All Nurses Are “Real” Nurses

You will encounter many different attitudes about nurses. One of them is the strong belief by some that only hospital nurses are “real nurses.” Another is that LPNs are inferior and not really nurses at all. All nurses are an essential part of the overall health care picture. Many times you’ll find LPNs whose skills and bedside manners are impeccable and who best teach the new nursing grads and physicians how to perform the most technical procedures. The argument should never be about who is better, but rather about who is the most professional. The most professional nurse is the one who sees all nurses as necessary parts of the whole; she recognizes the contributions of their individual special talents and skills to the team effort and that they strive to make a difference in someone’s life every day. Whether the nurse’s role is direct care or a supportive role behind the scenes, all roles are necessary and vital to providing patients with improved outcomes.