CLPNA Writes Rebuttal Letter to the Editor
(updated April 20, 2010)
Linda Stanger, Executive Director of the CLPNA recently wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Edmonton Journal. She rebutted some misinformation published in an earlier letter and clarified the roles and responsibilities of LPNs in delivering high quality professional nursing care. Other letters on the same issue were also published in the newspaper on April 4, 9 and 18, 2010. “Read on…” for the links. 
- Letter to the Editor (published Mar 29, 2010) – “Nursing degree makes difference”
- CLPNA Rebuttal (published Apr 4, 2010) – “Health care delivered by a team”
- Response by LPN (published Apr 4, 2010) – “Attitude needs fixing”
- Response by RN (published Apr 4, 2010) – “Student will learn”
UPDATED (April 20, 2010):
- (published Apr 9, 2010) – “RNs, LPNs vital to health-care team”
- (published Apr 9, 2010) – “Nurses better trained”
- Response by College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (published April 18, 2010) -
“RNs, LPNs, RPNs all valued members of health-care teams”
Hmmmm, this is a quandry……I was an LPN, for 10 years, and an Orthotech for a few years as well. I’m not going to bore you all with my personal ideas of Jennah, or Mandy for that matter. I’m not an ignorant person, and rebutting an opinion with personal attacks doesn’t make any LPN sound intelligent. However, I will say this: It seems to me that there are RN’s out there, who actually think that LPN’s set out to acquire an education, and work in the nursing field, simply to destroy the RN livlihood. I will emphatically tell you now, this is not the case. I feel for the RN who feels threatened by the LPN numbers increasing, I wish that there was a way to ease your mind, that we REALLY don’t want your job, we just want ours. LPN’s have been moved to the front line of nursing by someone else wielding the sword. It all comes down to the mighty dollar, every health region is run as a business. And what better way to make a few dollars, then by getting 2 nurses for the price of 1? LPN’s didn’t ask to be here, but here we are. In the past, there was a distinctive line drawn in the sand– LPN’s were good, and they certainly work hard, but the bulk of the responsibility was in the RN’s hands. Our payscales reflected who had more education, therefore more responsibilty. Now, the line has been erased, the title is now “nurse” on the unit, and the patient wouldn’t have a clue as to who is caring for them, unless they asked. The patients care hasn’t changed, the team nursing approach hasn’t changed, what’s changed, is the required increase in knowledge and responsibility, and yes, practice, that LPN’s have on the floor. It certainly would be nice to be valued based on our work ethic, instead of our education. I would never begrudge someone of their success in their title. But let’s all remember, that our education didn’t start when we started university/college, and it didn’t stop the day we graduated.
I was under the impression this survey was simply a student report that was somehow turned over to the media. What surprises me is the RN’s are still being taught the hiarchy mentality in nursing. As an LPN working in an emergency department, the encouragment and support from my manager,the clinical development staff member and a few nurses that have been around as long as or longer than me (24 years)is the reason I can continue to work with the “new breed of RN’s” that has busted the team nursing care approach that worked well for decades before the teaching of university level students surfaced about 15 years ago. For those students, some hands on experience instead of going from reading books to teaching books would probably bring the whole sector of nursing skills and abilities to a new level of tolerance and understanding. Some things you cannot learn from books – and that is hands on experience
First of all: I am pretty sure that this whole issue has been distorted to the point where it is now a big ‘ol fight and I’m also sure that nobody actually knows what they’re fighting for.
This is not about some student who has not yet learned the value of teamwork and respecting other proffessionals, (because we ARE ALL professionals). It is about EVERYBODY learning that quality nursing care only comes when we can get along and portray a strong and, more importantly, UNITED front to our patients/rsidents/clients.
What LPNs want more than anything is to be respected for what we bring to the table not what we do or don’t do better than anybody else.
I agree that student RNs have a tendancy to look down their noses at LPNs on the floor and also that this is stemming from their instructors. I KNOW this from experience and it is humiliating to be degraded in front of pattients and families. To be yelled at and introduced as “just the LPN” to the patients or pushed aside during a skill well within my scope so that an RN may feel empowered.
Having said that I also know many RNs who are wonderful to work with. As well, I know many LPNs who have gone on power trips to demonstrate their infinate superiority/seniority. Either way these people need a lesson in teamwork, it happens to everybody and it is called BURNOUT.
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the fire!
The LPN scope is rapidly changing and progressing, I have had RN buddies on the floor who have told me “stop working so hard, you really don’t get paid enough to do more than me.” and while it was said in a humerous light, it really made me think: How fair is this, REALLY? To anybody? LPNs are getting paid less with less training and expected to do more. While there are those who have the brain to step up, some do not and THIS, my friends is not safe. HOWEVER, the same goes for RNs. Some people just do not have the brains for critical thinking.
What needs to happen is a CLEAR definition of the roles of ALL professionals (this includes the NAs). Nobody knows what the other is capable of and the scope is so different from unit to unit that it makes for a very difficult transition for EVERYBODY. This is not a battle of the nurses, but a chance for all to grow and learn. And those not willing SHOULD find another career.
Jennah, your letter was, for the most part, accurate. I am sure that it simply stirred up feelings of hatred and resentment between the professions. Please take this opportunity to learn about your colleagues and respect them for experience counts for more than book smarts. I am sure that you will discover this with your first blue-baby, post-partum hemmorhage, post-operative complication, or anaphylactic reaction.
I have only been an LPN for 7 months and I have seen all of these things, I work on 3 very different units in the same week and it still surprises me how little we know about eachothers specialties, experiences and TRUE knowledge.
Please, to everybody who is harvesting hatred in this uncertain time, take this opportunity to LEARN to EMBRACE the changes that ARE comming!
I have read both the original letter and the numerous replies. I feel I must point out a cause of the feeling between the ranks. I am proud to be an LPN and for a time I bought into all the ‘RN’s are better’ stuff. I even tried the RN program and quit within weeks. We were greeted on the first day with “you enter the program as LPN’s and you leave as professionals”. When I spoke to the speaker privately and told her we already were professionals, she snorted and said, “no you’re not.” Our first couple of assignments were about the magical transition from LPN to “professional nurse”. We had guest speakers telling us how much more fulfilled they were now they had shed the LPN stigma and became a ‘real nurse’. When trying to enter the program, I was told that none of my ten + years experience counted for even one day of the program because “you’re not really nursing”. The list of lunacy goes on and on. After choking on this hogwash for a while I realized a few things. 1. I’m really good at what I do. 2. I have no reason to be ashamed for my qualifications. 3. Anyone that looks down on me because I’m an LPN clearly has no idea what I do. The best day of my career came when I told the Edmonton college (that shall remain nameless) to shove it and went back to work – happily. Remember, for many years, there were no such thing as BScN’s and we managed just fine. I also think their attitudes are not formed by education, it is taught to them. Perhaps the people that need an attitude adjustment are the instructors.
First of all – I’m not sure if anyone, in the above context, actually read Jennah’s letter. The letter simply states the facts about a RN’s job title. I am sure that you, LPN’s, would not hesitate to play up the positives about your own job descriptions if it was put under scrutiny. Why such defensive responses? This “attack” is unnecessary and unfounded. Not anywhere in the letter did the writers make any personal assumptions or bring personal opinion into play – if that is what was asked I am positive that the letter would of sounded different. Health care professionals know the true meaning of teamwork, as I read some of the above comments, I see that some lack this concept. It surprises me how some can rant and rave about some factual points one makes and in the meanwhile do the very thing they are accusing these students of. Maybe you need to be more confident in your job and then you will not attack students for sticking up for their hard work and achievements.
I challenge you to actually read the letter without your preconceived concepts derived from gossip. Maybe then you can form an informed opinion that actually means something.
As you all should have already realized especially as working in the health care field for so long, professionalism means a lot more than you are belittling it to. Jennah Campbell wrote a letter with her “class” not just herself in direction towards the government. This has nothing to do with your own personal experiences with others or opinions. This letter was strictly a factual basis is rebuttal to government movements and decisions not against the hard work and commitment that LPN’s bring to the health care field. If you really think you are all a team then it is high time you started acting as one, not just the LPN’s forming together to backlash at a student. This is someone who admires all the work that the health occupations perform and is committing herself towards a career of this, and for what? So she can not stand up for anything she believes in? If this is the sort of atmosphere that all students have to look forward to working in then I would highly suggest that all schools post your inconsiderate and quite frankly immature comments. These students are the future just remember that when you are 80 years old in the hospital relying on their compassion and expertise. This is regardless whether it is a HCA, PCA, LPN, RN or RPN. You are suppose to respect each other as people, maybe this is why the educational system had to implement a “compassionate care” course into the health care field education, because many of you obviously need it if this is the way you treat eachother!
Are you kidding me? Read the letter again …first off i am sure that was a class project and not a personal opinion. This is what is wrong with media…everything gets taken out of context, wow what a surprise. I used to be an LPN and i agree with that letter and never took it with sour grapes. You people are ungrateful and the fact you are firing personal shots at her is pathetic beyond belief! It’s just too bad i can’t fire shots at any of you because my comments wouldn’t get submitted in here if i said what i think of all of you! I know that an RN degree would be gruelling i am sure, the likes of which most of of you wouldn’t have the brains to complete…
Re: letter of rebuttal
Linda, well done! As a collective group, we are so fortunate to have such outstanding advocacy and leadership. It is time for the “us and them” attitudes that prevail within our nursing profession to become a thing of the past. We must continue to practice professionalism and competency and support one another within the workplace, RN and LPN alike, as skilled members of the healthcare team. Modelling this team approach will lead to a place of mutual respect, whereby all new nursing grads will see the nursing team as “us”, all inclusive, RN and LPN, with our respective professional roles and scopes of practice.
What is it with this grandiose idea that seperates the skill and professionalism of the RN in relationship to us the LPN….I have been in positions where I provide the answer to clinical questions that some new RNs cannot answer and thats fine as I believe we share and care about the outcome and not our own individual value. We may get paid much less however we dont care or work at an inferior level at all. The best nurses are those that work together for the best outcome of their client regardless of their title.
The human condition is such that behind the RN or LPN title there is a person who’s personality and skill level is different and everyone should be judged on their competance, and not be thought as a better level of outcome based on their title alone. there are amazing faces as well as not so much, behind each one of those nursing credentials, not everyone is doing a great job and not everyone is doing a bad job, I continue to hold my title and skill level with pride and professional regard.
Re: letter of rebuttal
Linda, well done! As a collective group, we are so fortunate to have such outstanding advocacy and leadership. It is time for the “us and them” attitudes that prevail within our nursing profession to become a thing of the past. We must continue to practice professionalism and competency and support one another within the workplace, RN and LPN alike, as skilled members of the healthcare team. Modelling this team approach will lead to a place of mutual respect, whereby all new nursing grads will see the nursing team as “us”, all inclusive, RN and LPN, with our respective professional roles and scopes of practice.