Could my license be at risk?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Since I had no luck finding a lvn job, I have registered with a staffing agency for work. The type of work for a new grad with no experience for them is working as a school nurse. Which I don't consider it as a school nurse but basically, what I will be doing is follow a student (with some type of condition; for example, diabetic, epileptic, etc) around school, monitoring or giving the kid his/her med. I will only be filing in when they need someone and if a case do come up, I may be considered for the job which is for the entire school year. It doesn't pay much but I am desperate for a job, anything to get my foot wet working as a lvn. The thing is that my husband doesn't want me to take on something like that because he is afraid I may lose my license quicker because I am on my own with the child. So, have any one of you worked doing something like that? And do you think that my license is at greater risk doing that type of work? I would appreciate any advice or suggestions!

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

The 'losing my license' syndrome is totally overrated.

Nurses lose their licenses for issues such as drug diversion, addiction, falsifying medical records, reporting to work while impaired, failing to complete mandated treatment programs, fighting, etc.

Does your husband work in the medical field? How would he know if this job is a danger to your license?

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

I have attended school with many of my homecare patients, in fact the child I am taking care of right now attends school and I go with her. Just bring something to do with you. As my patients nurse at school, I only deal with her medical needs, academics are taken care of by the teaching staff. It might be something you like, but you are on your own and must anticipate your patients needs. Why does your hubby feel the way he does? What is he basing his reservations on?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

My first job as a nurse, was in Homecare as a LPN. You are "on your own", but not really because you still have a plan of care to follow, and still alert the care manager and/or the PCP if there are concerns, so you are never alone. One of my home care cases went to school, and I enjoyed it. I gave her meds, did any care that came up, and was there if a medical emergency. I also engaged with the pt in the way to school, during Schiller if needed, and on the way home.

As long as you follow the plan of care, follow your scope, you will not "lose the license." I agree with Commuter, there are VERY specific ways to lose your license; and you must respond and defend yourself against allegations...that's where the comes in, they will focus on the legalities of any issues related to that.

I found that home care as a new grad made me able to communicate effectively, increase assessment skills (normal vs abnormal) and be comfortable making decisions within my scope when it came to comfort, pt teaching, and advocacy. So the pluses are already there.

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He doesn't work in the medical field. Its just his assumption that's all. We know nurses can lose their license in all sorts of ways. He's just afraid that doing that type of work might get me to lose it faster and it may be riskier.

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As long as you follow your scope of practice you will be fine. Have faith and confidence in yourself. The child should have a plan of care readily available to you, read it and know what you are looking at and what some of the situations you could be dealing with as far as care or a crisis. Look at all the meds the child is on ESP ones you will give (including PRN meds) and make sure you know what they are for and what adverse reactions they could have. Make sure all emergency meds and or equipment is charged and readily available. Good luck!!! ASK QUESTIONS, that's what will get u into trouble the most doing things that you do not know how to do or if you are allowed to do them.

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It is really frustrating to pay a great deal of money and spend a lot of time in LVN school and not be able to find a job, or to then find a job at a wage far less than what one would hope for. So it becomes a balance of "wait it out" vs. what could happen to me and my license for $8.00 minimum wage? But you have to start somewhere, and this seems like not a bad start. If you have applied everywhere feasible, and have gotten no response, then with some time as a LPN in a school, at least you would have some experience. If you are thinking home care, hospice, or an MD's office, make an appointment to speak with their HR/office manger. See exactly what you have to do and what experience you need to try and obtain employment there. See if you can do some per diem at perhaps a place where you had clincals. Best of luck, and I think that your hubby is just trying to help--but as the pp's have noted, it really is not an everyday occurance that someone loses a license. You should always have (your own) and who knows? You may love it at the school!!

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Like others have said it's very hard work to lose your practice permit. You practically have to be a repeat offender with no remorse where I work.

Credit card theft got a suspension.

Narcotics theft, a trip to rehab, a slap on the wrist and a return to work with no narcotics priviliges.

You have to be pretty dangerous.

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They say you are not supposed to do homecare until you have one year or nursing experience. Which I can understand. Because you are alone. You need to know what to do in an emergency situation. But there should be guidelines for you to follow and you can always call the doctor. Listen everyone has to start somewhere. I think its a good opportunity to learn and a def place to start. Take it, try it, whats the worst that can happen? you don't like it or you don't feel comfortable. then either you ask for a different type of case or you quit and look elsewhere. Theres something to add to your resume. Everyone starts somewhere just remember that. I started like most ppl in LTC. Moved to NYC, went to an intense LTC/REHAB. I was the wound care nurse, never saw so much crazy **** in my life, then got promoted and worked in the admissions office as the admissions nurse and did marketing, and now I work at an assisted living facility as a supervisor. You never know where you will be or how you will get there. Just take the first step and get into it. Good luck. :)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
They say you are not supposed to do homecare until you have one year or nursing experience. Which I can understand. Because you are alone. You need to know what to do in an emergency situation. But there should be guidelines for you to follow and you can always call the doctor. Listen everyone has to start somewhere. I think its a good opportunity to learn and a def place to start. Take it try it, whats the worst that can happen? you don't like it or you don't feel comfortable. then either you ask for a different type of case or you quit and look elsewhere. Theres something to add to your resume. Everyone starts somewhere just remember that. I started like most ppl in LTC. Moved to NYC, went to an intense LTC/REHAB. I was the wound care nurse, never saw so much crazy **** in my life, then got promoted and worked in the admissions office as the admissions nurse and did marketing, and now I work at an assisted living facility as a supervisor. You never know where you will be or how you will get there. Just take the first step and get into it. Good luck. :)[/quote']

^I started out in home care as a new grad LPN. Not only did it help me gain experience in appreciating a good assessment, it allowed me to advocate for my patients.

There are a percentage of home care agencies that have private pay or depending on the clientele, especially pediatric home care that hire new grads. Most that are requiring 1 year experience were the ones hiring new grads and having success...I think they're just going along with the masses.

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He doesn't work in the medical field. Its just his assumption that's all. We know nurses can lose their license in all sorts of ways. He's just afraid that doing that type of work might get me to lose it faster and it may be riskier.

The "all sorts of ways" can be easily identified on the state BON website. People do not lose their licenses to practice nursing willy-nilly or capriciously. Like the Commuter I am heartily sick of this ridiculous drumbeat about "losing (often misspelled as 'loosing') my license" that students and new nurses seem to have engraved upon their frontal lobes.

I suggest you pull up the list of the last several months of licensure actions, review them, and them show them to him. When he sees that licensure actions are taken for felony, narcotic diversion, exceeding scope of practice in a big way, and the like, he should be able to put two and two together and see that this job is not going to offer you a lot of opportunity to descend into a depraved life of crime. You will have the physician prescription for the medications, plenty of support all around, and lots of opportunity to catch up on your reading.

Now, if he is one of those guys who has some other agenda for not wanting you to work outside the home, that's a different problem entirely. I'd be sure about that.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

The "all sorts of ways" can be easily identified on the state BON website. People do not lose their licenses to practice nursing willy-nilly or capriciously. Like the Commuter I am heartily sick of this ridiculous drumbeat about "losing (often misspelled as 'loosing') my license" that students and new nurses seem to have engraved upon their frontal lobes.

I suggest you pull up the list of the last several months of licensure actions, review them, and them show them to him. When he sees that licensure actions are taken for felony, narcotic diversion, exceeding scope of practice in a big way, and the like, he should be able to put two and two together and see that this job is not going to offer you a lot of opportunity to descend into a depraved life of crime. You will have the physician prescription for the medications, plenty of support all around, and lots of opportunity to catch up on your reading.

Now, if he is one of those guys who has some other agenda for not wanting you to work outside the home, that's a different problem entirely. I'd be sure about that.

^If there was some way to reverse the "lose/loose my license" with the "nurses eat their young" mantra...Nursing would be as close to the Disneyland of professions, lol...

People are either scared that one independent nursing judgement is going to land them in front of the board, or go on a unit (or even here on AN) flexing and looking for someone to say something "the wrong way"...

Sheesh.

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