protocol to challenge board to become RN

Nurses General Nursing

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I am an LVN and have been for 12+ years. I have recently heard that I could challenge the board (with my years of work experience) and once approved I could sit for the RN boards. Does anyone know about this? PLEASE HELP!!!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Hello All,

I personally know someone who challenged the board (here in CA), to become an RN. She was a CNA for many many years, set for the RN licensure exam, passed and became a RN.

Misscelly

I know that I am responding to an older post, but the reality is that CNAs cannot challenge the board to become RNs in California. They can challenge the board to become LVNs/LPNs, but not RNs. I hope that my post clears up a few misconceptions about becoming an RN through challenging the boards (hint: it doesn't exist).
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at one time west virginia allowed former service members to write either the nclex rn or nclex pn based upon military occupational specialty, education, and experience. however, if you were to obtain licensure by this method, it is extremely doubtful that you would be able to endorse your license to any other state until such time as you completed the appropriate educational program.

the following was copied from west virginia legislature's west virginia code: chapter 30, professions and occupations, article 24, qualifications of armed forces health technicians for civilian health occupations:

30-24-2. qualification for examination for license as a registered professional nurse.

any person who has served on active duty in the medical corps of any of the armed forces of the united states and who has successfully completed the course of instruction required to qualify him for rating as a medical specialist advanced, medical service technician or advanced hospital corpsman technician, or other equivalent rating in his particular branch of the armed forces, and whose service in the armed forces was under honorable conditions, may submit to the west virginia board of examiners for registered professional nurses, a photostatic copy of the certificate issued to him certifying successful completion of such course of instruction, a photostatic copy of his discharge from the armed forces, an application for a license as a registered professional nurse and the prescribed license fee.

if the certificate and discharge, as evidenced by the photostatic copies thereof, the application and prescribed license fee are in order, and if the veteran meets all of the requirements of article seven of this chapter, except the requirement therein specified requiring an applicant to have completed an accredited program of registered professional nursing education and to hold a diploma from a school accredited by such board, the veteran shall be permitted, notwithstanding any provision of said article seven to the contrary, to take the same examination or examinations as are required under section six of said article seven for applicants who do not apply for a license under the provisions of this article twenty-four. if the veteran passes such examination or examinations, he shall be licensed as a registered professional nurse, and such veteran shall thereafter be subject to all of the provisions of said article seven. if the veteran does not pass such examination or examinations, the provisions of said article seven relating to reexaminations shall apply to such veteran the same as they apply to a person who does not apply for a license under the provisions of this article twenty-four.

30-24-3. qualification for examination for license as a licensed practical nurse.

any person who has served on active duty in the medical corps of any of the armed forces of the united states and who has successfully completed the course of instruction required to qualify him for rating as a medical specialist advanced, medical service technician, advanced hospital corpsman technician, medical corpsman, medical service specialist or class a hospital corpsman, or other equivalent rating in his particular branch of the armed forces, and whose service in the armed forces was under honorable conditions, may submit to the west virginia state board of examiners for licensed practical nurses, a photostatic copy of the certificate issued to him certifying successful completion of such course of instruction, a photostatic copy of his discharge from the armed forces, an application for license as a licensed practical nurse and the prescribed fee.

if the certificate and discharge, as evidenced by the photostatic copies thereof, the application and prescribed fee are in order, and if the veteran meets all of the requirements of article seven-a of this chapter, except the requirements therein specified requiring an applicant to have completed a course of study in an accredited school for practical nurses as defined by such board, to hold a diploma therefrom and to have completed such other general educational requirements as may be prescribed by such board, the veteran shall be permitted, notwithstanding any provision of said article seven-a to the contrary, to take the same examination or examinations as are required under section six of said article seven-a for applicants who do not apply for a license under the provisions of this article twenty- four. if the veteran passes such examination or examinations, he shall be licensed as a licensed practical nurse, and such veteran shall thereafter be subject to all of the provisions of said article seven-a. if the veteran does not pass such examination or examinations, the provisions of said article seven-a relating to reexaminations (by cross reference to section six, article one of this chapter) shall apply to such veteran the same as they apply to a person who does not apply for a license under the provisions of this article twenty-four.

you would need to contact the west virginia board of examiners for registered professional nurses to determine if your classification qualifies.

i hope this information was helpful. :specs:

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
Hello All,

I personally know someone who challenged the board (here in CA), to become an RN. She was a CNA for many many years, set for the RN licensure exam, passed and became a RN.

Misscelly

I highly doubt that. Maybe you are thinking of the LVN. You can not challenge the boards to become an RN in California

. People can however challenge the board to take the exam to become an LVN with exuberant amounts of medical experience/clinical hours in many different departments, and classroom time. I have never met anyone that has actually done this. I graduated from a BSN program and even had fellow classmates that tried to do this after our first 2 years and were told they did not have enough hours. Check out the site, it is quite a defeat to take on:

http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/pdf/method3.pdf

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If that were TRUE, no one would PAY for college classes to become an RN if all they had to do was sit and pass a test! I believe there's a LITTLE more involved!

So in your opinion does that mean that since I've been an RN FOR 23 YEARS, I could sit in and take boards to be a NP, DO, or MD! Think about it! :eek:

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I am an LVN who did challenge the NCLEX LVN several years ago, it has not been without its limitations or problems. When applying for a job, one of the first things you are asked is " What formal nursing program did you attend?" Think again if you think employers will be impressed when you tell them you have not had a formal Nursing Program or education. I have also had to endure fellow nurses, setting up challenges for me with regard to my skill level, and generally speaking I pass the challenge, it has not been easy. Regardless of how bad the economy gets in my state, my license is only good in California, so to leave my state I will have to start over. I will be looking again at the BON to see if my license allows me other options, but with the challenges of holding a LVN license with so many limitations, I may have to start over to get that formal education, which will allow me more opportunities and versatility. Any thoughts?:uhoh3:

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I have also heard, but have not confirmed it. But in reading the replies i am disappointed that so many people are hostile about a simple question.

Thank you to those who posted a constructive reply, it helped to answer my questions as well.

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