the bcnu needs to stop the raids which undermine the movement for all workers.

I'm sure teaming up would help them screw over the taxpayer more than going it alone...

It will be entertaining to watch this. HEU, BCGEU and other unions say that their members have no rights change unions. So you can expect the regular mix of 'the sky will fall' statements from Judy Darcy and her Ozark cousins if the movement to change unions gains traction with LPNs.

BCNU has been trying to get the LPNs since the early 90's- they have always been unsucessful. I wish I could be encouraged now.
Debra forgets to mention that if the LPNs are in BCNU their role can be better controlled - and perhaps fewer RN positions would be lost to health care re-organization that has put in place models of care that are predominantly LPN based. This has been the government's response to the nursing shortage - rather than promote enrollment and support of RNs and the higher skilled profession, they have simply replaced RN positions with a lower skilled level of nurse.
Today it is virtually impossible for a new RN to get a job, and if they do, it will only be a casual one, and yet we know there is a significant RN shortage. So, where are the jobs?? Replaced by LPNs. Ongoing research has proven that as the RN complemernt goes down, mortality goes up.
Someone needs to pay closer attention to what is happening to our health care at this level, needs to start asking RNs about care that is being provided. I'm an RN, and the thought of being in hosiptal these days scares the crap out of me.

Steve Y is right.

LPNs teaming up with RNs will be just what nurses need to "screw over the tapayer" for a bit more cash. Afterall, why should big corporations have all the fun "screwing over the taxpayer" by transferring public money to into their own pockets.

Corporations just "screwed over the taxpayer" by getting the BC Liberals to transfer $2 billion from our pockets to theirs through the HST. Nurses should definately join that parade through collective bargaining. Why not everyone get smart and join a union?

Those LPNs deserve more money, and McPherson is just the person to get if for them.

Licensed Practical Nurses are trained for one year and then they are ready to displace the Registered Nurses because the provincial ministry of health and the Liberal government wants to save money. They should be trained for more than one year if they are to replace the Registered Nurses.

Why not everyone get smart and join a union poster boy? Because someone has to pay for all this, we can't all work for the government. While you are right, I wish someone explained to me that the only job worth having is working for the government and once you are in, you don't have to do any work, I would have pointed my education towards that way. Unfortunately I am stuck paying for everything. I will definitely encourage my children to get a cushy government job in the future.

Interesting comments, I'm a little late to this article, and opinions. The often quoted statistics that RN/LPN skill mix leads to higher mortality is misleading at best, and at worst belays a professional prejudice, that is all to common to some RNs. Stats can be twisted to suit the argument. The fact is most workplace settings that have the RN/ LPN skill mix, have higher death rates naturally, mostly medical, palliative, and long term care facilities. These are the areas where most likely you find patients with multiple co-morbidities, and conditions that lead to deaths, as a natural consequence these areas of skill mix have higher death rates than the specialized units that are RN exclusive, such as population health, surgical suites, community health. Also what does this say about the same RNs that work with these same LPNs? The educational difference is also greatly exaggerated. The fact is many of the same RNs that tend to distrust LPNs, are diploma RNs with 2 years of school, mixed with experience. The 1 year of school that LPNs undergo is 1 straight year, no breaks, and very intense. Not your typical academic year. Like boot camp for nursing! I know this from personal experience! In fact many RNs/MSNs that teach the courses couldn't believe the intensity! Any one who shouldn't be there is weeded out quick. So educationally, there is less difference than some would like to believe! From my own experience in the field, an experienced LPN is worth at least as much as a new RN. But the whole point here is not to argue and fight amongst ourselves, but move forward together, LPN and RN together helping each other, and making the most of a stressful work-place. So the general public has little to worry about.

Davit T - too bad you don't have a F**king clue what you are talking about. Clearly you are an LPN... come back to me when you have been working for 30 years - oh, and why you are doing it.. go get your BSN as well.. then you just might have some idea what nurses do..

And just so you know.. I WAS an LPN, who became a diploma nurse, who got a BScN, CNA certification and is now doing a Masters - so blow it out yer shorts..

Nurses Rule..

The whole point of the nursing profession is to CARE for others. If you have been working for at least 30 years, you would think you would be old enough to be mature about this. It's so tiring to hear about this hierarchy of nurses who act like they are better than others, when really we should be working together with respect for each other in order to help care for our clients better.

The LPN program is intense, we are no less nurse than you are. We do more than an RN student does in 2 years, skills wise. No doubt RNs have a longer education and longer training, but they also have the benefit of working in way more areas.