Anyone successfully challenge the boards?

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 25, 2016

In Florida, you can challenge the NCLEX

This is what is says on the FL BON:

"Applicants who have successfully completed courses, equivalent to practical nursing education in a professional nursing program, may qualify for NCLEX-PN based on practical nursing equivalency (PNEQ). All professional courses (RN) taken must have been successfully completed with a grade of Câ€ or better and must have included theory and clinical instruction."

Completely different than the CA BON challenge rules.

Basically what the FL BON is saying is if you are in an RN program & complete enough credits you can challenge the BON to take the LVN NCLEX. What the CA BON says is if you are a CNA for long enough you can challenge the BON to become an LVN, with *no* schooling what so ever.

dishes, BSN, RN · Jun 25, 2016

@lilfrankenstein, do you have knowledge on the full spectrum of medication classifications? Most of the RTs that I know have knowledge of pulmonary and cardivascular medications, but their theoretical knowledge of all of the other classifications is inadequate to safely administer medications. Are their medication courses for people in your situation?

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jun 25, 2016

I've got a few thoughts on the topic that I think could genuinely be of some help:

1. Most importantly, I don't think that your chances of employment would increase significantly by getting your LPN via a challenge. In CA, it can take a new grad BSN months or even years to get a job. Most hospitals prefer a BSN at minimum, and many facilities are phasing out the LPN role altogether (although this may be different in community health/LTC settings). Meanwhile, despite your RT background, as an LPN exam challenger your application would probably be at the bottom of the barrel in comparison to all of the other LPNs with formal training, competing for a diminishing number of jobs in a very saturated market. As you have probably noticed, nurses can be very proud (and protective) of their credentials, and you may find that hiring managers have the same response to the LPN challenge as the people on this forum.

2. I think the NCLEX would be very difficult to pass without formal nursing education. The NCLEX is notorious for framing questions in a very confusing way (i.e. 'every answer is correct, but which is the most correct'), so it takes a lot of practice with prioritization from a nursing perspective. I honestly don't know that you could learn it from a book. Furthermore, much of the emphasis on the NCLEX (and in nursing school in general) is on diabetes and heart disease (although respiratory is a close third). Meanwhile, the topics are as far flung as random psych conditions, to the softness of a woman's uterus in the postpartum period, to random skills-based questions (i.e. if you're drawing up two different types of insulin from different vials into the same syringe, do you draw up the intermediate-acting or short-acting first?) Tons of people study this stuff full-time for years in nursing school and still don't pass.

3. Finally, I'm sorry that everybody is piling on you for the RT/CNA to RN concept. I work in ICU and have the highest respect for RTs. They are truly amazing at what they do, and I couldn't do my job without them. There are tons of things they know about blood gasses, xray interpretation, vent settings, etc. that I never will. But on the flip side, nurses know a lot of things that RTs don't. I would feel really uncomfortable having somebody working as my RT who had not been trained as an RT, which I think is the concern that a lot of nurses are expressing here.

Best of luck on your job hunt. It sounds like a really frustrating situation.

DowntheRiver · Jun 25, 2016

By far I think this is the most level-headed and well thought out response to your question. Listen to their advice.

I've got a few thoughts on the topic that I think could genuinely be of some help:
1. Most importantly, I don't think that your chances of employment would increase significantly by getting your LPN via a challenge. In CA, it can take a new grad BSN months or even years to get a job. Most hospitals prefer a BSN at minimum, and many facilities are phasing out the LPN role altogether (although this may be different in community health/LTC settings). Meanwhile, despite your RT background, as an LPN exam challenger your application would probably be at the bottom of the barrel in comparison to all of the other LPNs with formal training, competing for a diminishing number of jobs in a very saturated market. As you have probably noticed, nurses can be very proud (and protective) of their credentials, and you may find that hiring managers have the same response to the LPN challenge as the people on this forum.
2. I think the NCLEX would be very difficult to pass without formal nursing education. The NCLEX is notorious for framing questions in a very confusing way (i.e. 'every answer is correct, but which is the most correct'), so it takes a lot of practice with prioritization from a nursing perspective. I honestly don't know that you could learn it from a book. Furthermore, much of the emphasis on the NCLEX (and in nursing school in general) is on diabetes and heart disease (although respiratory is a close third). Meanwhile, the topics are as far flung as random psych conditions, to the softness of a woman's uterus in the postpartum period, to random skills-based questions (i.e. if you're drawing up two different types of insulin from different vials into the same syringe, do you draw up the intermediate-acting or short-acting first?) Tons of people study this stuff full-time for years in nursing school and still don't pass.
3. Finally, I'm sorry that everybody is piling on you for the RT/CNA to RN concept. I work in ICU and have the highest respect for RTs. They are truly amazing at what they do, and I couldn't do my job without them. There are tons of things they know about blood gasses, xray interpretation, vent settings, etc. that I never will. But on the flip side, nurses know a lot of things that RTs don't. I would feel really uncomfortable having somebody working as my RT who had not been trained as an RT, which I think is the concern that a lot of nurses are expressing here.
Best of luck on your job hunt. It sounds like a really frustrating situation.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jun 25, 2016

By far I think this is the most level-headed and well thought out response to your question. Listen to their advice.

Aw, thanks.

The flip side is that if you are at all interested in pursuing a nursing career the old-fashioned way, your RT (and CNA) background would be a huge asset. A dual specialty in respiratory therapy and nursing would be amazingly beneficial in acute care, especially in the ICU or any floor that frequently sees respiratory infections (although you may run into legal issues related to scope of practice and your employee role as nurse vs. RT??) Plus, if RT is your passion, then having a staff nurse role in a hospital may allow you to apply internally to become an RT.

Some of the smartest, most skilled nurse practitioners in my ICU were once RTs who became RNs, who became NPs. It's a pretty awesome combo.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 25, 2016

Are their medication courses for people in your situation?

Candidates who wish to challenge the board to become LVNs in California must have first completed a 54-hour pharmacology course before submitting their applications. No one in California can successfully challenge the board to become an LVN without completion of this pharmacology course.

EbonyWaltonEl · Jun 25, 2016

No, that's not what it says. There are classes required for CA too.

Lilfrankenstein · Jun 25, 2016

Such as what? I have all the nursing prerequisites completed. I have many of the core classes completed. But because I don't have any classes entitled "nursing theory" I'm not qualified? I have coached new grad RNS through their tasks, I have had to intervene when RNS made huge mistakes. I have done things I've been asked to educate my entire floor in the hospital on because the RNS were not skilled in doing it as I was. My work as a CNA was mostly in a huge hospital which was a great learning hospital. I have worked very close with many entities in that hospital, I have been doctors right hand, I have coached med students. But because I have CNA behind my name, you assume I am ignorant? Okay....

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jun 25, 2016

Such as what? I have all the nursing prerequisites completed. I have many of the core classes completed. But because I don't have any classes entitled "nursing theory" I'm not qualified? I have coached new grad RNS through their tasks, I have had to intervene when RNS made huge mistakes. I have done things I've been asked to educate my entire floor in the hospital on because the RNS were not skilled in doing it as I was. My work as a CNA was mostly in a huge hospital which was a great learning hospital. I have worked very close with many entities in that hospital, I have been doctors right hand, I have coached med students. But because I have CNA behind my name, you assume I am ignorant? Okay....

It's not that you're ignorant, there is just a huge difference between taking the NCLEX as a CNA & after going to school with the knowledge you learned in nursing you. You can't learn what they teach you in nursing school from a book. You know a lot because you are an RT but there is a lot you don't know that would be better suited learning in a class room, not trying to challenge the NCLEX.

Lilfrankenstein · Jun 25, 2016

I think some of you are confused.

For one, this is legal. The board website has been posted, go read the requirements if you need a better understanding.

For two, this post was not intended for you to say "you have a cna background? Ewww!" Or, "I'm an RN, you don't know what I know." Comments.

This post is for LVN who have challenged the board and advice they may have or stories, etc.

It's my job to decide what method is right for me, what risk is associated and my comfort level in the field.

I will take the same test every other LVN takes and if I pass it's based on my own knowledge and understanding.

The state approves this method for a reason, I'd you don't understand it, send an email to the board and they can explain themselves to you but the fact of the matter is some people are blessed to have a very full work experience that allows them to be familiar with things others are not.

Even as a CNA going from hospital to nursing home is a huge difference....same job title....but many differences in experience and capabilities. The same goes for RT, RN, LVN. None of you can make the call as to whether I would be a good candidate unless you worked along side of me. So please keep your negativity to yourself unless you have experience with this topic to share.

EbonyWaltonEl · Jun 25, 2016

I for one am not confused because I've considered doing this route myself and totally support you if you decide to do it. I do agree that a lot of the commenters are confused which is what my comment was directed to, but I guess I should have pushed quote instead of reply so it would have been attached to the naysayer who obviously didn't read the CA BON website. However, I've promoted this CNA to LVN route on previous posts and the position that most nurses have about this route is that you don't get the hands on pracitical experience that you'd have from school which is scary in their eyes. My CNA teacher who is an RN/MSN also commented on this issue in class. Informing us on a CNA who challenged the board and passed because he was very book smart, but didn't know anything when it came to actually working on the clinical floor and it was scary for all who worked in that facility. Also, you have to ask yourself and research about your future opportunities without LVN school. Some jobs won't hire you and school RN schools wont accept you, but good luck in whatever you choose! Personally, if you already have a Bachelor's I'd recommend the ELMSN route. Entry Level Master's in Nursing.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Jun 25, 2016

I think some of you are confused.
For one, this is legal. The board website has been posted, go read the requirements if you need a better understanding.
For two, this post was not intended for you to say "you have a cna background? Ewww!" Or, "I'm an RN, you don't know what I know." Comments.
This post is for LVN who have challenged the board and advice they may have or stories, etc.
It's my job to decide what method is right for me, what risk is associated and my comfort level in the field.
I will take the same test every other LVN takes and if I pass it's based on my own knowledge and understanding.
The state approves this method for a reason, I'd you don't understand it, send an email to the board and they can explain themselves to you but the fact of the matter is some people are blessed to have a very full work experience that allows them to be familiar with things others are not.
Even as a CNA going from hospital to nursing home is a huge difference....same job title....but many differences in experience and capabilities. The same goes for RT, RN, LVN. None of you can make the call as to whether I would be a good candidate unless you worked along side of me. So please keep your negativity to yourself unless you have experience with this topic to share.

You came here asking for tips and advice and that's what people are giving. You are getting defensive because people aren't telling you what you want to hear. There is a big difference in being a CNA and being a nurse. Just like there is a big difference in being a RT and a nurse. If you think you can do it, go ahead. Or you could keep looking for an RT job.

Maybe the program for RT you went to isn't accredited or has a bad reputation. We have a for profit school in my state where new grads can't get jobs. Maybe that's the situation here. Maybe your attitude is reflected in your interviews and that has something to do with it. Good luck with whatever you decide.