CNA to LPN

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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Hi everybody,

I'm a newly certified nursing assistant in the state of Arizona. Currently I'm unable to work since I just moved here from Belgium to marry my husband. I'm still waiting for my work authorization and change of status to permanent resident. This should not take too long, since everything was filed a couple of months ago and I'm one of the lucky few who got support from a local senator.

Anyway, this actually has nothing to do with what I wanted to ask. :)

The other day I was talking to my uncle-in-law, he used to be a nurse in California. And he told me about this "special path" to becoming an RN.

Since I already got my CNA I should be able to just take a certain chemistry class in (community) college and take my LPN state board exam after passing that.

From there it should be pretty "easy" to get my RN through nursing school.

Now I'm wondering, is this actually true? Can you just take a chemistry class - if so which one? - and take the state board exam?

Has anybody here any experience with this?

Thanks so much in advance!

- Sarah

I have no idea what the state laws are in California. She said that she was in AZ and so that information that I posted only pertained to AZ. I know that as a CNA here in Phoenix we cannot insert or remove any tubing from a patient, we can not pass ANY meds, we can not dc IV's or insert foleys, etc. We are only allowed, by law to provide simple patient care, such as bed baths, undergarment changes, feeding of patients, vitals, and glucose monitoring. Even dressing changes are technically out of our scope of practice. Hopefully she will look into the state laws regarding a CNA's scope of practice if she is indeed in AZ. I would hate to see her get into trouble for performing procedures that we are not allowed to do.

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Specializes in ICU.

In CA, CNAs can challenge the LVN boards with:

-51 months of paid bedside experience

-verification of skill proficiency

-pharmacology course

http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/factvn.htm

One day, when I was working as a sitter, I met a CNA who challenged the LVN boards and passed.

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

wow.... this seems very scary to me that CA allows this. I just don't see how the bridge can be made with just a pharmacology course. Sure you can learn skills from watching and asking questions, but legally a CNA cannot perform such things as an LPN, so how on earth do they really have that experience???

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
From what i have read on other posts on here, In California you can as a CNA sit for the NCLEX-PN after you have worked 5 years( paid years) and after you have taken a pharmacology class and maybe a few other classes. i think that is a great way for CNA's to advance because from what i have seen and experienced CNA functions almost the same as LPN( especially in the hospital setting). The only downside is that if you get your LPN license in this way the only place that will recognize it is California and you wont be able to use it in other states. good luck

You can challenge the LVN board in california after 5 years experience, but this experience must be in acute care. LTC/ nursing homes do not count. Plus pharacology must be passed etc. I believe there is one more requirment for the cna's. p.s. Getting to RN from LVN is not easy here in california. A 3- 4 year wait is common and the prerequisties list is long. 1. college level english, 2. public speaking, 3. Human development, 4. psychology, 5. chemistry, 6. anatomony, 7. psyiology, 8. microbiology etc etc. Two years to just do the prereqs, then you have to pray and wait to get accepted into the RN program!!!!

edit....i was told "bedside nursing" meant acute. I agree it is scary having CNA with 5 years and one pharm class working as LVN. I was a cna for 4 years and LVN is another ball game.

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
So, you are telling us that in California, CNA's insert/remove foleys, dc IV's, remove staples and sutures, do dressing changes, etc?

Our NA's don't even change ostomy flanges in acute care.

As a California CNA I changed dressings and ostomy bags all the time...i didn't do any of the other listed skills though.

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So, you are telling us that in California, CNA's insert/remove foleys, dc IV's, remove staples and sutures, do dressing changes, etc?

Our NA's don't even change ostomy flanges in acute care.

I never said anything about what California CNA can or cannot do, i don't know what they can or cant do i don't live in California. I said that in California there is a way for a CNA and other non nurses to become LPN's without going though the year long LPN program, with a certain amt of experience and taking a few classes.

but since you brought that up there are alot of states that allow CNA's to D/C iv's,Remove Foley's, and do dressing changes.

In my humble opinion, it just don't think it would be that much of a stretch for a CNA to advance to LPN without taking year long LPN course. If they take a fundamentals class and pharm then thats settled, coupled with the years of experience they have then why is it so hard to believe.

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You can challenge the LVN board in california after 5 years experience, but this experience must be in acute care. LTC/ nursing homes do not count. Plus pharacology must be passed etc. I believe there is one more requirment for the cna's. p.s. Getting to RN from LVN is not easy here in california. A 3- 4 year wait is common and the prerequisties list is long. 1. college level english, 2. public speaking, 3. Human development, 4. psychology, 5. chemistry, 6. anatomony, 7. psyiology, 8. microbiology etc etc. Two years to just do the prereqs, then you have to pray and wait to get accepted into the RN program!!!!

edit....i was told "bedside nursing" meant acute. I agree it is scary having CNA with 5 years and one pharm class working as LVN. I was a cna for 4 years and LVN is another ball game.

I don't think its scary having a CNA with 5 years of Acute care experience and knowledge of pharm working as an LPN. If there was CNA to RN then id be scared.

its a good thing that they must have Acute care experience, because i have noticed the scope of practice for CNA's in hospitals is much higher than say LTC or home health. Blood draws,Ekg's,d/c iv's, some pass meds, insulin injections etc. Nursing theory on the LPN level is not hard to learn, i do know that because I'm considered an LPN student until the end of this semester, so I'm not just speaking out nowhere. And i can say the same about pharmacology

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.
I don't think its scary having a CNA with 5 years of Acute care experience and knowledge of pharm working as an LPN. If there was CNA to RN then id be scared.

its a good thing that they must have Acute care experience, because i have noticed the scope of practice for CNA's in hospitals is much higher than say LTC or home health. Blood draws,Ekg's,d/c iv's, some pass meds, insulin injections etc. Nursing theory on the LPN level is not hard to learn, i do know that because I'm considered an LPN student until the end of this semester, so I'm not just speaking out nowhere. And i can say the same about pharmacology

I meant 5 years of only LTC experience.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I am just trying to understand how they can pass other portions of the NCLEX exam such as pediatrics and maternal child. Unless they are getting a special test...there are things there that they may not know that the entire LPN course can teach.

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Specializes in Rural Nursing = Med/Surg, ER, OB, ICU.

Hello all! I am new to the group. I found this coversation very intersting. I have been a CNA in a hospital in Colorado for 8 years. I am also 4 weeks from graduating from LPN school. I had to have English Comp, Human Growth,Anatomy and Physiology 1&2 and Microbiology as pre reqs to LPN. I have a lot of experience, I am also an EMT, there is no way I could pass the NCLEX with what I knew before nursing school! As it is, I am a little nervous about the NCLEX this summer. I will start my RN program in the fall.

Renada

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I have been in nursing for 20 years. 3 years as a CNA. The CNA experience made me a much better nurse, but could I have functioned as a competent LPN with just a pharmacogy class?.............no way.

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Have no fear I am an experienced medical technician in the military. I am the living proof why California has this option. Callifornia is tapping a reach resource of clinically experienced medical technician trained by the best instructors.

I got my licensed thru chalenging the NCLEX-PN in california because I was qualified by:

1. Being in ex-military trained as a Medical Technician.

2. That had taken Pharmacology course

3. Had one year bedside experience in Med-surg

I am lucky enough to have been given this oppurtunity or I would have end up being a CNA in the civilian world with too much experience on my hand.

Let me educate you about our military medics. We are the CNA and LPN mold into one. Your military medics are supervised by RN or a Physician. In the unit the RN supervises the medics. In the Emergency Room your doctors supervises your medics. This is the main reason that we can do a lot of procedures. What I mean is that in the ER we do casting, suture wounds of course not in the face, IV, NG, foley and some that I can's talk to in this forum. Oh! did I mention we injection and immunization too. The the units pretty much the same without the casting and suturing.

Your medics while in the service can be certified in ACLS, PALS, ATLS, and NRP defending on their job description ( the area where they work). We have this highly trained individuals in the Air Force we call "Pararescue" their training is about 2-3 years they are equivalent to a Physician assistant. This group of individuals when you drop them in a hot LZ (people shooting at you) will save your life by any means, or even lose their own sometimes.

So, before you venture into such an undertaking to be an LVN/LPN thru chalenging the boards ask yourself? Am I experienced enough to be an LVN? Is my patient safe with my care? If you answer Yes, buy an NCLEX-PN book and start studying. If, No stop and go to LPN school.

To all our military medics past and present Thank You for serving our country.

Romeo Lima signing off!

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