Challenging the boards

[branbran77]

Im challenging the boards through work exp/education...........iv sent my application in and the only thing i have to do is get 6 weeks work exp in OB and 6 weeks in Peds.............i have a CNA the problem is getting a job in these areas............it seems like forever iv been applying.....no one wants to hire me because they say that im so close to being able to take the NCLEX that i will just quite as soon as i get my lvn.........I just feel trapped now....im sooooo close but now it seems like no one wants to help.....iv been applying at hospitals for months.......any advice on what els i can do to get this work exp done??

P.S..........the work exp has to be paid

[caliotter3]

Somebody posted that Sutter Health was offering a three month nonpaid orientation for new nurses. Maybe you could get them to let you work for free to get your experience. What are they going to tell you, no?

You could go to a home health agency and get six weeks of experience with a peds case but it is very difficult to find home health cases that are only HHA/CNA level. I would go to a staffing agency and get them to place you in a hospital on the types of wards that you need for experience and get the supervisor to sign off on your paperwork.

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

Coming from someone who's a CNA and also who's gone through the VN program, I would recommend that you really should just go to school and do a VN program. There is a big difference between the CNA and LVN. Yes, you do have clinical experience as a CNA and you've seen many procedures, but what one lacks is the clinical experience with inserting foley catheters, med passing, dx changes, injections, etc. That comes with practice. I've heard in California that you also have to take a pharmacology course which IMO is great because you do go over a lot of medications and in my particular pharmacology we actually got to practice injections on each other, but from what I hear not all pharmacology classes actually do that. IMO there's a lot of things you will miss out on if you don't do the VN program. These are peoples lives that you're dealing with and IMO education really is everything along with the actual hands on clinical experience. But if you want to challenge the board I wish you all the best of luck.

Ok, now regarding what you should do with employment. Were you ever employed in the hospital? I'm confused, if you have all these years experience as a CNA I would think you've went to different parts of the hospital. If not, then try to get in another hospital that DOESN'T know your situation, and if you have to do per diem, do it. Go into the float pool because you will float everywhere. Once you get in, go to OB & PEDs director and let them know that you would like to float in there as much as possible. Sometimes they will let you add yourself on their schedules as an extra in case if they need you. As a per diem you have the luxury of going in as many days as you want as long as you meet the guidelines under the per diem position. Also talk to the CNAs on that floor and let them know that if they need a day off that they can call you and you'll be available to work for them. That's the best I can offer you from my knowledge from working in a hospital. Good Luck

[LVN-RNhopeful]

As someone who successfully challenged the Board, I say if you are confident in your experience and skills and the Board approves, I say go for it.