Challenging The Boards To Become A Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
The purpose of this article is to further explore the detailed process that an unlicensed healthcare worker must complete to challenge the boards and become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in the state of California.
Contrary to popular beliefs, a person really can become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in the state of California without ever having graduated from an approved school.
An unlicensed person with the right mix of healthcare experience who wants to become an LVN in California has the option of qualifying to take the NCLEX-PN on the basis of previous education and experience. This method of becoming an LVN is more commonly known as 'challenging the boards' or the 'equivalency method.'
According to the BVNPT (2011), qualifying for the licensure examination based on prior education and experience, often referred to as "the equivalency method," requires the applicant to provide documentation of a minimum of 51 months of paid general duty inpatient bedside nursing experience in a clinical facility and completion of a 54-theory-hour pharmacology course.
Furthermore, the person who is interested in challenging the boards to become an LVN might be allowed to substitute previously-attained nursing education for some of the bedside experience requirements. The equivalency method permits unlicensed individuals who have had extensive inpatient bedside nursing care experience, plus a limited amount of formal education, to demonstrate that they have acquired sufficient basic nursing knowledge to be eligible for the licensure examination (BVNPT, 2011).
The applicant who wants to earn an LVN license in this manner must have the correct mix of experience.
The 51 months of paid bedside experience must have taken place within the last 10 years and needs to consist of at least 48 months of medical/surgical nursing, 6 weeks of maternity or genitourinary nursing, and 6 weeks of pediatric nursing.
In addition, half of the 51 month experiential requirement needs to have been within the last five years. The BVNPT will allow up to eight months of medical/surgical nursing experience to be accrued outside of an inpatient setting; however, the rest of the experience must be in an inpatient workplace setting such as a hospital.
According to the BVNPT (2011), the following types of work experience will not be accepted in this category; home health aide, in-home care provider, in-home hospice provider, board and care provider, residential care provider, unit secretary, ward clerk, transport aide, phlebotomist, monitor technician, field paramedic.
Applicants who have acquired additional formal nursing education from an approved vocational nursing, practical nursing or registered nursing program may submit official transcripts for evaluation for possible credit in lieu of paid bedside nursing experience (BVNPT, 2011). All applicants who want to challenge the boards must complete a 54-hour pharmacology course that covers principles of administration, dosage calculations, knowledge and action of commonly used drugs, and medication preparation. According to the BVNPT (2011), the pharmacology requirement may be satisfied by completion of 54 theory hours of pharmacology in a Board approved vocational nursing or psychiatric technician program or 54 theory hours of pharmacology offered as part of an approved registered nursing program.
The major downfalls associated with this method of becoming an LVN is that these nurses cannot be licensed in other states. In addition, some healthcare facilities in California will not hire LVNs who became licensed through this method due to policies that require new hires to graduate from an approved school of nursing.
thank you, due to COVID-19, there is no space and they have prioritized other students. I don’t know what to do. I spent four years studying. I am devastated.
I am trying to challenge the LVN exam in this way as I have failed out of my ADN program and I am waiting to jump back in. I have added up all of the hours in the classes I have taken and I don't think I have all of the hours. The BVNPT website says we need 954 clinical hours, but I think my entire ADN program has those 954 hours. I have about 630 clinical hours. Has anyone been in a similar situation and overcome this obstacle by getting a CNA license, and/or working as one for a few months? I tried to call the BVNPT and the person I talked to was not helpful and told me he could not give me any answers. He said all of the answers to my questions are on the website but this is not the case for me. If anyone has challenge the exam with Method 3, I would appreciate any guidance. Thank you.
Specializes in ICU/ER/IR/Pre-Op/PACU/Cath Lab/EP/CSS.
This is a great question and not sure why you would not be able to do this. Have you reached out to anyone who teaches and or your school to see how they can assist you?
This question is mainly for the OG of this thread, by the way thank you for your thoughtful input and shared knowledge years ago and since.
What are your thoughts on using education LPN program in-completed and aged over the 10 years along with all of the other requirements with in the 10 AND 5 year range? Also on being a med tech certified in a select few states that license to throw in the bundle as experience? I can not find anything regarding that though I did have a classmate go forward and my instructor said we were so much closer to Lvn's with that certificate er license.
As a CNA wanting to challenge the LVN board via method 3, what type of experience are they requiring? The government website is super vague and they state "in-patient bedside nursing experience" but I have no idea if that includes Skilled Nursing Facilities or Rehab/detox facilities. Is it only hospitals on the Med/surg floor?
This question is mainly for the OG of this thread, by the way thank you for your thoughtful input and shared knowledge years ago and since.
What are your thoughts on using education LPN program in-completed and aged over the 10 years along with all of the other requirements with in the 10 AND 5 year range? Also on being a med tech certified in a select few states that license to throw in the bundle as experience? I can not find anything regarding that though I did have a classmate go forward and my instructor said we were so much closer to Lvn's with that certificate er license.
Thx Quinn B ?
I was a Med-Tech for one year in a memory care residence and I emailed the LVN board regarding this work experience and unfortunately they said it doesn't count towards method 3 licensure.
Im really not sure what exactly does. They arent clear on that.
Lila Devi said:
Hello,
thank you, due to COVID-19, there is no space and they have prioritized other students. I don't know what to do. I spent four years studying. I am devastated.
I've taken my pharmacology and have the bedside credit for maternity, but I'm finding it extremely hard to get the 6 wks of peds. Can anyone give me any advice on how to complete this final step so I can submit my application? I'm in northern Cali and it's hard to get a job in a hospital without actually knowing someone that can get you in. So I'm finding this impossible but I have hope that something will work out. Any advice please and thank you.
In Hawaii, you are able to challenge the LPN board exam once you have taken these classes - med surg 1, patho, pharm, peds, psych and maternity. You don't need work experience to apply. Once licensed you are able to work in other states by endorsement.
Lila Devi
3 Posts
Hello,
thank you, due to COVID-19, there is no space and they have prioritized other students. I don’t know what to do. I spent four years studying. I am devastated.