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

Nurses LPN/LVN

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I mean, the title does have "Nurse" in it.So why are so many people insisting that LPN's arent real nurses? When I go to the hospital, I see these people giving medication , care, comfort and other services to their patients, isn't that what nursing is all about? What do you think about this issue? Do you think LPN's aren't real nurses?

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I have a Masters degree in nursing and was working in an RN role as a charge nurse in psych for the first time ever (psych nursing isn't really given much time in RN or MSN programs- you get the very basics and that's it) and with a wonderful LPN who taught me how to be a great psych nurse. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for her advise and sharing of knowledge and experience. Early on in that job , I felt like she was the "real nurse," and I was the one trying to hang on to dear life! LPN, RN, MSN, we are all nurses! And we need to work and stick together. I'm always willing to learn something new to me from whoever knows more (and sometimes that learnin' comes from my nursing students- and I think it's great!)

I have a Masters degree in nursing and was working in an RN role as a charge nurse in psych for the first time ever (psych nursing isn't really given much time in RN or MSN programs- you get the very basics and that's it) and with a wonderful LPN who taught me how to be a great psych nurse. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for her advise and sharing of knowledge and experience. Early on in that job , I felt like she was the "real nurse," and I was the one trying to hang on to dear life! LPN, RN, MSN, we are all nurses! And we need to work and stick together. I'm always willing to learn something new to me from whoever knows more (and sometimes that learnin' comes from my nursing students- and I think it's great!)

While I have worked with many fine LPNs, and as I have stated in many other threads, I think that the time of LPNs/LVNs has come and gone. That is why so many hospitals across the country are phasing them out.

Do you realize that you have less education than Physical Therapy Assistants? Whose claim to fame is walking patients around the unit, or exercising their legs and arms? What is wrong with this picture? Their educational entry into practice is a associates degree, while LPNs and LVNs have only a 9 month program. That is probably where their credibility with the public gets questioned. and probably why many RNs, including me, don't want to be responsible for their patient load, as well as my own. JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Specializes in Assisted Living Nurse Manager.
While I have worked with many fine LPNs, and as I have stated in many other threads, I think that the time of LPNs/LVNs has come and gone. That is why so many hospitals across the country are phasing them out.

Do you realize that you have less education than Physical Therapy Assistants? Whose claim to fame is walking patients around the unit, or exercising their legs and arms? What is wrong with this picture? Their educational entry into practice is a associates degree, while LPNs and LVNs have only a 9 month program. That is probably where their credibility with the public gets questioned. and probably why many RNs, including me, don't want to be responsible for their patient load, as well as my own. JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Depends on where you are from if you want to state that LPN's are only from a 9 month program. I have to say that I am am LPN with an associates degree. LPN's are not less of a nurse. In many areas of these United States we do 98% of what the RN's do, so sometimes it is worth finding out the facts. I do not pretend to be and RN and I know that the RN's assessment skills are taught at a higher level than mine, but not anything that you can not learn on the job. "just my opinion".

The only time I really ran into this was at clinicals at LPN school. A patient that I had was very happy to have me as there student nurse for the day. He had many questions that I as a student had not encountered before but I did go to his RN and get the answers and got back to him. He was very impressed and even told me I should get a job at that hosiptal. He said his daughter was a nurse there and maybe she could give me some insite on it. When she came in he told her that I was getting ready to graduate and needed a job as I had recently lost mine in another field due to my company shut down. His daughter replied "Well good luck you are just a LPN so I cant help you." It was not like he was asking her to give me a job he was just asking who to talk to and names of nurse managers who may need some LPNs on their floors. After she left he applogized for her comment and told me to him I was very much a nurse just like her.

Specializes in Long Term Care.

LPNs are nurses.

They work just as hard and do the same things that I do for the most part.

I don't understand why we as a profession can not embrace the LPN and make that our entry level.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
While I have worked with many fine LPNs, and as I have stated in many other threads, I think that the time of LPNs/LVNs has come and gone. That is why so many hospitals across the country are phasing them out.

Do you realize that you have less education than Physical Therapy Assistants? Whose claim to fame is walking patients around the unit, or exercising their legs and arms? What is wrong with this picture? Their educational entry into practice is a associates degree, while LPNs and LVNs have only a 9 month program. That is probably where their credibility with the public gets questioned. and probably why many RNs, including me, don't want to be responsible for their patient load, as well as my own. JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Ah yes, "the time" of the LPN has come and gone. THAT'S why the schools still exist.:rolleyes:

And the length of education isn't always 9 months, matter of fact the shortest program i've actually heard of is 13 months. Physical therapy assistant and LPN are two different jobs, there is no reason to compare the two really, except the reason they were compared in the above post was for an elitist insult that was completely transparent.

Not to mention a poor attempt to drag the educational debate into a thread again.:rolleyes:

While I have worked with many fine LPNs, and as I have stated in many other threads, I think that the time of LPNs/LVNs has come and gone. That is why so many hospitals across the country are phasing them out.

Do you realize that you have less education than Physical Therapy Assistants? Whose claim to fame is walking patients around the unit, or exercising their legs and arms? What is wrong with this picture? Their educational entry into practice is a associates degree, while LPNs and LVNs have only a 9 month program. That is probably where their credibility with the public gets questioned. and probably why many RNs, including me, don't want to be responsible for their patient load, as well as my own. JMHO.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

:( This is what the problem is, people who feel and act the way you are saying, Thank god I dont have to work under you as an LPN. I worked very hard for my LPN and mine was not just 9 months try 5 days a week from 8-4;30 every day for 12 months. and that was 10 years ago. And I am now working in acute care for 3 years and I help train the new RN grads coming to our hospital to work, I when some one iam working with on my team cant get an IV start , quess who they ask to start the IV for them. an LPN and 99% of the time I get it on 1 attempt. And worked for over 6 years as an LPN charge nurse of LTC and there trained the RN grands that came and you know what they all left because it was to hard to care for 40 patients a day for them. YOU can learn alot from a good LPN. maybe you should try that sometime. It is a personal choice for some to get their RN and for some to work as an LPN and not get their RN my choice is due to my family and my children at this time in my life.

Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

Some people feel better about themselves when they put others down. Whatever. Don't let it get to you. LPN's are just as much of nurses as RN's are. NURSE is in the Title.

Lowly paid nurses, Licensed Pathetic Nurses, Limited Practice Nurses, etc etc. Whatever you want to call them , I love them. They got me through my first year, continue to be my best friends, and gave me great job references when I left.

I learned quickly what the different technical aspects were of our licensing (the biggest came down to central lines and iv pushes). I developed a very open relationship with the LPN's on nights where they would come to me with the things they were unlicensed to do and in exchange I could ask them to do just about anything for me anytime. They really hated always having to beg an RN to do something for them prior to me being hired. I just made myself available to them.

They really bailed me out a few times as I was on a serious learning curve being new. These LPN's all had 16-30 years experience where my experience was counted in days/weeks/finally in months. None ever hesitated to help me as I never hesitated to help them.

With this I found that their school also taught a whole different type of approach to nursing. RN school is very technical. They try to teach about caregiving etc, but the LPN school here really digs in on a personal level and these nurses have a whole different mindset about the patient that the RN's just dont' get. (It's a bedside manner thing that I can't find the words to explain)

The other thing the LPN's never seem to have is an 'attitude'. They aren't afraid to ask for help, they never act better than anybody, and they are really just down to earth friendly people. Is it any wonder I got along best with them?

Other RN's would gripe when they were put in 'charge of ALL the patients' because they were assigned to nights with only LPN's. It is true that I had to learn what I was responsible for regarding the LPN's patients but the truth was, she was caregiving on her own license. I told my manager that she could assign me with the LPN's anytime.

Perhaps they are Life's Perfect Nurses.

Specializes in A little of this, a little of that.....

gee, i have been an lpn for over 15 years, and have heard many of the 'negative' comments several times. several of the people who have made the comments were unsatisfied with their job in the first place.

i am licensed by a bon, same as any other licensed personnel, and went through a 12 month program that was terrific. still keep in contact with the don of the program, too.

'mac'

Just wondering if any other hospital are phasing out LPN's...our hosptial is giving current LPN's a chance to go back to school to get thier RN otherwise they are dropping them down to pretty much cna's....they can not pass any med's, start iv's, draw blood, or assess patients. We have never had an LPN's in ER, but the floors always have.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

GooeyRN has the right idea: there is no reason to put others down to try to make yourself appear better. If that were the case, then the one-upmanship would never end.

It's called a healthcare TEAM for a reason: it requires many disciplines to care for ill patients nowadays! Therefore, there is plenty of room for all of us!

I just started in chronic dialysis as an advanced practice nurse. The people that are teaching me the idiosyncracies of this....?? The dialysis techs who know their patients. They come to me and tell me the subtle nuances they have detected since they work with the same patients three times a week. Do I listen? You bet I do. Do I then reassess the pt myself? Yep, sure do. Do I then thank them for bringing it to my attention? You'd better believe it.

If you treat people with kindness and respect, you will get the same in return. If you don't - you will have a miserable life.

BTW - I was an LPN for two years, then an ADN, then BSN, then MSN and finally did a post-MSN certificate!

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