The transition from Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Registered Nurse (RN) is the crucial part for every nurse’s career. LPNs usually ensure more basic nursing care and are responsible for the well-being of the patient, while RNs, in contrasts, can prescribe medication, plan treatments, and provide educational advice to patients and the public. Such significant switch of responsibilities influences nursing, person, health, and environment.
In nursing, the transition from LPN to RN implies more patient-related tasks to do. Being a registered nurse is providing full support for the patients in their health journey. Along with administering medications and treatment, a nurse should also know how to perform Basic Life Support. Moreover, the status of a nurse is changed to the higher positions, suggesting about the qualifications of the medical worker. A new position provides networking as nurses will communicate with other registered nurses and also improve their nursing experience.
At the personal level, the role of a transition from LPN to RN means boosting self-esteem as a nurse is now in a higher position. It also represents a change in the social status, ensuring some benefits to the nurses. Moreover, for some people such shift implies development of both career and personal skills. Others may dream for a being registered nurse and do valuable work related to health. However, for other nurses a new role as a RN can be stressful as it offers more jobs. As such, at the personal level nurses can feel differently due to various reasons.
The role of transition from LPN to RN in health is different for the nurses and patients. The transition can influence the health of nurses by increasing the amount of work they should do. The increase in responsibilities suggests about more stress and extra time at workplace. Such attitude may cause mental and physical issues for nurses, so relaxing or reducing the amount of work are key to nurses. Additionally, nurses may feel so called “imposter syndrome” that is a fear of changing the responsibilities. Due to the syndrome, they may feel that they do not deserve to transform from LPN to RN. So their mental health stability may be disrupted by the transition. In terms of patients, registered nurses monitor treatment of patients, thus providing more care for the patients.
With regards to the environment, the shift to the registered nurse creates the community of people with common objectives on work. The nurses who experienced the transition from LPN to RN are motivated to work at their new position. This motivation influences the whole environment preserving such attitude to the new position and supporting each other. Highly motivated registered nurses will inspire other nurses to effectively provide tasks and treatment for the patients. Such new flow of nurses ensures a friendly environment that positively impacts the whole nursing experience.
In conclusion, the role of transition from LPN to RN is an essential part for nurses, showing their qualifications and interest in the field. The new role of RN means having more responsibilities in front of patients and peers. Many positive changes occur in nursing, person, health, and environment during the shift between LPN to RN. Nurses who are transited from LPN to RN position should concern about their mental health and the way how they respond to the changes.