Why Are Lpn’s Looked Down Upon In Nursing?
Nursing is getting more and more competitive. I’m 24 and was lucky to get into a program, even having started all my pre-reqs, volunteer hours, CNA hours right after high school. My goal was to go into any BSN program but (as I said), it’s been competitive and some BSN programs in my state require for you to be accepted as a freshman at their university (and simply can’t transfer into their program).
I noticed that people look down on LPNs. The program I’m in now (also has an RN program) is trying to do a bridge program but even the dean of nursing things we’re not “as competent”, even though the classes are the same as the RN students. (The only difference is our curriculum stops halfway if it were an RN program). It sucks because most of the people in my class have been CNAs for years (almost the same position I’ve been in) and then there are new grad BSN nurses who graduate at 21 or 22 and the only experience they have is clinical experience. I’m not saying one group is better than the other and I don’t want to offend new grads but it sucks when my own years “experience” isn’t “good enough”. I’ll be graduating next year but at this point, it’s almost a lost cause….i’m happy i’m in a program but it’s not “real nursing” and the programs keep getting more and more competitive (also, our state is cutting most health care programs). I’m thinking of finding BSN programs that I can go straight to… LPN jobs are getting scarce and I don’t want to be part of a profession that’s looked down upon and not taken seriously. I also feel that LPNs are limited to just nursing home jobs and I really want to work at a hospital…
You have answered your own question: highly competitive and increased technology along with a chronic RN shortage. When I started over 25 years ago, I looked into LPN. The consensus at that time was the LPN was going to be phased out. So I got my degree which opened up community psych work for me. I love it. The BSN will allow you greater latitude in work choices. Try online which could very well be much cheaper.
You talk about “experience” like it’s interchangeable. Your experience as an LPN or CNA is not the same as RN experience. They are 3 different roles. You can be an LPN for 5 years, that experience doesn’t put you on par with an RN with 5 years experience. The LPN practice has limitations and procedures that they can’t do but an RN can. The only people who think they know just as much as RNs are people in lower level positions like CNAs. 5 years CNA experience is exactly that. Doesn’t mena squat to a nurse.
I don’t know budd.. I just graduated with a BSN in nursing and all my instructors told me that when starting out that LPN’s are a great resource. I would personally never look down on anyone. I think STNA’s do a bazillion tons more work than anyone in the healthcare field.. you know all the back breaking stuff. I think that an education as an RN probably prepares a person more to make clinical decisions based on judgement and the nursing process than other areas of study.