[Rameous]

what are some of your attitudes concerning RN's Vs. LPN's? If you are a registered nurse, do you like working with LPN's? Same question to the LPN's.. do you enjoy working with RN's? If you are a registered nurse do you feel "above" the LPN and why? If you are a LPN do you feel inadequate when you are working alongside a registered nurse? I get the feeling in my workplace that no matter what you are, LPN's get treated better because of the fact that most of them are older and have many years of experience behind them. Why is it that many LPN's didnt go on to become RN's? Just a few questions I would like to get your ideas on. Thanks ahead of time for replying.

[Brendak]

One of my co-workers, when I was also and LPN, was trying to get her RN through an online course. She said that she couldn't afford to go to regular nursing school, as she was the primary income for her family. This LPN seemed to have a chip on her shoulder, towards everyone, and I felt it towards me when I graduated with my RN. Most of the LPN's that I have had the honor of working with have been invaluable resources, simply because of the length of time they have been nurses. I notice that if you treat them with the same respect as you would another RN, you will usually have a very nice working relationship. There is one that I am working with now that I would rather have beside me, than an RN whose work I typically have to go back and check. (OB nurse, not able to perform vag exams.)

[redheadrn1966]

****o everyone, this is my first time on a forum. On the LPN vs RN position, here are my views.
I am 40 years old and graduated from a bi level program in May of 2005. I was an LPN and worked during my RN school year. I know a bit about being both. I also feel fortunate to have been both.
I work in a small town hospital with just a few RN's and several LPN's. My duties are usually what an RN does in a small hospital, I cover ER, I take patients on the floor, I go to the pharmacy for everyone. I will sit in a room and make sure a patient is allright whether that patient is mine or not. We all help each other. In my mind, there is no classification between LPN and RN when I am at work. We all know what our jobs are and what we can and cannot do. I have great respect for the LPN's that I work with. I have not worked with an LPN yet who did not know her boundaries and hasn't come to me to ask for help in situations. I do keep my ears and eyes out for problems and try to know as much as I can about the patients in their care, but I am there for support. They know that I don't play the lpn vs Rn game (how silly).
We all are there for each other and the patients. Oh, lets not forget the most important part of the health care team, THE CNA! We as nurses need to respect the CNA's and help them out. They are the first ones to notice that our patients are changing and we are alerted. I learn the most about a patient by going in with my CNA's and helping them with patient care. They are great.
Thanks
Suzie Reynolds in Kansas

[BigRedNurse]

Hey, Suzie; I am (mostly) in agreement with everything you say in your post. I completely agree that teamwork gets the job done much more efficiently. The only drawback to working alongside the LPN's in our hospital is that we have to do all their IV meds in addition to our own assignments. I also know of one LPN who lost his license for working outside his scope of practice. In the other hospital where I worked as an LPN while finishing schooling for my ADN, the poor LPN's were assigned 9 pts to the RN's 4 pt. load; I felt that this was not only unfair, but unsafe.....I don't care what the title is, I try to show respect to whomever I work with and expect the same treatment. It just makes sense to work together and leave the cattiness and superiority out of the whole equation........

[cassioo]

there is a long discussion someplace on here about LPNs and RNs. I work with 5 LPNs on my unit and all of them are wonderful except 1 who I wouldn't want to take care of my dog. She's nice enough just not the brightest bulb but then there are a couple of RNs on my unit that I wouldn't want taking care of me either. Our hospital does pay tuition 1 of the LPNs is interested in getting her RN the not bright one flunked out of the RN program twice. the others like what they do.

[Skymoma]

I' am not an RN nor am I an LPN but if you ask me, I would say that the people see life or view life in different way or one of the reason's why they some never go on to be RNs while others do. But one must remember that an LPNs job is totally different from an RNs job but they still must work together inorder to achieve "total health care." But I would guess that since there jobs are different and maybe a little more similar, I would think that since an Rn is Higher than an Lpn the Rn might seem a little more intemidating to an Lpn as would an Msn to an Rn right?

[MagRedC5]

Army Medical Centers use both civilian & military LPNs in their ICUs. IMHO, it works just fine for those LPNs that are strong in critical care nursing. I've noticed most, if not all the civilian LPNs I've worked with at both Brooke Army Medical Center & Madigan Army Medical Center were prior service military LPNs. These LPNs cannot start blood product infusions, do admissions, etc. w/o RN co-sign. However, the LPNs are well appreciated in the Army ICUs. BTW, the Army LPNs [91WM6] are enlisted, whereas the active duty RNs are officers.

IMHO, the ADN programs have better opportunities for hands on clinical experience vs. BSN, or LPN programs. However, I've been up the educational ladder; AAS in CST, AAS in Nursing [ADN], and RN-BSN program. The bottom line is what one does with their experience after the program of choice. I've worked with some awesome LPNs [especially in the Army Medical Department], as well as ADN & BSN educated nurses.

Teamwork is what its' all about!

[cassioo]

Originally Posted by Skymoma

I' am not an RN nor am I an LPN but if you ask me, I would say that the people see life or view life in different way or one of the reason's why they some never go on to be RNs while others do. But one must remember that an LPNs job is totally different from an RNs job but they still must work together inorder to achieve "total health care." But I would guess that since there jobs are different and maybe a little more similar, I would think that since an Rn is Higher than an Lpn the Rn might seem a little more intemidating to an Lpn as would an Msn to an Rn right?

I think intemidation is a personal thing. I have a ADN then traditional school on to BSN choose not to have MSN but I'm not too intemidated by anyone because of the letters behind their name but then I have a direct type of personality and it's not hard for me to speak up about what I think. That has had to develop over years for me maybe it's just an age thing or I hid any intemidation for so long I no longer am.

[abnmedic]

I was a line medic in the infantry for 5 years and now I work as a patient hold team leader. It is an LPN position and I am currently working on my LPN. I think the nursing field is an awesome career field to be in and and as said many times before as a healthcare person you should love what you do. Medical folks work hard enough as it is and LPNs and RNs work very hard.

[hsieh]

i've been both an lpn and rn. i've been around rn that judge lpn like they're better than them. the only diff between lpn and rn school is one seamester of management courses. clinicals might be diff for rn but you don't learn in clinicals you just experience or try something a few times. clinical skills are learned on the job through repetition.