Can I challenge the LVN exam?

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2008

i am going to disagree here. corpsmen are not the equivalent to a medical assistant. they are allowed to challenge the exam (i don't think in all states) because their training is equal or above nurse training. i have no intention of getting a medical assistant verses nurse discussion going here. however, the difference between a nurse and ma are night and day , having been both i can say that with confidence. if you want to be a nurse go to nursing school...welcome to all nurses.

Dorito, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2008

I do not believe you can challenge the LVN/LPN NCLEX unless you can show proof that you have completed an accredited school. I also agree with the above poster -the differences between CMA's and LPN's are broad.

elkpark · Mar 12, 2008

As far as I know (that is, unless things have changed fairly recently), only two states allow military corpsmen to challenge the NCLEX-PN -- Oklahoma and California. However, there are restrictions -- people who are licensed in that way cannot (ever) endorse their licenses to any other states; the licenses are only good in the state that issued them. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about this!)

The reason the corpsmen are allowed to challenge (again, in those two states only) is because, while corpsmen may be considered "medical assistants" in a semantic sense, the reality is that military corpsmen do a whole lot more than CMAs do in the civilian world, and those two states wanted to offer corpsmen a reasonable opportunity to convert their military experience into a civilian career (which they otherwise wouldn't have; the military "corpsman" role doesn't really correspond to any established healthcare occupation in the civilian world)

And, the corpsmen are the only people allowed to challenge the NCLEX without having completed an approved (by the state BON) nursing program. If you want to be a nurse (whether LPN or RN), you're going to have to go to nursing school!

By the way, welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 12, 2008

I agree; unfortunately, the only way I know is to actually attend a nursing school. A military corpsman has loads of experience even over many of the LPNs and RNs that I know, actually. But, in your case, there is a considerable difference between being trained as an LPN and as a Medical Assistant. You may see familiar things, for sure, but nursing school requires a course in the four domains; Med-surg, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Women's Health...most of these needing bedside experience that medical assisting school will not teach you.

For example, you would need to know when to cut off Oxytocin for a woman whose labor is induced...medical assisting school probably not teach that. The medications for bedside nursing, is another. I know that some of them teach pharmacology, but from what I saw, it is usually drugs that are commonly prescribed for a person who is going home. Basic teaching, yes, but many times, the bedside will include more than that, and if those sort of questions appeared on your NCLEX, you may not know how to answer that. This is not saying that you do not have the intelligence...far from that. Just saying that it is a different form of training. Welcome to allnurses and feel free to ask anything.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2008

The best way to find out is to ask the State Board of Nursing where you live. We have links above under the "resources tab". Most likely you're going to be disappointed.

TazziRN, RN · Mar 13, 2008

When I got my CNA I applied at the local army hospital in response to their ad for an aide. The job description included starting IVs and whatnot. When I questioned the title I was told that the military do not have LVNs, that what they consider aides or corpsmen are actually the equivalent of LVNs. No, you cannot challenge the exam as an MA.

robynv · Mar 13, 2008

Ah. . . this again.--

I too got told that a few years ago when I was in MA school. I was told lots of stuff that ultimately isn't true. (LPN's being phased out..replaced by MA's etc...) You will find out the real stuff after you graduate from the place taking your money. The real world is where you learn the most anyway.

Please don't get me wrong. I loved my job as an RMA. I learned so much and got to do and see many cool things in our OB/GYN practice. It cemented the idea that I want to become a nurse (which is why i quit to go back to school full time. I miss my pt.'s though) you should work for a year or so to make sure you like the medical field. After that see where you are and make the decison whether or not to go back to school. You may love what you do and stay put. Or you may be like me hear day after day what a good nurse you'd make and finaly just do it.

Point being you learn much diffrent things in each school. You would have a hard time on the exam having not learned much nursing process and hospital things. (unless your program is diffrent, mine prepared me for a Dr. office. )

Good luck! :twocents:

PMFB-RN, RN · Mar 13, 2008

When I got my CNA I applied at the local army hospital in response to their ad for an aide. The job description included starting IVs and whatnot. When I questioned the title I was told that the military do not have LVNs, that what they consider aides or corpsmen are actually the equivalent of LVNs. No, you cannot challenge the exam as an MA.

*** The army has LVNs, lots of them. The navy and air force do not.

PMFB-RN, RN · Mar 13, 2008

i had a quick question for you. i am in school to be a medical assistant and i was wondering if after i finish, can i challenge the lvn/lpn exam. my boyfriend was in the navy as a coreman and they were allowed to challenge it and they were considered medical assistants.
thanks so much for your time and good luck with school:p

*** i challenged the lvn boards in ca based on my experience as an army medic. a corpsman or medic training is very different and far more comprehensive than that of a ma. they are not even close.

PMFB-RN, RN · Mar 13, 2008

As far as I know (that is, unless things have changed fairly recently), only two states allow military corpsmen to challenge the NCLEX-PN -- Oklahoma and California. However, there are restrictions -- people who are licensed in that way cannot (ever) endorse their licenses to any other states; the licenses are only good in the state that issued them. (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about this!)

*** I challenged the LVN boards in Ca based on being a medic in the army then later endorsed my license to Wisconsin.

The reason the corpsmen are allowed to challenge (again, in those two states only) is because, while corpsmen may be considered "medical assistants" in a semantic sense, the reality is that military corpsmen do a whole lot more than CMAs do in the civilian world, and those two states wanted to offer corpsmen a reasonable opportunity to convert their military experience into a civilian career (which they otherwise wouldn't have; the military "corpsman" role doesn't really correspond to any established healthcare occupation in the civilian world)

*** More like a combination of a paramedic, LVN, community health nurse, and in the case of independant duty corpsmen or army 18D, a PA

And, the corpsmen are the only people allowed to challenge the NCLEX without having completed an approved (by the state BON) nursing program. If you want to be a nurse (whether LPN or RN), you're going to have to go to nursing school!

*** I don't know if you are including army medics when you say "corpsmen" but they can (or used to be able to) challenge in Ca for sure, I did. I know of navy corpsmen, coast guard corpsmen, and army medics who have challenged the LVN boards in Ca. All passed no problem BTW. Now as an RN with ICU experience I fully believe I could have challened and passed the NCLEX-RN had I been allowed to. With the exception of nursing diagnosis and the "nursing process" (wich I learned but under a different name) I didn't learn anything in RN school I haden't already learned as an army medic (4 years field medic, two years burn ICU as a medic).

elkpark · Mar 13, 2008

*** I don't know if you are including army medics when you say "corpsmen" but they can (or used to be able to) challenge in Ca for sure, I did. I know of navy corpsmen, coast guard corpsmen, and army medics who have challenged the LVN boards in Ca. All passed no problem BTW. Now as an RN with ICU experience I fully believe I could have challened and passed the NCLEX-RN had I been allowed to. With the exception of nursing diagnosis and the "nursing process" (wich I learned but under a different name) I didn't learn anything in RN school I haden't already learned as an army medic (4 years field medic, two years burn ICU as a medic).

I did mean to include medics, etc., in my comments -- I have never been in the military and am not familiar with all the precise terminology used by the different branches. I was using the term "military corpsmen" generically. I'm also glad to hear that you were able to endorse your license -- I'm happy to be corrected on that point.