LPN Petition to Take RN Boards

withasmilelpn · May 21, 2008

This is the same consensus at my school as well. We have 3 LPN students...we techncally have a bridge program but it requires too many hours in the summer before to be able to work full time as well.
I too, believe that LPN's should be able to be exempt from certain things such as bedmaking, etc...to me that is just a waste of time.
One of the LPN's in my class originally thought that the pharmacology course was going to be a waste of time b/c the LPN's at the hospitals around here give all the meds...the difference was the assessment pertaining to the meds that she didn't get in LPN school. She said at her facility the "assessment" was pretty much limited to blood sugar levels and BP's...anything pertaining to labs, respirations, etc...had to be run by an RN prior to administration.
Think about very, very experienced RN's...they probably know the "call" a physician makes before he makes it. Their orders are rarely a suprise...but no matter how much experience that RN has, or no matter how accurate she is in her predictions, would you advocate an RN with so-many years experience being an MD?

That is a good question. Not having been to medical school, I don't know, but probably not. I would love to pick the brain of someone who has done both. We have one Doc who has, and she is wonderful. Always picks up the phone immediately, explains things... I've never had the time to ask her. I do have some appreciation of the difference having started, but not finished of course. I'm pretty positive that if I do Excellcior, it will be an overview of what I've taught myself over the years. Clinical is the part that concerns me most, but their program is very limited in that respect from what I"ve seen. So the end result it will be up to me to make sure I am a safe Nurse. Truthfully, I just wish it was cheaper and easier in terms of time, not necessarily material.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 21, 2008

I am not sure, because I had an LPN education only. I have friends that went to the college's bridge program and many of them said that they did not really learn anything different, just had longer clinical hours. I guess it depends on the school you attended and their criteria. If this is the case, though, it makes me wonder what difference it makes-if there was nothing else really added.

What I do believe is that those LPNs that wish to be RNs should have a more streamlined transition without the BS. Maybe on the job training that focuses more on what the difference is between the LPN and RN. Who knows? I admire all those that wish to pursue further education, but RN nursing really isn't for me.

tferdaise · May 22, 2008

That well never fly, the only time I saw someone allowed to petition to take boards were the Medics from out of the military to take the LPN boards. But I wouldn't want to do it from LPN to RN... There are many things as a LPN that yuo do not know to give medications...

Found from a blog in Advance for LPNs, a petition to allow LPNs with experience to sit for their RN boards. I would love to do that. What does everyone else think? Here is the link:
http://www.petitiononline.com/lps2t/petition.html

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 22, 2008

That well never fly, the only time I saw someone allowed to petition to take boards were the Medics from out of the military to take the LPN boards. But I wouldn't want to do it from LPN to RN... There are many things as a LPN that yuo do not know to give medications...

Would you clarify what you mean when you say that as an LPN, we don't know to give medications, please? Or did you mean that there are certain meds (such as IV push drugs, where we aren't allowed to)? Thanks...

BlueRidgeHomeRN · May 22, 2008

i'm reading it as some meds, but jmho...

tferdaise · May 22, 2008

Yeah there are medications in which LPNs do not know about and or how to give correctly. I beleive there are some lessons that are taugh in the bridge programs that are needed to know.

Would you clarify what you mean when you say that as an LPN, we don't know to give medications, please? Or did you mean that there are certain meds (such as IV push drugs, where we aren't allowed to)? Thanks...

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · May 22, 2008

yes and there are many medications that rn's do not know about as well. just because you have the magic rn behind your name does not mean you have all the answers or know everything about nursing. you are a lvn and you need to take more pride in your self and your profession than that.

yeah there are medications in which lpns do not know about and or how to give correctly. i beleive there are some lessons that are taugh in the bridge programs that are needed to know.

tferdaise · May 22, 2008

wow, this comes from a nursing student ???? take off your rose colored glass's sweetie.... you have no idea who i am, and what i'm all about. first off, i take pride in my profession, but i know what my limitation are when it comes to being a lpn (see in my state we are not lvns.) i'm back in school getting my bsn, and yes i'm learning in my class's, just becase i have been a nurse for 4 yrs doens' mean i know it all...

yes and there are many medications that rn's do not know about as well. just because you have the magic rn behind your name does not mean you have all the answers or know everything about nursing. you are a lvn and you need to take more pride in your self and your profession than that.

BlueRidgeHomeRN · May 22, 2008

folks....lpn's and rn's have different training and scope, but that doesn't mean "better", just different, so let's not chew each other up, please!!

a smart nurse with any letters after his/her name knows to look up meds, simple as that. do i think lpn's should challenge rn-nclex...no. would i rather be cared for by an experienced, grounded lpn than a freshly-minted rn who doesn't know his/her limits???...you betcha!! :up:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 22, 2008

WOW, this comes from a nursing student ???? Take off your rose colored glass's sweetie....

Yes, she's certainly a student. She has been an LVN/LPN for many years in the state of Texas, and she is currently studying to become an RN. I hope this serves as a clarification. :)

tferdaise · May 22, 2008

Im not the one who have a major chip on thier shoulder, and I'm not the who attacks people without knowing who they are dealing with. I hope this clarify the real problem.

Yes, she's certainly a student. She has been an LVN/LPN for many years in the state of Texas, and she is currently studying to become an RN. I hope this serves as a clarification. :)

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 22, 2008

yeah there are medications in which lpns do not know about and or how to give correctly. i beleive there are some lessons that are taugh in the bridge programs that are needed to know.

folks....lpn's and rn's have different training and scope, but that doesn't mean "better", just different, so let's not chew each other up, please!!
a smart nurse with any letters after his/her name knows to look up meds, simple as that. do i think lpn's should challenge rn-nclex...no. would i rather be cared for by an experienced, grounded lpn than a freshly-minted rn who doesn't know his/her limits???...you betcha!!

in all fairness, exposure/knowledge about medications can also depend on where the nurse is actually working (may it be lpn or rn); in addition, there are many unlabeled uses that are coming up frequently. this is one reason why it is a good idea for any nurse to take continuing education classes and subscribing to nursing journals. as blueridgehomern stated, a prudent nurse would look it up as well.

an example of this is i am an lpn who has been licensed since 2006. i work in a clinic where we do a great deal of teaching about meds and conditions. i have noticed that my nursing drug handbook for 2008 is really not as current as i would have expected regarding medications and their purposes. a very knowledgable, seasoned rn that transferred from the er is orienting with us, and she was reviewing the chart of a diabetic patient. she didn't know that a diabetic who is not hypertensive may receive an ace inhibitor or angiotension 2 inhibitor for renal protection, or asa. i can't beat this woman in regard to critical thinking, experience or knowledge. but, she was exposed to somewhere different-the er deals more with presenting symptoms and the teaching, i would assume, would be geared towards the history taking and current situation. and, there are lpns that work in the er who have been taught how to correctly administer these medications, are practicing these skills each day that can outbeat us clinic nurses any day-because of daily exposure.

personally, i didn't take offense, but wanted to know what you meant.