GPN still working after failing NCLEX

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

There is a gal working at my place of employment who took and failed her NCLEX exam yet is still being allowed to work at my facility as a GPN. I looked her up online and her Temporary permit is expired and she has NO other documentation to legally work as a GPN. I don't want to get anyone in trouble, but she makes A LOT of mistakes and i keep thinking about the safety of the patients she takes care of. Our DON is aware that she failed her test so she is just as legally responsible for allowing her to work isn't she?? Who should i call to report this or shouldn't I ????

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She is unlicensed, and if doing the tasks of someone that is licensed, then she is practicing without a license and is actually subject to jail time. And the DON could be in big trouble as well for having someone working there in that capacity.

For the safety of the residents there, please report it to the state.

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She also no longer holds the title of GPN, and should not be considered any differently than the CNA would be.

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

I thought that they were automatically either terminated or reduced to work as CNAs.

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Specializes in ED.

But if she is working with a preceptor, is she not covered under the same umbrella as a student nurse?

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

NO! She is no longer a student nurse. The "umbrella" only applies to people who are actively engaged in the curriculum. This needs to be reported to the state NOW

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Is it possible that she has an LPN lisence? A good friend of mine had her temporary lisence and failed the NCLEX she then continued working just under her LPN instead of GN.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Is it possible that she has an LPN lisence? A good friend of mine had her temporary lisence and failed the NCLEX she then continued working just under her LPN instead of GN.

Is your friend a graduate from an RN program and already had her LPN? If so, then, sure, she can continue to work as a practical nurse, because she already had that license. I think that what they are saying is that this person graduated from an LPN program, obtained a temporary license and after taking the boards, she failed and is STILL working as a GPN under that temporary license.

From what I was told, this is not to be. I remember reading for my state that a person can apply to work under a temporary license, but has up to a year to sit for NCLEX. If they fail the boards, their temp license is immediately revolked. I assume this would be because the BON's stance on this is that this person has not proved competency to work as a safe practitioner. I do believe that the DON can be in hot water for keeping this person on as a nurse. Maybe they are waiting for her to sit for the boards again and are trying to keep it quiet-I don't know. Nothing surprizes me with some these unscruplous managers. Those that operate this way will take just any warm body willing to work.

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Is your friend a graduate from an RN program and already had her LPN? If so, then, sure, she can continue to work as a practical nurse, because she already had that license. I think that what they are saying is that this person graduated from an LPN program, obtained a temporary license and after taking the boards, she failed and is STILL working as a GPN under that temporary license.

From what I was told, this is not to be. I remember reading for my state that a person can apply to work under a temporary license, but has up to a year to sit for NCLEX. If they fail the boards, their temp license is immediately revolked. I assume this would be because the BON's stance on this is that this person has not proved competency to work as a safe practitioner. I do believe that the DON can be in hot water for keeping this person on as a nurse. Maybe they are waiting for her to sit for the boards again and are trying to keep it quiet-I don't know. Nothing surprizes me with some these unscruplous managers. Those that operate this way will take just any warm body willing to work.

Yes. We were able to take the LPN test halfway through our ADN program. She already had her LPN license and failed the NCLEX-RN and then worked with her LPN license.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

but isn't GPN - graduate LPN? if so then it's the PN boards she failed and doesn't have that license to fall back on like an LPN would if they failed RN boards

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Specializes in Cardiac Nursing, ICU.

I failed boards the first time. My job title was no longer GN even though my badge still had RN on it. The only thing that I wasn't allowed to do was give medications, my status was an extern position, so I was still able to perform a lot of procedures with my preceptor cosigning i.e. assessment, charting, need for o2, contact docs, admitt, transfer, discharge patient, remove mini's, alines (w/supervision) anything that was covered under the job description of a nurse extern. I COULD NOT GIVE MEDS! I could do pretty much everything else. Sidenote: please don't make her feel worse, she may already feel horrible about not passing boards the first or second time...Yes you WANT TO immplement patient saftey, however, you want to show respect to all people, not that you wouldn't. Plus, if she makes A LOT of mistakes, discreetly talk to the DON/preceptor about your concern. But first make sure you have correct info about hospital policies and what a person (UAP/NSG extern) is allowed to do. I'll give you an example, the first time I took boards, I didn't pass. My status changed to a nsg extern. One morning, I was getting potassium out of the pxysis for my preceptor. Our educator from human resources saw me, made this funny look but kept going. A couple days later, she pulls me to side and questions, why was I removing meds from the pxysis. I kindly told her that where I work, the aides are even allowed to get mag, potass, out of the pxysis in preparation for the fresh hearts. She understood all was well...So little things like that can send anyone into a frenzy, when it comes to "breaking" rules, fortunatley, my situation was resolved....and 2nd time around, I passed boards. Hopes this helps...kind of off topic, I think I made my point along time ago. Anywho...

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Yes. We were able to take the LPN test halfway through our ADN program. She already had her LPN license and failed the NCLEX-RN and then worked with her LPN license.

Okay, then, that would make better sense. She is still a nurse and is working under her previous license. Maybe it was a mistake to say that she was a GPN, rather than a GN. If this is the case, that she was already a practical nurse, then, the nursing director would not be penalized. This lady is already functioning as she is deemed safe, as a practical nurse. But, she has not shown competency to practice as an RN since she failed the boards.

I don't see an issue, then, really.

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