Employed Nursing Student does not equal LPN

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A few students in the BScN programme are describing themselves as LPNs and claim to have challenged the "LPN Exam".

OK, this might be nit picking but people have picked smaller nits on this forum before.

You can only write CPNRE is you graduated from a recognized PN programme.

Many hospitals start to employ nursing students from after their second year of uni. BUT they write a hospital based exam and their skills and patient load are restricted due to the hospital policy. I know for a fact that BScN students who work in my hospital are not allowed to have more than four patients while a LPN is required to take five or more. The employed nursing student, UNE, Accredited Care Worker or whatever the hospital choses to call them is NOT a LPN.

So, please just use the correct term for who and what you are.

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And there is no such thing as challenging the LPN exam, whether in the US or in Canada. You must have completed the actual clinical and theory hours to get permission to sit for this exam. Being in an RN program does not automatically give you the right to sit for this exam.

Some states actually prohibit it at all.

You are working in the role of a student tech and cannot perform anything that requires a license, such as administration of meds, titrating of IVs, or anything else. It is actually cause for legal punishment to call yourself an LPN when you have not written that exam, or even a nurse if you have not written a nursing exam of some type that actually awards a license.

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The employed students do adminster PO, SC, and IM meds. The IV meds are all prepared by the hospital pharmacy, so those go up as well.

Different scopes are given to them by each employing facility.

But the lack of a practice permit is something that is bothering the LPN. We have our issued as part of our yearly practice fees in my province. I believe employed students are working under a blanket hospital policey.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

I've been told that BSN students in BC can take the LPN exam after (or during?) their 3rd year of school and work as an LPN until they graduate from the BSN program.

I havn't read this anywhere, but this is my understanding. I was working with a 3rd year BSN student a few months ago and asked her if she was going to do this. She said no, because the cost of the exam and licensing would eat up any extra $$$ she got from working at care aid $$$ until she graduates.

A woman in my class has a daughter who is in 2nd year BSN, I'll ask her if her daughter knows anything concrete.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

I have heard of one or two colleges in Ontario that offer a four month course that BScN students can take after two years of school in order to write the CRNE. I would think that it would be expensive to take this course during the summer when you could be earning $ to pay for the next year's school tuition. I think most students here work as aides either in nursing homes or in the hospitals that would use them.

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Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE)

Eligibility and Application Timelines

Eligibility to write the CPNRE on a specific exam date is based on a practical nurse program completion date of around two weeks prior to that exam date. The application to write must be submitted by the date listed below. The CLPNA will be given verification of program completion by the educational facility. Applications are available at the school from which you are graduating from. This is for information only.

Form Submission

Completion

Exam Date

Current Examination Fees

Examination Fee$600.00

Rewrite Fee$270.00

Did Not Write Fee$100.00

The fee includes the cost of the exam, the initial and annual registration, sterling silver LPN lapel pin, continuing competency program binder.

Taken from clpna.com.

sounds like an expensive proposition for a struggling student.

Note the requirement to be a graduate of practical nsg. programme.

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The employed students do adminster PO, SC, and IM meds. The IV meds are all prepared by the hospital pharmacy, so those go up as well.

Different scopes are given to them by each employing facility.

But the lack of a practice permit is something that is bothering the LPN. We have our malpractice insurance issued as part of our yearly practice fees in my province. I believe employed students are working under a blanket hospital policey.

Those students are working under the license of a nurse there on the floor since they do not hold a license. So if there is a mistake, then the nurse that is covering for them is at fault as well. They can do what the facility will let them, but they are not licensed at all and have not taken an exam. If there were to be any problems, who do you think is going to be at fault and held accountable for this.

And just because a pharmacy prepares a dose, it does not mean that it is 100% correct and all of the time. Pharmacy is not 100% fool proof, any time that humans are in the line of processing, errors can occur. Computers can have issues as well.

And in all my years of nursing which are many, have never seen one pharmacy that did not make a mistake with something and it is the nurse's responsibility to be able to catch the mistake.

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Specializes in heart-cath lab, home ventilators.
And there is no such thing as challenging the LPN exam, whether in the US or in Canada. You must have completed the actual clinical and theory hours to get permission to sit for this exam. Being in an RN program does not automatically give you the right to sit for this exam.

My advisor in RN (3-year diploma-type) nursing school in Missouri wanted me to drop out. She was a nursing supervisor and focused on my faults in trying to run a cancer floor with 14 patients; in 1983. I found out that Iowa would let me write the PNCLEX and get licensed, though not Missouri or Kansas. Missouri reciprocated in giving me a license, but not Kansas. Colorado gave me a license, and Florida wanted a little more education. I'm ready to try one of the provinces. Any advice will be nice.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab, Skilled Nursing, Management.
My advisor in RN (3-year diploma-type) nursing school in Missouri wanted me to drop out. She was a nursing supervisor and focused on my faults in trying to run a cancer floor with 14 patients; in 1983. I found out that Iowa would let me write the PNCLEX and get licensed, though not Missouri or Kansas. Missouri reciprocated in giving me a license, but not Kansas. Colorado gave me a license, and Florida wanted a little more education. I'm ready to try one of the provinces. Any advice will be nice.

I would post this question as a question on it's own in a different forum to get more advice.

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My advisor in RN (3-year diploma-type) nursing school in Missouri wanted me to drop out. She was a nursing supervisor and focused on my faults in trying to run a cancer floor with 14 patients; in 1983. I found out that Iowa would let me write the PNCLEX and get licensed, though not Missouri or Kansas. Missouri reciprocated in giving me a license, but not Kansas. Colorado gave me a license, and Florida wanted a little more education. I'm ready to try one of the provinces. Any advice will be nice.

Bigger problem is that you are unable to get a visa to work in Canada with just the LPN training, same way that one from Canada is unable to get a visa for the US to be able to work.

Licensure and immigration are two very different things.

Suggest that you check out the International Forum for more on this.

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Specializes in Mursing.

I'm from BC and I'm a 3rd year BSN student.

In some BSN programs in the province, after the second year you have the option of challenging the CPNRE. If you pass, you're a full-scope LPN. In Interior Health, employed student nurses are able to act in the role of a "not as autonomous RN" - meaning an RN preceptor must watch IV meds prepared and administered and cannot handle PICCs or centrals.

As for the topic, I completely agree: LPN and ESN are seperate roles. ESN must identify self as ESN, and LPN must identify themselves as LPN.

PS. I'd recommend all BSN students who have the opportunity to challenge the LPN exam to do so - you get incredible experience.

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But if you read the material from clpna only graduates of a PN programme can write CPNRE and use the title LPN.

This is true across the country. What you are writing is a facility or health authority specific exam. Not the equivalent of the CPRNE. Look at the cost involved have you paid the fees to write and the yearly license fee? If so, then you have written CPRNE. If not, you are an employed student working as such, not an LPN via a "challenged exam".

Big difference.

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