LET’S GET SOME FACTS STRAIGHT!
CLPNA speaks out on behalf of the Licensed Practical Nurse profession
Recent discussion generated by CBC Radio’s Eyeopener (Nursing Shortage; Looking for Nurses) related to nursing shortage and hiring of “lesser trained” nursing personnel showcases some major historical biases and beliefs, which are not relevant to or supportive of healthcare in Alberta.
First, it is unfair and inaccurate to refer to the LPN as a “lesser trained nurse who puts patient safety at risk”. There are three types of professional nurses in Alberta: Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Registered Nurses (RNs), and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs). Each group has a defined scope of practice and is educated to function safely and effectively within their legislated scope.
Licensed Practical Nurses are educated through a comprehensive two-year diploma program delivered by community colleges throughout Alberta. Licensed Practical Nurses educated prior to the diploma-standard completed a comprehensive mandatory education upgrade to elevate their knowledge, skill, and ability to the new standard in the late 1990’s. (More about Alberta LPNs & Statistics.)
Just as Licensed Practical Nurses have advanced to a diploma, Registered Nurses (RNs) have advanced from a diploma to a baccalaureate degree as entry to practice. With this in mind, it is important to consider that 45.8% of today’s RNs still maintain a diploma education level (CARNA Annual Report 2009-2010, p. 35).
Secondly, health care is delivered by teams that include a mix of professional nurses along with unregulated Health Care Aides (HCAs), and allied health professionals (Respiratory Therapists, Social Workers, Physiotherapists, etc.). These teams are challenged to match client needs with provider competencies in all areas of care. Therefore, many factors must be considered when deciding what type of nurse to hire and what nurse competencies are appropriate.
In addition, there is value in the different competencies of health providers, and Alberta research underlines the importance of introducing nursing teams that optimize the utilization of all nurses (Enhancing Nursing Role Effectiveness Through Job Redesign, Alberta Health Services, 2009). Outcome from a recent project at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton also supports optimizing teams when multiple factors in patient care have been transformed (Care Transformation pilot project boosts acute care access, Alberta Health Services, 2011) (CARE, Summer 2011).
And finally, nursing leaders across Canada are now acknowledging that most nursing research involves limited if any studies that examine teams including all levels of nursing providers (LPNs, RNs, RPNs, and HCAs). Therefore, in an era when creative clinical best practices along with formal research are considered in decision making, historical ways of thinking are being challenged. Research taken out of context to represent one profession over another creating fear of safety issues related to changes in professional practice only increases confusion and distrust in the health care system.
Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Health Services, in consultation with Alberta’s health professional regulatory colleges and other stakeholders, are focusing on developing an interprofessional collaborative practice culture among health teams. Requisite to building high functioning teams is the development of trusting and respectful relationships starting by educating all professionals with an interprofessional collaborative focus. Belief systems that maintain turf, hierarchies, and an unhealthy culture are archaic and it’s time for us all to move forward.
Albertan’s need and deserve a health system that is collaborative, interprofessional, and supportive to the patients we ALL serve. The reality is: No single profession can do this in isolation of the team.
About the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA)
I appreciate and honor any human being that takes on nursing LPN or RN – great human service. The challenge I have experienced and observed, as a NEW LPN (3years)… it is not that we are not talented, skilled, valued etc. The challenge is that most LPNs want to act like RNs and take on more than their scope. I think it would be beneficial in the LPN training to really study and understand the DIFFERENCES in scope of practice. All I was taught was my scope of practise…but in the field there seems to be no distinct line…I had to stand for knowing my scope and not allowing leaders and RNs take advantage of me. I honor my role as LPN and I make for dam sure the RN is doing her job and I am NOT doing her job…YES because she gets paid DOUBLE or more than I do.
To Jen: are RN’s really expected to know more? Because in my work place in Home Care for AHS we do THE SAME JOB. And yet they know more do they? Yes, most of the RN’s there have more knowledge than I do (as they also have 10+ yrs of experience). However, if RN’s are ‘expected to know more’ then how is that as an LPN my coworker was put in charge of supervising an RN coming back to work from a leave of abcence? How is it that I as an LPN I am asked for help by some of the new RN’s? They are willing and eager to ask for help and they don’t think twice about the letters behind my name. Also, my brother is currently doing the 2 yr after degree at the U of A and is absolutely gobsmacked by the lack of knowledge and training given to new nurses. And we’re talking RN’s here. He came to my father (a physician) and myself for teaching as he was petrified of starting a practicum on a Neurology unit due to the fact he was ill prepared. Yet he will be an RN in less than a yr. He writes more papers than I ever did, he listens to more lectures, but does he KNOW more? I wonder if you asked a patient who they wanted for a nurse, what would they say. The guy who got the fancy degree or the girl who was trained with hands on skills…
To Robin: uuuh pretty sure RN’s and LPN’s are the same profession. We have different educational backgrounds and differing scope of practice but do we not both have ‘nurse’ in our title? and ya you’re right, we are being exploited because at the end of the day we’re the cheaper option. I appreciate the fact that RN’s have put in the 4 yrs to get their degree and all the power to them but if you want me to perform the same duties then I should be paid the same. If there’s 2 men working the counter at 7-11, one has a high school diploma and the other has a masters degree, who gets paid more? NEITHER, cuz they’re doin the same job.
[...] LET’S GET SOME FACTS STRAIGHT! [...]
Please, some nurses have to stop some kind of disrespectful and selfish commentaries. All of us are part of health care teams that allegedly have to provide care. What kind of care is provided by nurses who believe that they are superior or inferior providing care.
Respect to each other as human beings that we are, show all of the kindess that you have in your hearts, and overall be gently and nice.
In health care every single worker has his/her role. All health care workers are absolutely necessary for a successful health care outcome.
I like Jenn’s comment. Like it or not RN’s who graduate in this day in age DO have different skills and different education. It is no doubt that getting a four year degree takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication. Any monkey can be taught a skill.I had my stuff in thailand stolen on the beach by a monkey and I tell you he ewas very skilled….
The question is not ablout skill, but education, perseverance, and committment to the nursing profession and choose the road of opportunity and engagement in public health care forums,as well as being on committes to try to save our helath acre system. I have only met 1 LPN who advanced in an out of scope position and he was simply exceptional. As a LPN/Orthotech, my opportunities for advancement are next to nothing as an LPN. That is why I am currently finishing my BScN.
Comparing this two professions is absolutely absurd and like it or not they ARE different professions. Historically,RN’s outstaffed LPN’s in Nursing homes. They predicted that the standard of care would be the same if they replaced them with LPN’s and NA’s because its cheaper. From a political view, to me its not about skilled or unskilled but the bottom line is the level of care which the public does not want a repeat performance of. Sadly the public is misinformed and looks for reasons why without the proper undersatnding of the issues.
In my opinion, this kind of political tactic to head off LPN’s and RN’s takes away from the real issue of coroporate who want to get cheap labour. Everything is cheaper in China
as the workers will work for less money and we call this exploitation. Well the same is happening as LPN’s will work for less money than RN’s, so why is this not exploitation? This is what Heather Smith president of UNA had to say at the AGM in 2010 she is on our side for the nursing profession. Stop the exploitation of nursing staff regardless of the title.
UNA and CARNA are no ally to the average working LPN.
Am I the only person here who remembers the wonderful billboards paid for by CARNA which proclaimed that “only RNs can provide quality, professional nursing care”?
The RPN College and AUPE were very vocal. CLPNA eventually chimed in, in our support. UNA? Not a peep.
I disagree with those who are saying that RNs rightfully deserve to be paid more because they have more education. Have you seen what an X-ray tech gets paid? They start at $30/hr. TWO YEAR PROGRAM. Enough said.
LPNs are UNDER utilized, UNDER paid, and UNDER appreciated.
I graduated in June 2010, and I am already tired of being a Low Paid Nurse. I will be taking the Post LPN Bachelor of Nursing program very soon.
We DESERVE to be part of UNA. CLPNA doesn’t fight hard enough for us.
I am sick and tired after 21 years of nursing being told i am un skilled. The best part of this is when the floor is busy, who gets the entire floor. The LPN, always. Where is the RN, she may be in emerg, or taking time. Licensed Practical nurses are so very skilled in this day and age, this crap of unskilled nursin needs to stop. Our College needs to always stand up for us. Which I know you do, but do a few adds, let people know, they are taken care of by LPN.S not RN,s. Very true, very true
I believe that this lack of respect starts with us being in seperate unions.
I feel we need to be under the same roof and deal with the misconceptions from there on. I dislike being seperate and being mistreated and not respected.
Society needs to be educated and know that we are every bit accountable to them as RNs are. Nursing today is tough! Alot is at stake with us nurses, the SAME as it is with RNs. There is little or no room for error, and we need to support each other! Patients come first and we need to be on the same page.
LPN’s today have to complete a 2 year diploma program which is what the Registered Nurse’s had to complete before the baccalaureate degree became entry to practice. I ask those nurses who haven’t got their degree… what do you call yourselves now? Too many of you have been afflicted with RNitis. You call yourselves professionals and yet you can’t seem to grasp that LPN’s are professonals also. I have been an LPN for 30 years and not once have I ever thought myself better than the HCA’s that I work alongside now.It’s not just the title behind your name that determines the nurse that you are, but the values you carry with you.
How disgusting. We are highly skilled and trained for the work we do. As an LPN we are the ones assessing the patient and reporting to the RNs the outcome. As an LPN I have personally done teaching to new RNs how to do high fleets, and with my experience of 20 years I am valuable on the unit. Also we are the first ones when the RNs can’t start an IV
they would come to us,just recently I experience this.
I don’t like the fact that we are called less trained nurses, we are expected to keep our education up and work to our full scope. Experience also goes along way, I like being a LPN and I work right along side RNs, there is not much less that we do. I feel that LPNs should be credited for our knowledge and education.
I hate this topic so much!
RN’s get paid more… They have more education.
They get paid more to fill their title because they are EXPECTED to know more. I think they generaly do.
What we have to relize is that there is always someone who is an awesome worker and someone that makes you wonder how they graduated. Don’t start drawing stereotypes.