The focus on the nursing shortage in our country speaks to the difficulties surrounding RN recruitment and retention, but forgets a once valued resource—the LPN.

The health care industry seems to have forgotten about the very talented pool of LPN’s we relied on for years to achieve medication administration, treatments and initial triaging. Over the past 20 years, hospitals across the nation phased out LPN positions, in an effort to develop “primary care nursing.” We encourage LPN’s to continue their education toward an RN licensure, allowed others to retire early and no longer encourage young people to enter into LPN training at community colleges.  In doing so, we have “burned out” our RN staff and insulted our nursing colleagues; even if we wanted to bring more LPNs into hospital to alleviate short staffing .They are no longer available.   

When I entered the nursing field 31 years ago, I worked side-by -side with very knowledgeable, proficient LPNs. Working 10-hour shifts, in a seven bed critical care unit in central California, we were a dynamite team. To this day, when I zero and calibrate pressure lines, I hear Pam’s voice telling me, “turn the stopcock off to the patient, and open it to air.” As a 21 year old barely competent nurse, I was extremely relieved to have either Pam or Sandy working along side me. They provided me with support, an extra set of hands, ears and eyes and relief for lunch, coffee or bathroom.    

I realize an LPN’s scope of practice is different than that of an RN; however, there are many necessary and crucial nursing tasks an LPN is quite capable of providing. On those days when I am clarifying a plan of care with a physician, assessing a patient  experiencing chest pain, and hanging blood all at the same time, it would be a great help to know there is a licensed capable person available to provide a dressing change, perform glucose monitoring, medication administration , and protective positioning in another room.   

Am I living in the past, or do you see the logic in bringing back LPN’s into hospitals?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating for the disjointed process of team nursing again. I realize that old process was fraught with problems such as medication errors, disjointed car, and lack of nursing autonomy. But I do think we need to find a way to bring back our “other nursing colleagues” in an effort to improve healthcare and guarantee safe, effective care to our patients, guarantee RN longevity …and sanity.