There was a discussion today that made me want to ask some of the
RNs that are here on this board if there is a general disregard to
LPNs, or is it in their heads?

I am asking this because I just started Fundamentals for Practical Nursing this week, and this was the conversation that was going on with my classmates.  It was like their dreams were already shattered within the first week of nursing school. For myself, I have been out of school for many years, and wanted an easier transition to an upgrade, and did not want to be totally challenged to start of as a Registered Nurse. My job is paying my way to go with tuition and full salary paid for a leave of absence until I complete this program.  After being in the arena of nursing, it would be easier to assess if I want to go further.

I certainly understand the differences in responsibility between the
two, and respect the education and experience that an RN has, so
this is not an issue for me. But, over the years, working in a
hospital, I have heard everyone from administrators to (some) RNs,
and even non-licensed staff basically blowing LPNs off like they are
candy stripers, or 'wannabe' nurses.

A few of the students in my program stated that they were approached
by the RN students and were asked 'Why do you JUST want to be an
LPN? RNs are better'. I do know that RNs have more leverage,
flexiblity and advantages in terms of job varieties and such, but, I
am curious to receive insight. Is there something that is true in
the way they are perceived, or is it their own inferiority? I had
another student that said her heart was really in the RN, and she
was disappointed that this did not happen, so she 'settled' for
this. I told her to have pride in anything that she does, and the
opportunity to move ahead will be available when the time is right,
and she should take this experience as a stepping stone.

Please share thoughts when you have a chance!

I have been a LPN for 21 years and I am going back to school for my BSN.

Twenty-one years ago I wanted to go into a 2 year RN program, just like today there was a nursing shortage and there was an influx of students. In most schools at that time there was a two year waiting list. I decided that while I waited I would take the LPN program. I am glad I did. LPN's are trained in the basics just like RN's, abeit, not as in depth. What we do get is a lot of condenced training and alot more bedside training. As a new LPN in the mid-eighty's we had a lot more autonomy and there were a lot more of us in acute care settings. This has changed for us in New Jersey, many of  us are now in long term care.

As a junior in a BSN program the first two years were spent taking non-nursing courses, arts, ethics, and for my minor, psych classes. This fall will be the start of my clinicals. My daughter who will graduate in May '07 still only had two patients at the end of her clinicals. Ask a third year RN student (that isn't a CNA) how to empty a foley catheter, 10-1 they can't tell you. When I graduated I had in my care as a student PN, 5 patients on a med/surg unit.

In addition to the nursing classes, and clinicals this fall,  there will be alot on management, health promotion and leadership, moreso than patient care.

I am going to school so that I may have better opportunities for nursing, not just because its better.

So remember, when someone asks you why you want to be an LPN, say because I want patient care experience not paper pushing experience.

2more

You might as well get used to this controversial topic because you will hear it until the end of your career. You will also be taught in school that LPN's are ancillary staff to RNs. I was an LPN for ten years then made the switch. I have been an RN for two years, it is also a career change for me, I was a lab tech for 18 years.

RNs have a broader scope, LPNs are more task orientated. They are better at clinical skills because it is what they are trained to do. As you move up the clinical ladder more responsibility is delegated to you, one is not better than the other. They each have different job roles.

I graduated from LPN  school in 1973.  My older sister was an RN, while I was working as an LPN, my younger sister started nursing school at the hospital where I was working.  I went back to school for my ADN after 4 years, because I wanted to do more, and knew I could.  I took so much abuse from my sisters it was amazing.  I constantly heard "you aren't as good as me, as smart as me, etc"....My younger sister came home from her first week in school and informed me that if she were ever on my floor as a student and she told me to do something I "better jump as fast as you can".  I told her I didn't take orders from any student, even if it were the Pope of Rome.  Luckily, they never assigned her to my floor.  She had an instructor who told her students that LPN's were worthless.  Whatever happened to just wanting what's best for the patient.

As long as the person taking care of the patient is doing their best, and the pt is getting the best care possible, everyone should be treated equally as a memeber of the team.  Unfortuantely, the opportunities for LPN's keeps shrinking.  But there are a lot of LPN's in practice who I would perfer be my nurse than some of the RN's I've worked with.

Best of luck to you.

The RN students said that "RNs are better"? Really? Sounds like a childish reply: "I'm better than you, so there".

RNs are indeed different by occupation than LPNs, but that's all. No more; no less. People have various reasons for deciding to go one career route versus another. RNs do have more complexity and responsibility to their roles than LPNs, there is no mistaking this and it is what it is. Salary differences reflect this.

As long as LPNs/LVNs can accept this "role-fact" without making themselves feel inferior or victimized, or trying in various ways both direct and passive aggressive, to make RNs feel guilty for having a more complex role and commanding higher salary, there should be no problem. However, human nature being what it is, it's inevitable that some conflicts will occur. Self-awareness is key for all of us, so we know when our buttons are being pushed or we are trying to push the buttons of others.

Ideally, people should be able to commmunicate directly and respectfully with each other and be honest with themselves.  Sounds so simple, but incredibly hard at times to put into practice. As RNs, we clearly still have our own issues of "pecking order" and respect for anohter person's career choices and role, i.e.: BSN vs. non-degree nurses, BSN vs. MSN; certification vs. non-certification, and Ivy-leagers who beleive that those going to less than an Ivy League school are inferior, to name only a few of our continuing internal issues. All of these attitudes, I beleive, only further serve to create devisiveness. There is room for everyone at the table, if we all come to the table honestly and with the ability to acknowledge our own "issues" which may make us less-than objective and more prone to finger-pointing.