[DonaldJ]

To be licensed by endorsement in Tennessee, you have to show proof that you graduated from an accredited school of nursing, which shows that you meet the educational requirements for RN's in Tennessee. So, the answer to "What diploma?" is -- the one that you got from your school when you graduated. If you didn't actually go to any sort of nursing school, I have to wonder how you got licensed.

Also, I have to wonder why you just up and moved, assuming that everything would be silky smooth in getting your license in Tennessee. One would think that it might be a good idea to, ya know, make preparations beforehand. But, what do I know?

Anyway, if they keep asking for your diploma, give it to them. If you don't have a diploma, good luck getting that license.

I know my post seems a bit harsh, but you're not taking any responsibility here for your own lack of planning and research.

[chris_at_lucas_RN]

Originally Posted by P_RN

I had heard of this option from other Ca nurses, but I thought it was long gone. My suggestion (and I hate myself for saying this) is to get a consultation with an employment attorney. Sometimes an attorney will not charge for the first visit..

Were you an LVN before you took the RN boards?
http://www.nurse.ca.gov/steps.html

I guess I'm confused about what someone might accomplish in this situation by consulting an attorney.

Convince TN to lower their standards and license someone who does not meet the minimum educational requirements?

Sue CA for letting someone practice as an RN without completing the associated academic program, but simply to be an LPN with more hours?

Nothing would be accomplished, because no one has done anything wrong. The concern seems to be that TN should grant the RN license to the IP because she practiced in another state.

We'd all like to have 100% reciprocity, but it isn't that way, because not all nursing programs are the same, and not all states have the same level of expectations.

Who would have thought that California, of all states, have lower standards than Tennessee? No offense to nurses of either state, but it makes me proud to be a Texan. They make us jump through plenty of hoops.....

Again, to Haunted--I think you can knock out those few courses by reading a few books and taking CLEP tests or doing it online or "nontraditional" with another college. Excelsior is going to be a bit expensive maybe. University of Phoenix is also very, very pricey. Check with local colleges first and see what they offer.

A bit of experience from my own academic background. Before I went to nursing school (forbidden to do so by my parents, but that's another story), I got a BA in psychology. I was actually pre-med (tried med school, didn't like it!) and so I took lots and lots of science. And I was fascinated by psychology so I took lots of psychology. And social work is very like psychology, so I took lots of social work courses. Nobody bothered to tell me (and I was too naive to know) that you could graduate with 124 hours! I was at 160 and counting! I applied to graduate--and guess what, with my wonderful grades (I had a 3.7) and all that heavy duty science, etc., I could not graduate until I took two humanities courses and an intro level sociology course!

I took them as "computer courses" (this was back in 1986) at a community college, transferred them to Oklahoma University and only then did I get to graduate. I thnk my undergrad credit total was something like 172. I was just having lots of fun learning everything I thought I needed to know. But I didn't meet graduation courses because of what I felt were unnecessary "fluffy" courses.

I'd forgotten about this, but the principle is the same. If you want to be granted a credential or privileges, you have to play by the rules of the institution granting the credential or privilege.

"Everybody else is" doesn't hold water for us adults any more than it did for children.

The frustration I felt at that time was related to discovering that my assumptions about my ability to graduate, based on what I thought was reasonable belief, were wrong..... In the end, you gotta do what they wantcha to do.

Again, good luck.....

[llg]

Originally Posted by chris_at_lucas_RN

I'd forgotten about this, but the principle is the same. If you want to be granted a credential or privileges, you have to play by the rules of the institution granting the credential or privilege.
....

Great post.

The people of Tennessee have decided that in order to be granted the privelege of practicing as an RN in their state a person needs to have graduated from an approved RN program. They have a right to set that standard. They don't "owe" anybody the right to practice who has not met that standard -- a standard, by the way, most people would probably think is quite reasonable. If you want to be an RN in Tennessee, meet the Tennessee standard.

Good luck to you in your efforts. I hope you take the needed courses, graduate, and have a long and satisfying RN career.

[gitterbug]

Things do move a little slower south of the M/D line, but if all the forms are in order and you have provided everything the BON has asked for, then I am cofident you will obtain a license. I have to agree with Donald, you and you alone, are responsible to have all of the necessary forms and documents submitted to the BON. In this case haste has made waste, so grit your teeth, do what is required and the license will come.

[P_RN]

I agree, the attorney suggestion was not the best. I did a lot of GOOGLING on this topic after I posted that. It amazed me that Ca refused the Excelsior thing and yet had created this 30 option. I have 160+ hours and an ADN. (BA in different field).


Guess what else? This was discussed here on allnurses a few months ago.
http://allnurses.com/forums/f233/30-...ng-179882.html

[caliotter3]

What most do not know is that not only does CA have the 30 unit option for LVNs, they also have another option for "non graduates". This is another category for those who have not graduated from a BSN program but have completed enough of the program to be equivalent to or more than, the two year ASN level. Again, the RN license obtained through this manner is not accepted in other states.

[asoldierswife05]

Originally Posted by P_RN

I agree, the attorney suggestion was not the best. I did a lot of GOOGLING on this topic after I posted that. It amazed me that Ca refused the Excelsior thing and yet had created this 30 option. I have 160+ hours and an ADN. (BA in different field).


Guess what else? This was discussed here on allnurses a few months ago.
http://allnurses.com/forums/f233/30-...ng-179882.html

That struck me as odd as well. CA will not accept excelsior which grants a degree, however, it will allow non-degree students to become registered after they complete a certain amount of credits.

Seems like this is a ploy to create more nurses who can only work in CA. Perhaps, to meet their staffing ratio requirements.


*******HAUNTED*********
Anyhow, the best option for you is to enroll in a community college and take these courses you need to complete your degree in CA. Most can probably be taken online and it will take one semester if you do so full time.

Then transfer these credits to your school in CA, get your degree, and Viola! Min requirements met for TN license. It will be well worth it.

You have so much invested already, whether you want a degree or not...to just throw away your nursing career. And another thing? Why would you NOT want a degree to put in black in white all the hard work that you have put into your education? Also, was it not explained to you when you chose this option that other states do not accept this as a credible requirement to practice as an RN? And, do you have a degree/diploma for your LVN? Can you not apply for a TN LPN license while you finish your RN requirements?

[caliotter3]

The school I went to has it in black and white that the 30 unit LVN option does not produce a degree and the RN license obtained will not be honored in states other than CA. They also make the prospective student sign and return a statement attesting to that fact. I would assume that other schools do the same. The students who opted to take the LVN test instead of the RN test, when eligible, were not afforded a certificate of completion or ASN for RN/LVN. When they took the test, all they got/get is the license, and it is only good in CA.

[asoldierswife05]

Originally Posted by caliotter3

The school I went to has it in black and white that the 30 unit LVN option does not produce a degree and the RN license obtained will not be honored in states other than CA. They also make the prospective student sign and return a statement attesting to that fact. I would assume that other schools do the same. The students who opted to take the LVN test instead of the RN test, when eligible, were not afforded a certificate of completion or ASN for RN/LVN. When they took the test, all they got/get is the license, and it is only good in CA.

If this is true for the OP as well, then I don't see what the big surprise would be. Frustration, I understand. But, rules are rules just as Chris said. The OP has to play by TN's rules, and had she been more prepared, she would have realized so before arriving and applying for a TN license in the first place.

[Haunted]

I appreciate all of your posts and am dealing with my original nursing school to resolve the educational deficits that I seem to have. I am short a humanities course which has delayed my degree from California. I had about a month prior to moving here from California and in my abundance of spare time, idle hours of finding a home, packing, filing change of address, locating movers and setting up utilities, veterinarians, MD's and swapping pharmacies, obtaining records and a little chit chat here and there during the holidays I guess it was my bad to research, print out and begin the process with the state of Tennessee to apply for my RN.

That having been said, the state BON has had my completed application and my money for almost 4 months now. Who's dragging their feet now huh? Not me. I have to deal with California to get these issues resolved because good ole Sally or whatever ( I can never understand a word she says) had some family issues to deal with here. Good Lord. Thanks so much for the warm response.