UPDATE on my battle with the GA LPN BON

U.S.A. Georgia

Published

Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

I sent in my application, along with a nursing resume - that included my work history (19 years), my education including my CE's, all the states I've been licensed in (currently active in Ohio), a copy of the nursys report and a letter outlining everything. I also sent an additional packet requesting approval for a distance learning program with a side by side comparison and a list of why the program would work for me.

Both packets were sent by certified mail and were recieved today at 9:44AM. We'll see how long it takes to hear from them.

I also called the Prez of the LPN Board to let her know all had arrived and asked her help to "hurry it along" due to my dire financial situation, I told her - I could be taking the therory portion right now (online). The BON only meets 6 times a year and sometimes they will meet via phone on the off months - January being an off month. She also told me they really have nothing on the agenda right now, so it could be the middle of February before I even hear anything :madface:.

I also called my State Representative to give him an update and complain about the antiquated system - lets move into the current century - no one on the board or any of the staff even have email:eek::banghead:. I think they communicate via string and paper cup :icon_roll.

So everyone keep their fingers, toes and anything else crossed that this moves through rapidly, I will still face several months of refresher, but I'd at least like to get started:cool:.

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Good luck!!! Hopefully now they can stop playing games and get you approved.. :nurse:

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Good luck!! It took FOREVER to get my license by endorsement here in GA. I have never had such a senseless wait for anything ever before.

I think you are right- something needs to be done to improve things.

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Fingers crossed for you!

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

Thanks everyone, it is just soooooo frustrating especially after dealing with the Ohio BON - efficent, helpful and proficient. Once I had completed the required CE's and sent in my paperwork, it was only DAYS before I was approved vs MONTHS with the GA LPN BON. I really think those people are living under a rock.

It has been such a long an draining battle just to even be able to send in an application. Endless phone calls with always negative answers and the "there's nothing we can do 'tude". A friend who's lived through this with me said she's never seen anyone so umm tenacious and relentless. For quite sometime they have required LPN's to REPEATE THE WHOLE PROGRAM if you've been out of nursing for more than 10 years (this was right on the application):madface: I graduated from an approved program and passed the boards and worked for 19 years. I'd like to see them pull that with the RN's or any other licensed people like a pharmacist...NOT. And from what I gather GA is the ONLY state that has this requirement for LPN's:madface:.

I just hope that all goes quickly and smoothly to get me approved to take the refresher. I don't have the funds to wait endless months.

Thanks again to all here at AN for your support.

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Wishing you the best.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

First off::madface::madface::banghead::argue::no: I had to get that off my chest before I could even type, I'm beyond spittin' mad:mad:.

Today's great adventure involved two calls to the Secretary of State's office "call center" - we are NOT ALLOWED to talk to BON staff:angthts:. I asked if they could confirm they had recieved my app that was sent on the 5th and signed for on the 8th, yes it just got into the system. I asked when I could find out the status of my app - you will hear something in 25 days. :madface::madface: I'm thinking while burning up how can the Ohio Board process and license me in 2 days and yet the GA LPN BON can't even give me an update for 25 days:madface::banghead:

Next, after I hung up I was going through my copy of the app and discovered the original and a copy of page 5:eek: so I call back right away to the grrr "call center" and explain and ask if someone could look at my app to see if they do in fact have a copy of page 5 - NO you will hear something in 25 days if something is missing.:banghead::banghead::madface::madface: So I just rushed to the post office and sent it off with a letter explaining and of course spent the extra $13+ to get it there tomorrow...it would have taken someone just a few moments to pull my app an see if they had a copy of page 5 but nooooooooooo can't do that - that would be something like ummmm customer service - that is totally lacking with the GA LPN BON.

I also just finished firing off an email to my State Representative about what happened to me today and listing it as an "official" complaint against the GA LPN BON. If they were in the private sector they would go out of business and why are they allowed to operate this way???? and it was unconscionable and absolutely ridiculous, these are peoples livelihood and their ability to earn a living they are messing with.

I think before this is all over I'll end up with a stroke or heart attack:uhoh3:...I could feel my BP rising and it takes every bit of effort I can muster just to be civil with these people.

OK see DogWmn walking outside and letting loose blood curdling scream after scream, snarl, grrr, argggaahhhh.

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First off::madface::madface::banghead::argue::no: I had to get that off my chest before I could even type, I'm beyond spittin' mad:mad:.

Today's great adventure involved two calls to the Secretary of State's office "call center" - we are NOT ALLOWED to talk to BON staff:angthts:. I asked if they could confirm they had recieved my app that was sent on the 5th and signed for on the 8th, yes it just got into the system. I asked when I could find out the status of my app - you will hear something in 25 days. :madface::madface: I'm thinking while burning up how can the Ohio Board process and license me in 2 days and yet the GA LPN BON can't even give me an update for 25 days:madface::banghead:

Next, after I hung up I was going through my copy of the app and discovered the original and a copy of page 5:eek: so I call back right away to the grrr "call center" and explain and ask if someone could look at my app to see if they do in fact have a copy of page 5 - NO you will hear something in 25 days if something is missing.:banghead::banghead::madface::madface: So I just rushed to the post office and sent it off with a letter explaining and of course spent the extra $13+ to get it there tomorrow...it would have taken someone just a few moments to pull my app an see if they had a copy of page 5 but nooooooooooo can't do that - that would be something like ummmm customer service - that is totally lacking with the GA LPN BON.

I also just finished firing off an email to my State Representative about what happened to me today and listing it as an "official" complaint against the GA LPN BON. If they were in the private sector they would go out of business and why are they allowed to operate this way???? and it was unconscionable and absolutely ridiculous, these are peoples livelihood and their ability to earn a living they are messing with.

I think before this is all over I'll end up with a stroke or heart attack:uhoh3:...I could feel my BP rising and it takes every bit of effort I can muster just to be civil with these people.

OK see DogWmn walking outside and letting loose blood curdling scream after scream, snarl, grrr, argggaahhhh.

And when people go postal they wonder why!!! Not that I condone this, i'm just saying.....

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

:banghead::banghead::madface: I hate that I can't talk with a staff person from the BON. So again I called the :angthts: Sect'y of State worthless "call center" to verify that my page had been received...can't give me an answer for 25 days and now their telling me it's 25 BUSINESS days:banghead:. So that put's it to late Feburary:madface:. I was also informed today that it took 7-10 days BUSINESS days to leave the mail room:eek::madface:. They've got my $$$ so now they'll sit on it for who knows how long. Oh and they tell me someone in the mail room is doing the initial "processing":eek: That means some mail clerk has access to my SS# and all sorts of personal info...I way do not like that.

Soooo

Application recieved on 1/7

into system on 1/8

missing page sent 1/12

missing page signed for 1/13

So my application has been sitting in the mail room for 14 days total, 9 "business" days total and NO forward movement other than they've cashed my money order.:banghead::madface::grn:

Each day this lingers on I run out of $$, my savings are long gone and my unemployment benefits will run out at the end of February unless there are more extensions. I've dropped the price of my place $100,000 just to try to sell out and move on but still no takers.

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Yeah. All those business days to sit in the mail room, but your money order sure didn't sit in the mail room for long now did it?

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.
Yeah. All those business days to sit in the mail room, but your money order sure didn't sit in the mail room for long now did it?

According to the "call center" person, they cashed it on the 8th:mad: - got my $$$ and then NOTHING:banghead:

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

About an hour ago I got an email from the LPN BON stating they are missing page 5 :banghead: See above - they got page 5 on the 13th...then after I fired back an email telling them they got it on 1/13/10...I get the "you must wait an addition 7-10 business days:madface::banghead:. Then I get another email saying she found it never mind:cool:.

Also in the email was this statement:

"The Georgia Board of Nursing has received your application for a Licensed Practical Nurse license. Since you are not currently licensed as an RN in the state of Georgia you must not engage in nursing practice until you have a valid license to do so. The application submitted is subject to Board review if employment information indicates nursing practice in Georgia without RN license. "

Ummmmm, I'm NOT an RN and I'm applying for an LPN license...great googlie mooglie...just how incompetent are these people:eek:.

So I call them and I'm on hold for 20 mins:rolleyes: and of course I don't get to talk with the person who sent me the email:madface: I asked them about the nursing resume that was requested by the Prez of the LPN BON and if they got that also and about the additional packet I sent registered mail that they received on 1/7/10 requesting approval for a distance learning program...can't get jack SH.T out of them about that...snarl.

So here I sit day after day...waiting for approval to just take a refresher:madface:...If I lived in any other state I would have been through a program and be licensed and WORKING.

:no::no::no: See Dogwmn walking outside and screaming and screaming.

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