GRADUATED!!! Do I call myself RN yet?

[Nurse-84]

I just graduated as a Registered Nurse!! ADN... I worked my butt off working and going to school! God is good..my question is can I call myself a Registered nurse yet? I'm not scheduled to take my boards yet, school has to send my completion program paper work. I feel so uncomfortable calling myself that already. I'm a LPN already so its a change. I know to work as a licensed RN I have to the NCLEX but people keep asking me what I am and Im confused on if I can say it? haha

Thank you

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

Depending on your state you aren't a nurse of any kind until you take and pass either the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN. You might be a "Graduate Nurse" depending on your state. Ohio is not a state that recognizes graduates of a nursing program as "Graduate Nurses." So in Ohio at least all you would be is a graduate of a pre-licensure nursing education program.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I just graduated as a Registered Nurse!! ADN... I worked my butt off working and going to school! God is good..my question is can I call myself a Registered nurse yet? I'm not scheduled to take my boards yet, school has to send my completion program paper work. I feel so uncomfortable calling myself that already. I'm a LPN already so its a change. I know to work as a licensed RN I have to the NCLEX but people keep asking me what I am and Im confused on if I can say it? haha

Thank you

You didn't "graduate as a Registered Nurse." You graduated from an ADN program which qualifies you to sit for the NCLEX-RN examination.

So to answer your question, no you do not call yourself a Registered Nurse yet because you are not a Registered Nurse yet.

[DoeRN]

You can call yourself RN after you pass NCLEX. Until then you are considered a new grad or GN.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[Da_Milk_of_Amnesia, MSN]

You have to pass your boards first before you get to label yourself an RN. And isn't it technically illegal to say RN when you are just a graduate nurse? I can't go around saying im a CRNA while im in school, so I'm assuming it's the same ? Can someone clarify?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

You're not a RN until you pass the NCLEX. There's no way around it.

[PghRN30]

I think the easiest thing to say is "i have my adn/bsn (whichever is the case) and I WILL BE an RN as soon as I pass boards" Outside of nursing most dont understand..."graduated, but not an RN yet" or even what a GN is. And yes you are not an RN until you pass.

My son (so my sister) gave me an RN charm for my charm bracelet for graduation. I accepteded it, but told my son that I wasn't an RN til I passed my test, so I wasn't going to add it to my bracelet til the day I passed....and he would be first I told. So day I passed I added it to my bracelet, and showed him when he came home from school. Maybe a little silly, but wasnt an RN until I actually held an RN license

[Seas]

Nobody graduates as a Registered Nurse.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Not every state recognizes GNs either (NC does not) - so nope, you're just a grad until you get that magic notification from Pearson.

When people ask, you say, "I just graduated from nursing school and I'm so excited! Now I'm studying for my licensure exam."

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I just graduated as a Registered Nurse!! ADN... I worked my butt off working and going to school! God is good..my question is can I call myself a Registered nurse yet? I'm not scheduled to take my boards yet, school has to send my completion program paper work. I feel so uncomfortable calling myself that already. I'm a LPN already so its a change. I know to work as a licensed RN I have to the NCLEX but people keep asking me what I am and Im confused on if I can say it? haha

Thank you

NO.....your are not Registered Nurse until you pass the licensing exam/NCLEX and are registered with the state. You are still a nurse...because you are a LPN. But you are not a RN until you pass your boards.

Congratulations!!!!

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I'm in the same boat OP. I'm an LPN who just graduated my ADN program. When people say now that you're nurse where do you want to work or have you started applying for jobs etc (firstly, I cringe because I WAS a nurse before I graduated the ADN program, but that's a whole 'nother post) secondly, I tell them I graduated the program but until I take and pass the NCLEX I'm a grad nurse.

To echo what everyone else has said, no you can't refer to yourself or call yourself an RN until you have those lovely little numbers issued by your State's Board of Nurses.

[PrayeRNurse, ASN, RN]

Sign your name Jane Doe, LPN, GN if you like but not RN or you may find a invitation to see your board of nursing before you get your NCLEX done. In the remaining time pat yourself on the back- you did it. Standing ovation to you and all the new grads.

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

You're still an LPN, so you ARE a nurse, but you're not an RN until you pass the NCLEX-RN. You're simply a new graduate nurse. You can't call yourself an RN until you pass the test.