Non-degree RN license issues...

U.S.A. California

Published

There's an issue going on with our nursing program...

In December our class will have all the requirements needed to test for the nclex but we aren't issued degrees cause we still have another year left in our BSN program. We have the choice to take the nclex before we graduate which the BRN will label us as non-degreed RNs OR we continue on with the BSN program for another year and take our boards after we graduate which the BRN will label us as degreed RNs.

My issue is that I want to take my nclex before i graduate so that I can start working while i'm continuing my BSN program. This will give me a non-degree rn license yet i'm still planning on getting my BSN.

(even if i do receive my BSN afterwards, i'm still labeled a non-degreed RN, and I can only change my status if I take the NCLEX again)

The question is what are the disadvantages of having a non-degreed license, even if i will be receiving my BS in nursing?

I understand that non-degreed RNs will have a hard time getting licensed in other states, but how hard is it? Isn't it just the matter of sending in your transcripts stating you have a BSN?

And is there an issue about going for higher education with a non-degreed license?

How do hospitals look at this, even though I will have my BSN.

Lola, how can you be considered a nongraduated Registered Nurse with a bachelors degree in Science, Nursing? You will be an RN and have a BSN degree. That is ample enough to obtain a license in any State. Most states require an ADN as a minimum requirment, that is what I will have. California did not require that of me to be licensed. Now that I am relocated I am completing those "holes" in my education to get my ADN and get licensed here, or anywhere else I choose to go.

I'd be an RN but it would still be non-degreed. My school offers you to continue the BSN program even if you received your license. But they won't issue you a ADN unless you switch your entire program around.

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

So basically if you stop school now and take Nklex you would be a diploma RN, if you continue you will be a RN, BSN. Either way you will Technically graduate( even if you dont walk) in order to sit for Nklex you would have had to finish all nursing requirments. What do people do that start off as ADN then go to BSN or MSN they have their title and can show it to an employer. I'm assuming you can submit it to the BON after you get the BSN and they will change your status when you renew your license in 2yrs. There has to be process for those who contunue their education.

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So basically if you stop school now and take Nklex you would be a diploma RN, if you continue you will be a RN, BSN. Either way you will Technically graduate( even if you dont walk) in order to sit for Nklex you would have had to finish all nursing requirments. What do people do that start off as ADN then go to BSN or MSN they have their title and can show it to an employer. I'm assuming you can submit it to the BON after you get the BSN and they will change your status when you renew your license in 2yrs. There has to be process for those who contunue their education.

I'm, again confused. The BON issues a license based upon which NCLEX you take, the RN or LVN/LPN. Noting on my licensure designates my educational status or degree held. Some employers will list those credentials on an ID badge, but working in a hospital, I rarely know, or even think about my coworkers educational achievements. When your up to your elbows in patient care, I think we are all cut from the same cloth.

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

That hows I feel Haunted.

I think we are all cut from the same cloth

Higher education does not always mean a better nurse IMO. Unless the job requires it I don't see the need for an title other than Nurse LVN/LPN or RN on the badge. Im just curious at the process if you start at the bottom up how the BON sees you( not you personally). I don't hold any titles other than LVN that is all that is on my nursing license, and when I get RN I'm doing the only available distant learning program that CA allows wich is RN BSN, say if later I went on to get my masters would I then have to notify BON or just prove it to my employer?

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I think it is easy to confuse educational preparation and licensure. They are 2 different issues. Let me try to explain.

To my knowledge, 49 states require that candidates complete an approved basic nursing education program prior to sitting for NCLEX. That education program may be at the ADN, Diploma, BSN or entry-level MSN level, but it must be finished before a candidate can take boards. The level of the degree or diploma is not important to the BON, simply the fact that it is completed. Degrees and diplomas are issued by nursing schools, not the BON. Once a candidate in these 49 states graduates, passes NCLEX (and meets other requirements such as background checks), the license is granted. The license does not indicate the educational preparation of the nurse. An RN license is exactly the same for an ADN grad, Diploma grad, BSN grad and entry-level MSN grad, and is not changed when a candidate completes further education.

California differs from the other 49 states in that it allows students in certain BSN programs to sit for boards when they have completed the portion of their program that is said to be the equivalent of an ADN. These students have completed the nursing theory and clinical content of a basic nursing program, but have not yet taken the management, law, and other "administrative-type" courses that differentiate the BSN from an ADN or Diploma. They have not been granted an ADN because their programs are not approved to grant that degree. And they have not yet completed their BSN. So while they have basic nursing knowledge, they lack a degree or diploma. CA recognizes that their knowledge level is akin to that of ADN and Diploma grads and offers them the chance to challenge NCLEX at this point, something no other state does. If they pass NCLEX at this point, CA grants them a "non-graduate" license, which no other state will accept. Even if the candidate subsequently completes his/her degree, and has the "non-graduate" designation removed from his/her CA license, other states may still require the candidate to re-take and pass boards, since according to the standards of 49 states, the candidate was in-eligible to take NCLEX in the first place.

This is really much ado about very little, as it affects only a small number of candidates in CA each year. The idea of the non-graduate license is to allow students greater earning power of an RN license while they complete the final courses of their education program. It is important that they understand the implications of this option if they ever wish to practice nursing outside of CA.

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I think it is easy to confuse educational preparation and licensure. They are 2 different issues. Let me try to explain.

To my knowledge, 49 states require that candidates complete an approved basic nursing education program prior to sitting for NCLEX. That education program may be at the ADN, Diploma, BSN or entry-level MSN level, but it must be finished before a candidate can take boards. The level of the degree or diploma is not important to the BON, simply the fact that it is completed. Degrees and diplomas are issued by nursing schools, not the BON. Once a candidate in these 49 states graduates, passes NCLEX (and meets other requirements such as background checks), the license is granted. The license does not indicate the educational preparation of the nurse. An RN license is exactly the same for an ADN grad, Diploma grad, BSN grad and entry-level MSN grad, and is not changed when a candidate completes further education.

California differs from the other 49 states in that it allows students in certain BSN programs to sit for boards when they have completed the portion of their program that is said to be the equivalent of an ADN. These students have completed the nursing theory and clinical content of a basic nursing program, but have not yet taken the management, law, and other "administrative-type" courses that differentiate the BSN from an ADN or Diploma. They have not been granted an ADN because their programs are not approved to grant that degree. And they have not yet completed their BSN. So while they have basic nursing knowledge, they lack a degree or diploma. CA recognizes that their knowledge level is akin to that of ADN and Diploma grads and offers them the chance to challenge NCLEX at this point, something no other state does. If they pass NCLEX at this point, CA grants them a "non-graduate" license, which no other state will accept. Even if the candidate subsequently completes his/her degree, and has the "non-graduate" designation removed from his/her CA license, other states may still require the candidate to re-take and pass boards, since according to the standards of 49 states, the candidate was in-eligible to take NCLEX in the first place.

This is really much ado about very little, as it affects only a small number of candidates in CA each year. The idea of the non-graduate license is to allow students greater earning power of an RN license while they complete the final courses of their education program. It is important that they understand the implications of this option if they ever wish to practice nursing outside of CA.

Sorry, don't know how to cut and paste the comment about "CA grants a non grad degree and other Sates may still require the candidate to retake and pass the boards" . After extensive research from both CA and TN BON websites, emails and phone calls with follow up letters, this is not the information I was provided.

The NCLEX I took was the same as every other nurse and there is nothing in any of my professional licensure that indicates educational achievement. I am sure many travel nurses can clear this up as well but my situation is hardly unique and believe me NO ONE is helping me out here. I'm on my own and need to complete a humanities elective, submit the transcript to my original college, get my diploma and my degree and submit that to the BON here in TN. At which point I'll probably be ready to retire!!!!!

So, in conclusion, I will not retake the NCLEX, whether I work here or in Paradise Texas.

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If you need to start working before you finish school, then go ahead and take the NCLEX prior to graduation. Then proceed with school and graduate with your class. That is what most of the people in that position at my school did.

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Sorry, don't know how to cut and paste the comment about "CA grants a non grad degree and other Sates may still require the candidate to retake and pass the boards" . After extensive research from both CA and TN BON websites, emails and phone calls with follow up letters, this is not the information I was provided.

The NCLEX I took was the same as every other nurse and there is nothing in any of my professional licensure that indicates educational achievement. I am sure many travel nurses can clear this up as well but my situation is hardly unique and believe me NO ONE is helping me out here. I'm on my own and need to complete a humanities elective, submit the transcript to my original college, get my diploma and my degree and submit that to the BON here in TN. At which point I'll probably be ready to retire!!!!!

So, in conclusion, I will not retake the NCLEX, whether I work here or in Paradise Texas.

The NCLEX does not need to be rewritten, the result is valid in all 50 states as well as US territories. The issue is if one wishes to get a license in another state, they need to meet the educational requirements for the new state; and not all are able to get the endorsement in the new state. This is nothing new and was even an occurance before CA came out with their exceptions to things.

The 30 unit RN is not accepted on its own in any other state as it is not a degree or certification, and is not equal to the Diploma or the ADN. They always need to make up hours to get at least the two year degree to get licensure in another state. As long as the person is aware of this, then no issue. But we have had posters here that were complaining quite a bit that they were required to complete other hours before being able to get a license in the new state as if they never knew about this. And it has been a very well known fact since the time of its inception.

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I have a question on a topic that I'm still not clear of.

Does it make any difference or do non-degree nurses are less likely to be accepted as RNs in hospitals or it doesn't really make any difference as long as you have your license saying you're an RN..?

Any response would be appreciated.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.
I have a question on a topic that I'm still not clear of.

Does it make any difference or do non-degree nurses are less likely to be accepted as RNs in hospitals or it doesn't really make any difference as long as you have your license saying you're an RN..?

Any response would be appreciated.

No, you're an RN and it doesn't really make a difference. It might make a difference if you don't finish your degree and then attempt to move to another state other than California.

Hope that helps!

Jennifer (who just passed the NCLEX during my last semester in a BSN program!)

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I'm still kind of new to all this, but is the "non-degreed RN" a California thing? Is this something that's particular to California? I was asking because I know that California has a similar situation with law schools. There are ABA-accredited law schools - which means you can take a bar exam in any state regardless of where you graduated from (as long as it's ABA-accredited). Then there are law schools that let you take the California Bar Exam - and you can only practice in California. You can't take a bar exam in another state because those schools are not ABA-accredited (only California accredited).

So to get back to my original question . . . is the "non-degreed RN" something that only happens in California?

Thanks in advance :yeah:

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I'm still kind of new to all this, but is the "non-degreed RN" a California thing? Is this something that's particular to California? I was asking because I know that California has a similar situation with law schools. There are ABA-accredited law schools - which means you can take a bar exam in any state regardless of where you graduated from (as long as it's ABA-accredited). Then there are law schools that let you take the California Bar Exam - and you can only practice in California. You can't take a bar exam in another state because those schools are not ABA-accredited (only California accredited).

So to get back to my original question . . . is the "non-degreed RN" something that only happens in California?

Thanks in advance :yeah:

Yes, it is unique to CA -- that's why the license acquired through that process cannot be endorsed to any other state; people who have gone that route don't meet the basic requirements for licensure in any other state.

CA is also the only state that still (someone correct me if I'm wrong, and they've finally shut them down) has a few certificate (non-MSN) Nurse Practitioner programs and, again, people who complete those programs are not eligible for national certification, and are not recognized as NPs in any other state. Interesting to hear that they also have "funny" law schools ...

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