The main theme of so many of the nursing problems today comes with this insane competition of how many letters come after your name!  If you are a competent, caring person & have met or exceded all the requirments of your place of employment, why does this matter so much? Aren't we all in this together?

I have seen highly trained nurses with excellent technical knowledge who are absolute duds at patient care.  I have also seen CNAs with the most compassionate & nurturing manner I wished I could clone them!

What has happened to the meaning of the word CARE????  Isn't it the same as it always was? 

My own professional & personal experience has ranged from doctor offices to ICU, to the most prestigious cancer in the country.  I have seen the very best and the very worst care at each of these places.

I was appalled when I questioned a nurse nurse about a procedure or med to be told:  'Don't tell me how to do my job.'  Or once, a 3 to 11 staff nurse came in to do V/S and said:  'We are short of staff, so if you need anything you better tell me now.' 

My 6'3' 260# husband had emergency surgery 3 yrs ago, came to recovery after hours.  When I was allowed to see him, I found a 4' 10'  imported, travelling nurse alone with him. She spoke very broken English and was mispronouncing his name. This nurse was in no way prepared to care for her patient, who by then, had pulled an NG tube and was working on his foley. 

Was this her fault?  I don't think so. Poor supervision, cost cutting, accuity focused institutions are to blame.

My husband's outcome?  Fine, I stayed with them until they got a bed for him in ICU at 3 AM...

I graduated in 1970.  I know that was a million years ago, but I doubt that a patient's pain, fears & needs have changed that much!

I am disabled with MS now, but have at least 8 to 10 friends who are/were nurses who are now working in other occupations.  There is no real shortage of nurses. There is a shortage of nurses who will work in understaffed, underpaid & unsafe conditions!

---

misscisacat

All nurses should be called professional nurse not just RN's. And Lpn's with many years of service to others as a nurse should be given the chance to challenge the state boards for Rn.Many of us can run circles around an Rn and give the best care at all times.

In 20 years and various positions held I have seen both good and bad LPN's and RN's and some of the worst was Graduate BSN's, as a veteran LPN I almost felt sorry for those nurses as they couldn't do anything without refering to the books, they all had it going for the academic area's but when it come to practicum they were as lost as a new born pup with its eyes closed to the world. Books are great but my gosh get out there and do the work, hands on gives so much more to the experience of nursing and you recieve so much more in return. The LPN has always been the hands on bedside nurse, the hospitals here have tryed several times to phase them out only to find that it is not cost effective or conclusive to good patient care. We have CNA's on the teams here but they work exactly as CNA's (no meds, or treatments). This is a different story though in the Long Term Care and Assisted living centers, In fact CNA's are working as facitily Administrators here. Scary!! they only have to attend a16 hour training and take a test. And poof they are Administrators in charge of all the facility's needs and over staffing. . So do I feel we are being phased out and that the shortage exists. I do feel that the LPN is endanger of being replaced. But only in lew of the almighty $$$ profits. Like it or not Health care is a business and business's look to cut costs where they can and if states allow unlicensed persons to pass meds and provide treatments at a lessor cost  the facilities are going to take advantage of it. Funny though as a school nurse I make 30,000 plus benefits a year, a friends daughter in law (CNA turned Administrator) makes 60,000 a year. Now go figure.

I am saddened to see that I am not the only one who has encountered these situations.  I am in souith Florida now, so I wonder where else it's going on.  Widespread????

---

misscisacat

After 37 years as an LPN I feel the same way. We are being replaced by RN & CNA some of which are not experienced or qualified to do compentent patient care.I have seen it first hand and it is scarey  When will the health care community wake up and realize that we are not second class nurses. 

 

I guess I was waiting for a huge discussion on this, but since I haven't seen one, I'll start it.

The July 2006 issue of the American Journal of Nursing had featured a CE offering titled: Policy Perspectives: Can the Use of LPNs Alleviate the Nursing Shortage? This article was based on the Seagro national study  (done in 2002-2003) titled: Supply, Demand and Use of Licensed Practical Nurses. This study was the subject of some conversation on our bulletin board and featured in an issue of Advance for LPN magazine.

This article generated literally hundreds of responses from nurses all around the country. There are a few letters on the subject printed in the latest issue of AJN (November 2006), but you can read the debate and all the letters on: www.medscape.com/px/discussions/29d57348

If that doesn't work try just 'googling'  medscape nurses..it's part of the WebMd site and look for  the 'discussions' tab.

I think it's very important that every LPN keep on top of things like this. My biggest issue with LPNs has been their lack of involvement in the profession, the lack of keeping current with things, and especially the complaining about how LPNs are treated as second class citizens and pit themselves against registered nurses. I have always seen LPNs on the defense and not being very proactive.

Maybe a some of you don't subscribe to AJN. Or any journals at all for that matter, and don't even know what I am talking about. Which illustrates my point. Please don't write back to me and tell me how busy you are, that you have no money for journals that are accessible in medical libraries and online. Please don't tell me how unfairly you've been treated by RNs and not given any chances to prove yourselves worthy of being called nurses. I have heard it all before. It doesn't change anything. And I am not here to debate you.

I'd like to see LPNs involved in meaningful discussions about our practices. How we can improve them. How to make an impact towards the positive. I'd really like to hear from PN school educators and what the plans are for changes or if there are any changes to curriculum as the value and effectiveness of  PN education is routinely questioned. Perhaps a streamlining and having national standards for PN education and perhaps even a look into the scope of LPN practice as it differs from state to state.   

I am not down on LPNs at all. I am one for Pete's sake. Just tired I guess of mediocrity and what seems to me to be a lack of motivation on our part collectively to improve the image of our practice.  

Thanks for hearing me out.

Headtrauma1

---

Be the Change You Want to see in the World.

I am glad some dialogue is going on here.  My basic premise at the beginning was; the differences were causing more harm than good and aren't we all out there working toward the same goal?

I do take issue with the statement that many of us are 'unprepared or current' in latest news and developments! 
I am in FL where the minimum requirements for license renewal are 26 CEUs with 2 subjects being mandatory and the option of some combination of 3 other subjects being mandatory.

Since most Nursing magazines including ADVANCE do come with CEU offerings and everywhere I've worked had their own programs, I have never been at a loss to find quality, current information at  little or no cost.  And am generally way over the required minimum.  My IV Cert was covered by the agency I was with and I got the CEUs for it.

My sister, also an LPN, lives in Oklahoma.  They have no CEU reqirements there whatsoever.  That frightens me!  Thankfully, my sister keeps an interest in her profession and pursues study on her own...

I have subscribed to all the nursing magizines from Nursing to RN to AJN.  It is worth noting here that these magazines call nurses RNs.  Check the classifieds and job training offerings in the back of these magazines and you will find they are also geared toward the RN specifically.

I am perfectly happy being an LPN.  I know that I can deliver a very high standard of care and feel confident enough to ask for help when needed.  Being threatened by someone else's initials or sense of entitlement is not for me.

I do feel that LPNs, as a whole, are grossly under utilized though.

Keep on thinking!

---

misscisacat

MESSAGE BY: E.Bird

---

I would like to see well trained season LPN's  become RN's by exam.  why not let us challege the state board of nursing exam?  I do not think  I would see that in my life time.  at this point in my life,  I have no plans to cont. my education by becoming an RN.  altho there are many others my age who are in school now,  some for the first time. ( I am 49)   my one year of nursing school has provided me with so many opportunites...  Summer camp Nursing,  I work FT as an ER nurse,  teach ACLS, PALS, BLS,   I just can't see myself doing this until I am retired.  It was not my first choice as an occupation.  I majored in Music in College.  but since 1986  I have been working as an LPN.  Nursing is a hard field to leave once you get in it.  due to Job's,  Pay,  etc....   But give me the chance to Challenge the State Board of Nursing  and I;m In!   I know more as an LPN  then any new GRN getting ready to sit for State Boards.

REPLY FROM: HHP7113

---

I am a veteran LPN also. I am currently attempting to complete my RN through Excelsior College. I would love to be able to challenge the State Boards for my RN also. I have been struggling to find time to study, take exams, and work 50-60 hours per week in order to care for my Clients.

How can we get this to happen? I feel quite qualified to work in the RN capacity. Heck! I have been doing it for the past 20 years. I have been offered a Director of Nursing Position as soon as I complete and pass my boards. I know that I could do that now if only I could challenge the boards! Unfortunately, I am looking at not being able to take boards for probably the next 6 months.

Any one have any ideas on how we could get the State board to realize that one answer to their RN shortage is to allow Current Veteran LPN's to challenge their boards? I would love to hear some ideas!!

---

Nurse Helen

MESSAGE BY: jocats

---

After 37 years as an LPN I feel the same way. We are being replaced by RN & CNA some of which are not experienced or qualified to do compentent patient care.I have seen it first hand and it is scarey  When will the health care community wake up and realize that we are not second class nurses. 
REPLY FROM: TAMARA WOOD

---

I agree with you 100%.   I have been in nursing almost 20 years and everytime people find out your a nurse they say ' oh your a RN?'  No I'm an LPN and sooooo very proud.  I love being a LPN.  The work environment has changed.  I'm not sure if its the clinents or the medical problems?! But I do know its sad to go to work...  Nurse Tamara LPN

Agree 100%

When I graduated in 1986 they were saying they were going to weed out LPN's. . . I am still here and making more than the new RN grads because of pay for experience.  The only thing I am sick of is hearing how they are 'gonna weed us out'. 

Your resume looks like mine!  But it won't happen in our lifetime!  It's all good though. . .I will still take care of the ones I am assigned to :) 

It would be good, but the RN's aren't going to allow it.  I have heard too many times. . .'I had to pay for my education'  . . . all about money??

You took the words right out of my mouth.  There are so many LPNS who can mop the floor with some of these RNs, myself included.  We just need a chance to really prove our worth and taking the RN boards is a perfect challenge.

LPN's, Please visit our site and take our survey! We would appreciate hearing form you. http://www.ctnursereform.org

On-Line Petition http://www.petitiononline.com/nslsfr/petition.html

---

Lisa Morell, LPN, RAI-C
http://www.ctnursereform.org