was already in premed and never thought well lets find 2 year program I wanted a college degree and 4 year experience for myself and since I was young, still lived with parents and had no boyfriend or kids went all the way but that's everone's own choice. Now I have worked with many experienced LPNs and they are much more knowledgeable then me and have been a great resource.
But bedsides all that....my brothers friend called me stupid for getting a 4 year degree when I could be a nurse in 1 to 2 years! Just reading these posts that I hear many downplaying LPN or LPNs feeling BSN and more years schooling feel looked down upon when he said that about me! But once again it's your choice.

I can identify with your annoyance, because I have only been an LPN since June of this year, and it is already a bit tiring to me; because I CHOOSE to be an LPN. I looked at the job descriptions and I know that I am not interested in being a leader per se, because I don't have the patience to encourage or even force people to do the right thing. I'm not interested in critical care, or any of the other advantages that RNs have as choices. I remember telling people that I was not going to be an RN and they looked at me like I grew three heads at one time. I don't want their headaches or stress, and it does not bother me that someone else has to sign for my assessments or anything else for that matter. I am concerned about being respected as a human being that chose a career in caring for people rather than being a person that is robbing or killing people. What the RN thinks of me is not important, it is the way that she/he treats me. When I made the decision to become an LPN, I actually felt freedom! I don't have to stay until the next tour completes report, counsel employees, write a bunch of care plans that (at least in my hospital) are lies (not saying that other hospital nurses are not doing the right thing), and I go home. I do help the patient within my scope of practice without being mean to them, I assist the RN with all that she needs, but, I do not want her job...I PREFER stable patients with predictable outcomes...that is just me.

I have the highest respect and admiration of the RNs that completed their difficult program, especially the ones that REALLY care. I want to help them, but don't want to be them, and I was really tired of trying to justify that to people that should not be concerned with what I do for a living and why.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 1, 2006

ive heard that used often on threads here - what is magnet status anyhow. dont mean to sound stupid but dont think we have anything called that - probably cause we are small towns. thanks.

My insane hospital is trying to obtain magnet status, but I am still in the dark about what it actually means. One thing I do know is that this status seems to be pro-RN. Not sure of what the LPN would benefit from it...

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 1, 2006

I think you are refering to Extended Care Facility.

Thanks for the clarity. Don't see how I missed that:(

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 1, 2006

Quoted from http://www.northeastmedical.org/medical_rounds/md023.html :

Magnet is the highest award an organization can receive for nursing care as established by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a division of the American Nurses Association. Magnet Status is awarded to a healthcare organization that has demonstrated provides the very best in nursing and patient care through its support of international nursing professional standards.

brattyone · Oct 1, 2006

LVN/LPNs have played a VITAL role in nursing and I hope that we continue to have them as part of the team. In CA since the nurse to pt ratio came into effect (RN nurse to pt ratios). I found this greatly anticipated law has had some negative drawbacks that should be addressed. "There is no I in team". Administration has been clever in which they go about "abiding" by this law. Example: Changing the name of a unit IE Direct Observation Unit to Telemetry Med Surg= Ratio change from 4:1 to 5:1. Acuity of Pt's. doesn't change, but the way the acuity level is calculated does. Take away our LVN's and our CNA's (which I personally feel is the very backbone that ensures adequate care) they are still within the law. Cool now we are doing more with less. Tele-Med Surg? What? Who came up with that? Telemetry had always been based on the Pt's condition warranting the need to be monitored. Now I see cardiac monitors on pts that truly have no need to be monitored. I'm frustrated by this arbitrary use. My skills as a Cardiac Nurse aren't appropriately being put to use and it causes a needless increase in anxiety for the pt and their family members.YIKES! Excuse my soapbox antics! Guess I felt the need to blow off some steam. Back to the point I was trying to make. LVN/LPNs have played an integral role in nursing-hence "Nursing Team". LVN, RN, ADN, BSN, CNA. When are we going to realize that this us against them mentality has and will continue to keep us at odds? We will never reach the height of the professional respect that we complain about not getting, nor will we stop losing excellent staff due to our work environment. Each of us are responsible for our own behavior yet how many times have you seen the blame being placed elsewhere? I've been around long enough. I've earned my "stripes" as a New Grad. "The Gaunlet". This was over a DECADE ago!! WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO STOP IT?!! It continues to this very day. I am appauled that this hasn't changed. I still see it written about in journals, web sites etc. I personally will not condone it and when I see it I personally step in and stop it. It's pretty easy to do in fact. New Grads, we all were once. When and why did we forget this? There is no arguement that could ever stand to reason why rather than welcoming and embracing New Grads, there are those that get some kind of pleasure out of "Hazing" them? They know who they are and we know who they are. Silence is consent. Empathy, sympathy, apathy? It needs to stop. NOW! We keep getting in our own way. We want and need changes that will decrease job stress, we want management to respect us, MD's to treat us professionally and so on and so on. I could write a limitless list of issues.The bottom line is IT IS UP TO EACH ONE OF US! Our behavior teaches others how to treat us. When we stop treating each other like enemies, then we will see a big change in the way we are treated. If we remain divided we will continue to be the ones that lose the most.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 2, 2006

My lying hospital is applying for Magnet Status, and I feel that they are not great with patient care. I'd actually get mad if they actually get it. And the meetings are a pain in the rear. Thanks for the clarity.

Texasaggie43 · Oct 2, 2006

Some of the best Nurses in the burn unit in Augusta,Ga are LPN's. When I first started working there, I didn't even know their title. Truly, I have the very highest respect for these professionals. I would have no problem with being cared for by these nurses. LPN's, you are real nurses and my hat is off to you.

Kashia, ASN, LVN · Oct 2, 2006

If you all think about it , it is the educational system at the root of this debate. They are the ones that place this idea in the minds of RN students. I am LVN acute care and we have both university BSN students and AS community college students- I have gotten an earfull from these students.

It is the school. Why? School is business. And they prop up their programs.

grentea · Oct 2, 2006

My hospital as well is applying for magnet status and as someone on my floor explained to me, LPNs aren't included in magnet status which I think is totally absurd. On just my floor alone there are four LPNs working on different shifts and they're awesome nurses. So I don't know what exactly my hospital is going to be doing with them in the name of this magnet status malarchy. And I don't know where they're going to find nurses better than the LPNs on my floor. It's kind of disgusting that there's some real talk about getting rid of them. Three of those LPNs on my floor have been there for over ten years. Getting kicked out of their hospital for the latest trendy hospital trophy is no reward for loyalty. I'm going to a different hospital, but I would be anyways if anything happened to my co-workers.

romansten9 · Oct 3, 2006

Some of the best nurses are LPNs. Many people have said it, and I agree. It really has a lot to do with experience. Someone might have known some new LPNs and thought they didn't know much. (so they assumed all LPNs are that way) But the same thing happens with new RNs or Doctors, etc.etc... Many experienced LPNs know more and are better nurses than many new or "old" RNs. As a Paramedic, I feel the same way. (like 'ol Rodney Dangerfield-no respect) People meet a few inexperienced medics and they think we are all that way. After 17 years I am light years ahead of where I used to be. Now I teach ACLS and PALS to Nurses, Doctors and other Medics and I can tell you that none of those 3 levels mean anything. Every class is different. Sometimes the Nurses are the brightest. sometimes the medics and once in a while the Drs even know a thing or two! Just let the disrespect fuel you to study everything you get your hands on, and you will knock the socks off of everyone and they will be asking you questions. The letters after your name don't mean a thing! Anyone can study on their own and know as much as an MD or more. :)

casey12873 · Oct 4, 2006

I'm an LPN who has encountered this negativity also. I had a family member of one of my patients tell me that LPN's are "little pretend nurses" and RN's are "real nurses". I chose to ignore her comment, but it is always in the back of my mind when I am dealing with her.

Hang in there!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 4, 2006

We are not really included in the magnet status meetings, either. Actually, it does not bother me, because I am relieved of being phony. I don't want to deal with any of the nursing administrators more than I have to.

To leave a small example of how grimy behavior goes across the titles, I have an Associate Director of Nursing that actually puts her nasty hands in people's food without asking whenever she is hungry, and the other day, she asked me for 50 cents. Now, she makes more than $80,000 per year to me $37,000 and she had to nerve and gall to ask ME for such a petty amount of money? She should be embarassed and more discrete with her lack of funds, but, no she isn't.

No, title CLEARLY does not matter...