LPN Petition to Take RN Boards

ernursen · Sep 9, 2008

Thanks Jules. I am working on it through distance learning.

goatfox · Sep 9, 2008

I am an LPN 28 yrs......I'd like to give it a shot :wink2:

Woodenpug, BSN · Sep 9, 2008

I do not see why not. If the test is meaningful, then those who have experience as LPN/LVN's who have sufficient knowledge will pass. Those who do not, will not. If the test is only a formality, then it should be eliminated.

withasmilelpn · Sep 9, 2008

I am going to go through the Excelcior route, even though I am worried about the fact that Georgia, Virginia and California have disallowed that route. (I wouldn't put it past the PA BON!) I just took a job with hospice and am no longer allowed to take verbal orders or do IV therapy even though I am certified and PA allows both. Their accreditation agency doesn't! (CHAP) Nevermind that I watched an RN flush with NSS AND Heparin BEFORE administering a med just the other day:devil:. Did you know that in 2006 the PA BON acknowledged the amount of clinical hours that LPNs spend learning assessment skills were sufficient to allow LPNs that scope? They were debating adding that, have not as yet of course. They also were reviewing their IV scope as well. When I started, we could do VTOs in LTC only. Then we couldn't, but only in an emergency. Then I had to have an RN sign my order. Finally, I could take off my own orders, but since I switched... When I started too, only RNs could do the outer cannula of a trach. Now we can, with a healed stoma! They don't really know what to do with us, do they and they are making me dizzy! My on the job experience frankly has been more educational than most of my clinicals. I can't imagine that RN clinicals would have more to offer, perhaps ER, or ICU

but to work in those settings, intensive orientations are required which are more than sufficient should an LPN turned RN choose to go that route, don't you think? In order to pass the boards, I would have to study regardless, going the Excelcior route will merely prove that I studied with their tests for each course. So what exactly is the difference? I would go the traditional school route, but what with my family and work schedule, the fact that they will accept all my credits (and the waiting list of 2 years), I'm meeting with TCN next week. Wish me luck!:wink2:

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2008

WithasmileLPN, I JUST finished Escelsior and am waiting to take the NCLEX-RN.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE TCN.

Check out the distance learning forum and LPN to RN forum. There's a lot of information there. TCN will add thousands of dollars to the cost of your Excelsior degree.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2008

:yeahthat:

WithasmileLPN, I JUST finished Escelsior and am waiting to take the NCLEX-RN.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE TCN.
Check out the distance learning forum and LPN to RN forum. There's a lot of information there. TCN will add thousands of dollars to the cost of your Excelsior degree.

tferdaise · Sep 9, 2008

As an LPN who is currently working towards his BSN at the Univeristy of Phoenix, I had the same question going in this program. But many of the reasons why it doesn't has been answered by my own research.

The main reason why is the lack of education. To be able to sit for the RN boards you need X amount of clinical hours which is stipulated by your SBON (state board of nursing). Granted working as a LPN doesn't = clinical hours. Also the LPN is taught to be a task orientated role, the RN is not. Many LPNs think they are ready for the responsiblities but aren't. In our minds, we (LPNs) should be able to sit for the RN boards because we have real life experience on the floor and know what we are doing.

But you can use this same logic for flight nurses/ICU nurses. With the knowlede they hold, they should be able to sit for NP boards... Not likely..

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?

OncologyRN23, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 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 assure you that though maybe some of the RN's you work with may seem "lazy" and are just "signing off charts", they are in fact doing their job, just like you are. I as a nurse would never sign off anything and not have gone back and checked for myself whatever it was that I was signing my name too. Furthermore if it bothers you that much about the pay difference why don't you go on and get your RN so you can see just how "lazy" we are!!

withasmilelpn · Sep 10, 2008

I just don't agree with the clinical portion of it. I disagree that job experience isn't more valuable than theoretical clinicals. I have a sneaking suspicion that it would be incredibly boring to be stuck on a med surg rotation with only 2 patients. Having to do the awful careplans that most schools make you do, shudder. Write down meds, side effects... ad infinitum... ugh! If I could skip over some of the stuff I have been doing competantly for years and get right down to the nitty gritty like TPN and bolus administration etc. it wouldn't be bad. As far as task oriented goes, I have never been a 'task oriented nurse'. I always take care of the whole patient, from admission, teaching and discharge. I supervise when the token RN won't. I just fail to see how big a difference it will be. Maybe my eyes will open when I make that leap, I just don't think so. I mean most of the people I work with are shocked when they find out I am LPN, not that there are stereotypes of what an LPN is or anything:wink2:.

withasmilelpn · Sep 10, 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 .

Throughout my years as an LPN there are constantly skills that I or my fellow RNs did not do before. You just can't be exposed to everything during your clinicals and the changes in the medical field are ongoing. That is why as a safe nurse you have an obligation to your patients to stay current. You never ever perform a proceedure you have not done before. Adhere to the see a skill, do a skill phillosophy, until you know without a doubt that you are competant. For example, just recently they have allowed RNs that are trained (key word) to remove PICCs. That is not something that most of the RNs in our building have done before. I insisted that our oncall team come out and inservice the RNs on duty, rather than 'talk them through it' on the phone as was their preference (they didn't want to have to drive out.) While I am sure it can be done that way, it is not safe practice and against what they taught in school.

puppielove · Sep 10, 2008

EXCUSE ME:banghead: I WENT TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE MY 1ST 2SEMESTERS RN STUDENTS HAD THEORY CLASSES WITH US THE LPN STUDENTS THEY HAD1 CLINICAL A WEEK WE HAD 2 CLINICALS A WEEK. JUST BECAUSE YOUR A RN DON'T GO AROUND SAYING LPNS GO TO LESS THAN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE MOST OF US DID GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THINK BEFORE YOU LOOK DOWN ON LPN'S YOU MAY HAVE ONE OF US GIVING YOU CARE IN THE FUTURE

Jules A, MSN · Sep 10, 2008

EXCUSE ME:banghead: I WENT TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE MY 1ST 2SEMESTERS RN STUDENTS HAD THEORY CLASSES WITH US THE LPN STUDENTS THEY HAD1 CLINICAL A WEEK WE HAD 2 CLINICALS A WEEK. JUST BECAUSE YOUR A RN DON'T GO AROUND SAYING LPNS GO TO LESS THAN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE MOST OF US DID GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THINK BEFORE YOU LOOK DOWN ON LPN'S YOU MAY HAVE ONE OF US GIVING YOU CARE IN THE FUTURE

Huh?

:confused:

Edited to add: most if not all of the people responding to this thread are or were LPNs. Is there a particular post you are replying to?