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| No. 20 | 
May 21, 2008, 08:25 AM
 Re: LPN Petition to Take RN Boards Originally Posted by KaroSnowQueen  Personally I am all for it. At the school I would go to for my RN, if I were going, the LPNs and RNs all take the SAME prereqs. There is a semester long class on Nursing theory, I would be willing to take that. And perhaps a course in procedures that I have not done (removing Picc lines, accessing ports, etc.).
However, having worked in states where the scope of practice between your average LPN and your average RN is extremely similar, (LPNs being able to perform probably 90% of the duties of an average floor RN), I feel very confident that with my experience, that I could pass NCLEX-RN.
Maybe I'm overconfident, but I truthfully don't think so. I know many times I have instructed RNs on what or how or why to do X task or procedure, or why I think Y symptom points to Z disease process.
Exactly! I've often wondered why they didn't offer on the job clinical training/ courses to become an RN. I almost took a job at a Rehab Hospital that was working on that kind of program in house, but the hours were terrible, and they hadn't implemented it yet. I'm the same way, usually the one orienting the newbies and bring back what I've learned to my patients and co-workers. I don't think you are overconfident at all. If you are a person who wants to understand the disease process, you will naturally be a "critical thinker". Besides, I was told recently that the LPN program I went to is known for treating its students like RNs and that most of them have no trouble going on to get their RN. I'm actually very surprised that there aren't more LPNs that would accept this proposal. I'll probably go the Excellsior route (sp?), and I promise to eat my words if I was wrong once I'm a practicing RN, but I don't think I'll be much different then I already am.   | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 22 |
May 21, 2008, 08:46 AM
Re: LPN Petition to Take RN Boards Originally Posted by Jules A You make great points esepcially about LPNs doing 90% of what RNs do and fwiw I'm pretty sure that I could have passed the NCLEX RN with a good review book before I ever set foot in a nursing class however  that wouldn't have made me a safe or competent nurse. With the bridge program I really have learned more about assessing, more indepth knowledge about the different disease processes and medications etc. so in that respect I do feel that some sort of additional education should be required.
Overtime, though you can teach those things to yourself. I wanted to know how to do a full assessment on my patients, detailed neuro assessments involving the cranial nerves that we were not required to know as an LPN, assessing heart sounds and lung sounds by listening to them on tape (and on line - if I get a chance I'll post a really cool link for you guys regarding these) by reading the RN only magazines, and purchasing those textbooks... LPN or RN regarding proceedures, you are not allowed to perform a proceedure that you have not proven competency in. Which means reading, testing your knowledge, watching, and demonstrating with supervision, until you are sure you will 'do no harm!"
You would be surprised how many times situations have come up where the poor RNs in our facility have been asked to do something, that while in their scope, they have had no experience in (TPN for example!) I think that is awful! I brought in articles and research for them, because I was truly concerned about my patient getting appropriate care. Basic knowledge like using the appropriate filter/tubing, etc, that they probably had forgotten from clinical days. Stuff my facility should've done in my opinion, but also they probably should've taken the time to do or refused the assignment in the name of patient safety. My goal is to be the safest nurse possible. But if you guys are right, as I promised in another post, I do promise to eat my words.  | | No. 23 |
May 21, 2008, 08:52 AM
Re: LPN Petition to Take RN Boards Originally Posted by elkpark For what it's worth, my personal experience has been that it's the LPNs who haven't returned to school who think this is a reasonable idea. All the RNs I've known who started out as LPNs and went back to school say they never realized until they went back to school how much difference there really was between LPNs and RNs.
Personally, I would never support such a proposal.
This is the same consensus at my school as well. We have 3 LPN students...we techncally have a bridge program but it requires too many hours in the summer before to be able to work full time as well.
I too, believe that LPN's should be able to be exempt from certain things such as bedmaking, etc...to me that is just a waste of time.
One of the LPN's in my class originally thought that the pharmacology course was going to be a waste of time b/c the LPN's at the hospitals around here give all the meds...the difference was the assessment pertaining to the meds that she didn't get in LPN school. She said at her facility the "assessment" was pretty much limited to blood sugar levels and BP's...anything pertaining to labs, respirations, etc...had to be run by an RN prior to administration.
Think about very, very experienced RN's...they probably know the "call" a physician makes before he makes it. Their orders are rarely a suprise...but no matter how much experience that RN has, or no matter how accurate she is in her predictions, would you advocate an RN with so-many years experience being an MD?
| | No. 24 |
May 21, 2008, 09:10 AM
Re: LPN Petition to Take RN Boards Originally Posted by Hopefull2009 This is the same consensus at my school as well. We have 3 LPN students...we techncally have a bridge program but it requires too many hours in the summer before to be able to work full time as well.
I too, believe that LPN's should be able to be exempt from certain things such as bedmaking, etc...to me that is just a waste of time.
One of the LPN's in my class originally thought that the pharmacology course was going to be a waste of time b/c the LPN's at the hospitals around here give all the meds...the difference was the assessment pertaining to the meds that she didn't get in LPN school. She said at her facility the "assessment" was pretty much limited to blood sugar levels and BP's...anything pertaining to labs, respirations, etc...had to be run by an RN prior to administration.
Think about very, very experienced RN's...they probably know the "call" a physician makes before he makes it. Their orders are rarely a suprise...but no matter how much experience that RN has, or no matter how accurate she is in her predictions, would you advocate an RN with so-many years experience being an MD?
That is a good question. Not having been to medical school, I don't know, but probably not. I would love to pick the brain of someone who has done both. We have one Doc who has, and she is wonderful. Always picks up the phone immediately, explains things... I've never had the time to ask her. I do have some appreciation of the difference having started, but not finished of course. I'm pretty positive that if I do Excellcior, it will be an overview of what I've taught myself over the years. Clinical is the part that concerns me most, but their program is very limited in that respect from what I"ve seen. So the end result it will be up to me to make sure I am a safe Nurse. Truthfully, I just wish it was cheaper and easier in terms of time, not necessarily material.
| | No. 25 |
May 21, 2008, 09:40 AM
Re: LPN Petition to Take RN Boards
I am not sure, because I had an LPN education only. I have friends that went to the college's bridge program and many of them said that they did not really learn anything different, just had longer clinical hours. I guess it depends on the school you attended and their criteria. If this is the case, though, it makes me wonder what difference it makes-if there was nothing else really added.
What I do believe is that those LPNs that wish to be RNs should have a more streamlined transition without the BS. Maybe on the job training that focuses more on what the difference is between the LPN and RN. Who knows? I admire all those that wish to pursue further education, but RN nursing really isn't for me.
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