Something that I’ve noticed recently is the tendency within this profession to self-impose limits and roles on ourselves as nurses.
We are LPN’s, RN’s, NP’s, CRNA’s, CNS’s…yes, there are different roles and responsibilities for all of us but there is one huge commonality…we are all NURSES first.
It pains me when I see people making a big deal out of the differences in letters. I realize that there are legalities, and tasks that can only be performed based on which nursing degree one holds. I am not arguing that fact.
But it’s the inter-professional division that bothers me. A coworker (somewhat) jokingly referred to the meaning of her LPN status as “Lower Paid Nurse.” It was said with a smile but underneath I sensed some discontent. She has been a nurse at least four times as long as I have, and is a person that I know I can go to when I find myself with a question about patient care or bed flow; the fact that she is an LPN and I am an RN is insignificant.
I have heard of LPN’s referred to derogatively by RN’s as “Let’s Play Nurse” compared to the “Real Nurse” RN. This turns my stomach and makes me sad.
I have also seen newer nurses who are (rightfully) proud of their new status as GN’s or fresh RN’s but who tend to lord it over the LPN’s and C N A’s on our team. These are the nurses who don’t want to change a bedpan or ambulate a patient; they are the nurses who haven’t realized that a bed bath is a great assessment tool and a way to connect with a patient. This type of attitude makes me sad as well.
Our common denominator, no matter what the degree, is the N in our titles. We are nurses first. We are all out on the front lines, we are all caring for the patients. We’ve all “been through the war” of nursing school, and sat for the NCLEX.
We all put our scrubs on one leg at a time, people. I just wish everyone could remember that.
Tags: cns, crna, Deanna, RN, lpn, NP, nurse, rn
RSS
Entries (RSS)
Deanna,
I finally got around to reading your blog, and wow… you’re doing a GREAT job! This entry especially caught my eye… and how true it is. I have listened to many a nurse “gripe” about how doctors “look down on them” and am therefore a bit amazed when I see them doing the same thing to each other. To quote an often-overused phrase, “There is no “I” in “T E A M.” Thank you for this timely reminder.
Larry
Hey, thanks for stopping by!
I have just discovered your blog and am enjoying it very much. I have been a nurse for over 27 years and have loved every job I have had. Thank goodness nursing allows us so many options.
I recently decided to leave managment and go back to my roots. I am an evening supervisor at a rehabilitation center and have found I certainly have my work cut out for me. I hear complaints all night long from CNA’s, LPN’s, RN’s and QMA’s. The majority of their complaints are focused around CNA can’t be found, the LPN doesn’t answer lights, and the QMA’s are unsure what they can or can’t do at this particular facility.
I would love to tell each of them that their focus is the resident! The CNA that had planned on two showers a particular evening ended up giving five showers because residents weren’t able to receive a shower on Day Shift because of plumbing issues and feel the LPN should answer more lights, and the LPN is doing wound care, passing medications, and taking off orders for their 17 residents that on a good evening is overwhelming as well as admitting new residents that no one informed them were coming that evening!
As Healthcare professionals we are all just that, professionals. It is my job to remind them they follow the facility’s standards and maintain a professional attitude while faced with the challenges of the day to day (or evening to evening) tasks. We have to learn to work as that team, appreciate each other, and voice concerns in appropriate manner.
I love being a nurse. I have found something I love about each and every position I have had and would appreciate any insight you can share on how to love this job and bring about a little bit of harmony between the staff members. Oh I forgot to mention while being an evening supervisor for the entire building, including five units, I also am the staff nurse on the rehabilitation unit with seventeen residents of my own to care for and advocate for.
Deanna,
What an interesting topic. I have been a med-surg/tele LPN for 6years and am in my senior year of an RN hospital based college of nursing.
I have over the years noticed the sense of discontent that you discuss in our hospital as well. We do pod nursing here, with an RN taking on the charge role, and the LPN’s take on a bedside or staff position. There is a nurse manager that oversees the entire floor. That hierarchy in and of itself does lead to the LPN sometimes feeling that they are the one’s doing the majority of the personal care and the RN’s doing the paperwork, orders, and Dr. calls.
Most of our RN’s do help with bedside care on my shift, nights, when there are fewer nurses on the floor. They are responsible however for the entire picture of the patient. They must know the patients history and future plans to give routine adequate care and emergency care especially. This requires them to read over charts while the LPN’s are doing the majority of the routine vital signs and personal care.
When everyone understands their responsibilities, our patient care excells. When I graduate, I plan on being the team player that I hope I have always been and never acting condescending to the other members of our team, the LPN’s.