Got cupcakes, a new badge but can't call myself a RN?

[Mehrdairy]

For the past 15 years I have been working at a clinic as a LPN. I went back to school at the request of my site coordinator in anticipation of a newly created job in the same clinic. Long story short..funds dried up and the new position is going to be staffed with current LPN's/CMA's ..now I'm a RN looking for a job, still working in the clinic LPN position, for LPN pay. I'm fine with that for now, as it has only been a few days, but here's the question... I went and got a new RN name badge, went to the clinic and requested a change for my signature in our electronic medical record and was told because I was hired as a LPN, they would not change my signature unless I was employed as a RN. Can I keep signing my name LPN if I'm a RN? I was told I could not repersent myself as a RN as I was still in a LPN position. I went to the BON website and searched thorough the statues, boy is there alot of them, can't find anything. I would think I'd have to sign RN regardless? Any one had this happen or have any idea's. The gals at work got me cupcakes..I got a new badge..but I can't call myself a RN.

Mishelle

[inpatientlywaiting]

You were not hired as an RN at your clinic, you were a bit premature in changing that badge. I understand your excitement, but that would be like me (a cna) graduating and showing up to the hospital the next day with a new badge, and saying "ok, I'm a nurse now!" I understand an LPN is alot closer then a CNA to an RN, but there are legal issues involved, and your clinic needs to actually hire you into a new position.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I'm not so sure about this. Is your LPN license current (I'm not even sure if you can hold both an LPN and an RN at the same time!)? If your LPN license is not current, you by law cannot represent yourself as an LPN anymore, regardless of what you were hired as. If that is the case, I think your job has it backwards.

From my understanding, you can continue to work in an LPN position once you are an RN, but understand that legally you are going to be held to the RN standard of care. Meaning if something goes wrong that a reasonable RN would have assessed and acted on, you will be expected to do the same, even if that is not within your former scope of practice as an LPN. Hope that makes sense!

[caliotter3]

Your LPN license is still active and you are still working in an LPN position, you sign LPN. Don't do what someone I once worked with did, she signed both.

[inpatientlywaiting]

I'm not so sure about this. Is your LPN license current (I'm not even sure if you can hold both an LPN and an RN at the same time!)? If your LPN license is not current, you by law cannot represent yourself as an LPN anymore, regardless of what you were hired as. If that is the case, I think your job has it backwards.

From my understanding, you can continue to work in an LPN position once you are an RN, but understand that legally you are going to be held to the RN standard of care. Meaning if something goes wrong that a reasonable RN would have assessed and acted on, you will be expected to do the same, even if that is not within your former scope of practice as an LPN. Hope that makes sense!

You need to call the board of nursing. My hospital will not allow you to do ANYTHING out of the scope of position you were hired for.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

You need to call the board of nursing. My hospital will not allow you to do ANYTHING out of the scope of position you were hired for.

Yes, but legally you are held to the standard of the highest license you have. If there were to be a poor patient outcome and a lawsuit, an attorney would have a field day with it. "But I was working as an LPN" won't fly...you would be held to the standard of what a reasonable RN would do, regardless of hospital policies.

[inpatientlywaiting]

There are several different ways to look at it, I'm sure. Bottom line is that a blog site is not the place to ask advice that may put your license at risk. Call the board of nursing, them talk with your manager about what they say. This way your covered, but if there are to many complications, I don't know if your employer has the right to decide that if having you on staff is too complicated, and she cant use another RN, she can let you go. So when you talk to the board of nursing, ask them about that too. Good luck.

[Brian, ASN, RN]

Just curious what you found out about this situation. Do you have any updates to this?