two licenses LPN/RN

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have an LPN license and a RN license. Both come up for renewal at the same time. This will be my first renewal for RN.

I am one not to burn my bridges when it come to employable assets. At the same time I don't want to waste my time energy or money maintaining my LPN license if I will never use it again.

Is there any advantage to renewing my LPN?

zumalong

298 Posts

Specializes in surgical, neuro, education.

I don't know if there is any advantage. I was in the same predicament in 1990. I renewed my LPN license then because I felt I worked so hard to acheive it, however, when it came up for renewal in 1994--I didn't renew it. I was an RN by then in name and job description and every other aspect. I keep my original license on the wall along side my RN license because I worked so hard for both.

I don't know if this helps. I suppose that you could work as an LPN and an RN at the same time--but I would be afraid of crossing over the line of what is allowed and what is not.

:rolleyes:

Jolie, BSN

6,375 Posts

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Check with your State Board of Nursing or a healthcare attorney in your state. But, to my knowledge, as long as you are licensed as an RN, you will always be held legally accountable to the standard of practice of a registered nurse. Even if you were to accept a job as an LPN, you would be held to the standard of registered nursing. That being the case, it may not be worthwhile to pay twice the fees for 2 licenses. I understand how hard you worked for your initial LPN license. Maybe it would be worthwhile to put it on inactive status, and frame the original!

RNed

110 Posts

I agree with Jolie, in most cases you will be held to the RN standard of practice. Another point is that if you did take a LPN job, I believe you would cross the line in practice, just for the sake of efficency. I most likely would and I believe most of us would. By doing so you would not be protected by your employer and therefore lessen the employers liability and increase yours.

We have a RN, who happens to be a Respiratory Therapist. As an RN she can and does manipulate ventilator changes as needed and within policy guidelines. However, when she was working as a Respiratory Therapist, she preformed a nursing duty which clearly was not within the policy guidelines as a therapist. Our legal department was consulted and it was made absolutely clear she practiced outside her job description and the act was not covered under the umbrella insurance policy of the hospital. The fact she is a licensed RN did not matter, she was employed as a Respiratory therapist and therefore needed to stay within the policies dictated by the hospital.

Your LPN license is something to be proud of, however, paying for the RN license covers all that you would do as an LPN. It seems keeping a RN license and an LPN license is paying twice.

Be proud of both.

P_RN, ADN, RN

6,011 Posts

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I believe in my state you must turn in the LPN license in order to obtain the RN license. It may have changed in the years since I was in school. Call the state board.

-jt

2,709 Posts

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This is true. The dangerous thing for you is that if you are employed as an LPN, while you will be held to the standard of your highest license (RN), you may only act in the capacity of an LPN at that facility which employs you as an LPN. So if you did something that an RN could do at that facility but an LPN is not allowed to do, you could be in for big trouble. Its like the left hand and the right hand are doing two different things & its too easy to get jammed up. Its probably wise to take only RN jobs while you hold both licenses (there IS an RN shortage so employment should not be hard to find in that category) or let your LPN license expire. I chose the latter.

Teshiee

712 Posts

I am like you zumalong I worked so hard for my LVN license I still keep it with my Rn license even though it has expired. It is a reminder of what I went through and how it helped me get to where I am now.

I don't see any advantage to it. I guess it is a matter of preference. I knew a LVN who maintains her CNA license. I asked her why she said just in case something happens where she may lose her license. I explained to her I don't think it would matter much if you harmed a patient being a CNA is still dealing with patients and they may revoke that as well. I think it is merely up to what you want to do.

:D

Teshiee

712 Posts

I don't know in other states but California has two distinct boards. Board of registered nursing and board of vocational nursing psych tech.

I agreee with what jt is saying it may jam you up re nurse practice act. I wonder would it apply if you were a RN and became a MD and you wanted to maintain your RN? Would it apply too?

Agnus

2,719 Posts

Thank you, for your input. I wanted to make sure that I was not over looking a legitimate reason to keep the LPN. It lookes like the only sensible thing to do is to drop the LPN when it comes time to renew. I appreciate your help in brainstorming this. Now I can put it to rest.

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