LPN Petition to Take RN Boards

OncologyRN23, BSN, RN · Aug 21, 2008

Actually, I orient new RNs.
I work in a regional hospital. A new hire is buddied with a nurse with experience and then passed onto another nurse to cross check their skills. I've oriented BOTH RNs and LPNs to surgery, LTC, womens health.
The truth may hurt some fragile new nurses but there it is.
The PN diploma is the same education that diploma RNs received in my province. Are you inferring that many experienced RNs with diplomas should not be allowed to mentor either?

That may be okay in Canada...not sure.

Here it would seem like it would be a waste of time and a waste of the hospital's money (which they do not like to waste)

Fiona59 · Aug 21, 2008

That may be okay in Canada...not sure.

I hope that you never travel north and require hospital care because you will be treated by LPNs.

Are you inferring that what works up here isn't good enough for YOU or are speaking for all American nurses?

Trust me orientation by an experienced nurse is never a waste of money. Orientation by a nurse who presumes to know it all, is.

BUt BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TOPIC: legally there is no way anyone should be able to challenge a nurse's permit exam, graduation from an approved school of nursing at the appropriate level is a requirement. Thay way diploma and BScN holders can both become RNs. But I've heard that several BScN holders have failed to pass the CRNE which basically leaves them as holders of a degree they cannot utilize, maybe a future in drug sales??

ernursen · Sep 6, 2008

My question may sound ridiculous, but a few co-workers and I have seriously discussed this and is wanting your input. If an LPN has a certain amount of experience (the board could come up with a number) and is willing to pay out of pocket to take the RN exam, then why shouldn't they be allowed? I mean seriously....let's think about it for a moment. An LPN with a few years under his/her belt and maybe even has recomendations and is willing to pay to take the test...what could happen? A few great LPNs then become awesome RNs? And the board would make a killing due to the high cost of the test and the high number of those who would take the test, versus the few who would pass. I know that I could pass the boards but working fulltime for the last 6 years and raising a family has not left me any time to go back to school. What do you all think?

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 6, 2008

Hello, ernursen,

I merged your post with the already existing thread on the same topic.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2008

What about the skills they don't get in LPN school? Such as Blood administration, IV's (depending on state)etc? How would they prove that they are now competent to preform these skills?

Fiona59 · Sep 7, 2008

My hospital requires all new nurses, regardless of license, to be on site certified for IV starts, IV med reconstitution, etc. If you don't meet the hospital standards you are paired up with a CNE to get your skill set to where it should be and work under supervision.

My college provided the education required to do a blood transfusion in our basic course content. It's a provincial license requirement that we know how to do it all despite having restrictions on our practice, similiar to NG insertion, we know how, we just aren't legally allowed to. TPN, we do the verifications, prime the lines, but an RN has to hit the start button on the IVAC.

OncologyRN23, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2008

My question may sound ridiculous, but a few co-workers and I have seriously discussed this and is wanting your input. If an LPN has a certain amount of experience (the board could come up with a number) and is willing to pay out of pocket to take the RN exam, then why shouldn't they be allowed? I mean seriously....let's think about it for a moment. An LPN with a few years under his/her belt and maybe even has recomendations and is willing to pay to take the test...what could happen? A few great LPNs then become awesome RNs? And the board would make a killing due to the high cost of the test and the high number of those who would take the test, versus the few who would pass. I know that I could pass the boards but working fulltime for the last 6 years and raising a family has not left me any time to go back to school. What do you all think?

Though a person may gain plenty of knowledge through experience, the LPN would still have not gone through the training and clinicals that an RN went through. Now this is not to say that LPNs are in any way not a useful asset to the nursing community. I just think that it would be a great disgrace to all RNs that went through the schooling and training, if anybody that had a few years under thier belt would be able to sit for the NCLEX-RN. But I do understand about having a family to raise and having to work fulltime, but think about how proud one would be if going through the RN program (fast track or the full program, whichever) and coming out an RN.

Jules A, MSN · Sep 7, 2008

My question may sound ridiculous, but a few co-workers and I have seriously discussed this and is wanting your input. If an LPN has a certain amount of experience (the board could come up with a number) and is willing to pay out of pocket to take the RN exam, then why shouldn't they be allowed? I mean seriously....let's think about it for a moment. An LPN with a few years under his/her belt and maybe even has recomendations and is willing to pay to take the test...what could happen? A few great LPNs then become awesome RNs? And the board would make a killing due to the high cost of the test and the high number of those who would take the test, versus the few who would pass. I know that I could pass the boards but working fulltime for the last 6 years and raising a family has not left me any time to go back to school. What do you all think?

Not a ridiculous question so shen you get time read back because its been asked and answered in this thread with really interesting opinions and insights.

The biggest thing imo, other than the fact that I personally don't consider the $300 to take NCLEX a high cost, is that there are bridge programs available for LPNs to take. It takes scheduling, hard work and sacrifices but it is possible. I found the extra semesters of lecture helpful in taking the disease processes the next level. It really wasn't anything new just more involved. Clinicals weren't too helpful but it was all part of putting in my time to get my Associates Degree. If you are thinking about doing it I would highly recommend it.

P.S. As I've said before I happen to believe that with a couple of months and a NCLEX study book I could have passed NCLEX before I even took one nursing class so I'm not convinced that it is solid proof that we are qualified to practice.

destiney · Sep 7, 2008

More education makes a difference. Although, I slighlty agree with the proposal only because there are lvns whom have put in their time, and some a whole lot more knowledgeable than an rn coming out of school, but deep down the right thing to do, would be to go back to school. Short cuts in life cant be used for everything. I am in the BSN program now. It will soon pay off, and the new life ill have as an RN will be very rewarding towards peoples well-being and the contribution to enhance the quality of care for people.

ernursen · Sep 8, 2008

I am a LPN with 6 years ER experience. Also some med/surg and ortho. I have had to train new grads (RN) and always am asked to take RN students because I love to teach and I know my sh!t. I also know theirs...lol. I know I could challenge the boards and pass them if they allowed. We as LPNs do so much more than what some RN's would like to admit and we get paid a lot less. Every year they add more things to our list that we can legally do, but still no pay increase. In my state, I can basically count on 1 hand what I cannot legally do that an RN can, and I do know how to them. And I can't stand to hear RNs say we weren't trained in assessing and the critical thinking they were. If that was the case how come we are asked to do their jobs and just have them co-sign our charting? A lot of what I have seen from personal experience is lazy RNs sign our charts while we bust our butt for a hell of a lot less money and lots of generalized disrespect. :banghead:

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Sep 8, 2008

I am currently and LPN who plans on starting back in school this coming spring. I don't think that LPN's should be able to challenge the state boards without further education. There needs to be a system of checks and balances. A person maybe great at test taking, but not know simple skills either because they were not exposed to them at work/did not recieve formal training. I wouldn't want any nurse caring for me that didn't have someone checking their skills first.

That's just my :twocents: .

Jules A, MSN · Sep 8, 2008

I am a LPN with 6 years ER experience. Also some med/surg and ortho. I have had to train new grads (RN) and always am asked to take RN students because I love to teach and I know my sh!t. I also know theirs...lol. I know I could challenge the boards and pass them if they allowed. We as LPNs do so much more than what some RN's would like to admit and we get paid a lot less. Every year they add more things to our list that we can legally do, but still no pay increase. In my state, I can basically count on 1 hand what I cannot legally do that an RN can, and I do know how to them. And I can't stand to hear RNs say we weren't trained in assessing and the critical thinking they were. If that was the case how come we are asked to do their jobs and just have them co-sign our charting? A lot of what I have seen from personal experience is lazy RNs sign our charts while we bust our butt for a hell of a lot less money and lots of generalized disrespect.

I wholeheartedly agree with most of what you have written here which is why I decided to get my ADN and with sincere respect would suggest that you find a way to get yours also.