? about getting LPN and externing.

Pkkostura · Nov 16, 2006

I have looked into that yet, but that would be good to know. Because I was not sure about getting my lpn either because I wanted to work as a extern also, not a lpn. But if I could work as an extern somewere and get more money doing it since I have my lpn that would be awsome thing to know. thanks Paul

suzanne4, RN · Nov 16, 2006

1. If you would be working under your own license as an LPN, then you would not be externing. You would be using your license and not get the externship experience that we are talking about.

2. Externship is just that, before you are working under your own license, if you stop to think about it.

3. With the LPN, you would not be getting externship in a specialty area if that is your goal wince most do not use LPNs.

When under an externship, you are usually assigned to a preceptor.......it has nothing to do with having an LPN license, those that are back in LPN to RN programs can do an externship for the experience in that role, if they want. The facility that you contacted wants you just to work as an LPN, period.

Hoozdo, ADN · Nov 17, 2006

I was under the impression that if you got your LPN you couldn't extern because of scope of practice rules. I called a hospital yesterday and was told that if I had my LPN I could make more money externing and also I would get more experience because I would be operating under my own license. Now I'm confused. I wasn't planning on getting my LPN because I wanted to extern. I'm not in the medical field right now, and the thought of jumping in as an RN without any experience other than school, is a little scary. I just planned on externing, to get more practice and to become more familiar with everything.
Has anyone heard either way?
Thanks,
Keli

Hi Kelli :roll

I LPN externed at Good Sam every other weekend while I was in school for RN. I had my LPN lisence just because I wanted to get it for experience taking the NCLEX. I had no intentions of working full-time as an LPN. It did not pay enough to work full time as an LPN. Yes, you can make more money working as an LPN extern and it is a good experience. I can say it definitely helped me go into a specialty, (ICU), as a new grad RN. I highly recommend this route. I did it; so can you.

Cheers,

Hoozdo

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 17, 2006

I had the same question that I posted in another forum.

What's better: Nurse Extern or LPN???

I have heard that some places in town will not hire a student as a nurse extern if he/she has an LPN license also. I guess that it depends on where a person wants to work.

It seems that getting one's LPN is great if a person wants to work in Med/surg, renal, etc until he/she becomes an RN. If a person wants experience in a specific area, - Like ER, ICU, transplant, etc. - then becoming an nurse extern would probably be a better choice.

Any other thoughts?

CrazyPremed

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2006

I wanted to extern in Med-Surg even though I don't really see it as a specialty I want to go into. My thoughts were: might as well extern somewhere that will give you great experiences and maximize your learning. We all know med-surg's reputation for being such a hard, frantic area, so I wanted to see this firsthand without having to have all the liability as an RN. You don't have to do all the work, you just get to see it done. That way, I figured, if I am horrified by it I will know 100% it is NOT what I want but I still will have gotten the experience. If it IS OK, well, then I already have my foot in the door.

It would be much harder, say, if you externed in PP and then realized it is not for you. Then, you would seek a new specialty but you wouldn't have all those good experiences under your belt......

JMHO

arizonanurse · Nov 22, 2006

I know the Banner facilities still let you extern if you are an LPN. In fact you have a wider scope of practice. I'm not sure about other hospitals though.

MsBruiser · Nov 22, 2006

Banner will also pay you somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.00-$2.50 more p/hour if you have an LPN. I'm tempted to take the test for the practice, the expanded scope of practice, and the extra money.

Curious1alwys, BSN, RN · Nov 22, 2006

Actually, Banner does not employ you as an Extern if you already have your LPN. They just told me. Conflict of interest/confusion of scope or something like that. BUT, this particular floor employed LPN's as well as RN's. Maybe they will hire an LPN Extern if there aren't any LPN's on that floor..... They do pay you extra for LPN, but the whole point of extern is to learn WITHOUT the total resposibility. Less stress, too, while you are still in school.....

MsBruiser · Nov 22, 2006

Not sure who you spoke to - there is often lots of conflicting info in the Banner system depending on which hospital, etc. But the person in charge of externs at Banner Good Sam personally told me about the pay increase if I "get" my LPN. I don't know what they do if you already have one.

Calzonan RN · Nov 23, 2006

I was also told by Banner Mesa that if I got my LPN as an extern I'd be able to do more and make more $$$. She specifically told me that I could work as an extern with my LPN and, in fact, encouraged it. I think there really is a wide variation in what the requirements are and how they even hire. A girl in my class was hired by Banner T-bird last week after applying at the end of October for the position. I was told by Banner Desert that I couldn't even APPLY for an extern position until I was within one year of graduation. It didn't even matter that I wouldn't start working until I was within a year of graduating, nooo, I had to apply within one year of graduation. It's crazy how they all have their own rules, but in the meantime here I am missing out on extern positions while my classmates up north are getting hired already. :sniff:

Keli

CrazyPremed, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 24, 2006

Hey folks,

This is a weird situation. I think that some hospitals will hire Externs with or without their LPN. I found the links to Banner and Mayo's sites, and they say nothing about being prevented from an extern position with and LPN. Banner even considers it a higher position if one Externs WITH an LPN. Here are the links:

Banner's link (PDF file)

Mayo's link

Hopefully, this helps!

CrazyPremed