Will LPN's be around for long?

Red Kryptonite · Jan 20, 2015

People have been beating the drum about LPNs being phased out for 40 years. They're still around. I'm in a LPN program right now and it's full with a waiting list. I work with LPNs every day.

Becoming a LPN is still a viable step on the ladder and many of us choose it for all the varied reasons that exist for not "just going straight to RN." No, we won't be able to get hospital jobs in most places. So what? Not everyone wants a hospital job, and I could personally die happy never having worked in one again. Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt in celebration when I quit!

Raviepoo · Jan 20, 2015

As long as there are for-profit companies looking to maximize nursing hours while minimizing salary expenditures, there will be LPNs.

Red Kryptonite · Jan 20, 2015

As long as there are for-profit companies looking to maximize nursing hours while minimizing salary expenditures, there will be LPNs.

Funny how I work for a nonprofit.

And I know of at least a few other nonprofit orgs around me that employ LPNs.

Lmomma · Jan 20, 2015

People have been beating the drum about LPNs being phased out for 40 years. They're still around. I'm in a LPN program right now and it's full with a waiting list. I work with LPNs every day.
Becoming a LPN is still a viable step on the ladder and many of us choose it for all the varied reasons that exist for not "just going straight to RN." No, we won't be able to get hospital jobs in most places. So what? Not everyone wants a hospital job, and I could personally die happy never having worked in one again. Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt in celebration when I quit!

Do you work in long term care? I am looking at what options I will have when I graduate this June with my LPN license, and LTC seems to be the top of the list. Not sure if that's what I want to do tho...hmmmm

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jan 20, 2015

It depends on where you live and what you want to do after you graduate. Here LPNs are pretty much gone from hospitals so the job options become more limited. There are doctor offices and LTC facilities but not everyone wants to do that. Also, I've seen many doctor offices that hire MAs over the LPN. So it really depends...is it becoming not a viable option? In some places for some people.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend LPN to anyone in my area. An RN can be obtained with just a little more time and the LPNs barely get out of any classes once they enter an RN program.

Graduatenurse14 · Jan 20, 2015

In my area of the country there are no LPNs in the hospitals anymore and I guess they are in LTCs though. I know LPNs work for some agencies here as I worked as a teacher and know of two students who had medical conditions that required a nurse to be with them all day.

Nienna Celebrindal · Jan 20, 2015

We have LVNs who work in our Level 1 Trauma center, as a LVN I have worked in hospitals(ortho and ER), Jails (which I loved actually), clinics(ortho and peds), home health and hospice. I never worked in LTC. LVNs also can work in infusion clinics and dialysis centers. Of course it varies state to state, area to area, and some of those sorts of jobs are hard to get (because people never leave them) and are definitely not for new grads but they are out there.

I can't imagine there ever not being LVNs, and honestly I do think the cost of paying LVNs vs RNs is part of why.

Lmomma · Jan 20, 2015

In my area of the country there are no LPNs in the hospitals anymore and I guess they are in LTCs though. I know LPNs work for some agencies here as I worked as a teacher and know of two students who had medical conditions that required a nurse to be with them all day.

What was the nurse's role when they were with a student 1:1? I have worked education, nursing is a career change for me. I'd be interested in combining both disciplines, but don't know much about the nurse's role in the classroom

Red Kryptonite · Jan 20, 2015

Do you work in long term care? I am looking at what options I will have when I graduate this June with my LPN license, and LTC seems to be the top of the list. Not sure if that's what I want to do tho...hmmmm

I work in hospice and plan to continue with my employer as a LPN, for which I'm in school right now.

proudauntie415, LPN, RN · Jan 21, 2015

I am currently and LPN (starting my first day in the BSN program tomorrow! hooray) but I have to agree about LPN's in hospitals, it really doesn't happen anymore. however, with that said, there are still jobs! LPN's work in extended rehab units, LTC and home health. Most of my classmates are in home health. LTC was just NOT for me. Hated it. I also had ZERO desire to be in home health. Public Health hires LPN's for clinics, and I happen to be a Public Health nurse working in Corrections. I love Corrections. It is so very different but I get to be a nurse with a lot of autonomy and trusted to utilize my nursing judgement. I have some great doctors, and it's the first medical job where I have become GREAT friends with a lot of my fellow nurses. For some reason, even before being a nurse, but working in the medical field, nursing was a tough job. It was a bunch of strong assertive women and it seemed like a lot of backstabbing. I'm pretty happy I have some great nurses I work with. I think if you can get into an LPN program instead of waiting on a year (or more) waiting list for RN, do it. Get your nursing feet wet!! We are a value and asset to the team. We provide just as much incite to the medical care of our patients as an RN. You really get to understand what nursing is like and nursing judgement, but it's also great because you have the guidance by an overseeing RN, which I find valuable. Good luck.

Lmomma · Jan 21, 2015

I work in hospice and plan to continue with my employer as a LPN, for which I'm in school right now.

I am considering hospice. Do you go into patient's homes or is this a facility? Do you enjoy it? (I'm gonna guess you do since you plan to continue working for them after getting your license)