My professor is an LPN in a BSN program

[Chadnurse]

Hello everyone,

I am in my senior year in a BSN program in Tennessee. I just learned my professor for next Semester is not an RN she is an LPN. I'm curious to see if this is allowed?

Thanks.

[Chadnurse]

Education

[Chadnurse]

Unless she is supervising the clinical practice of RN students, I don't see the problem. Most nursing instructors have never worked in psych.

She is supervising my clinical's

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Believe me or not, there are people who can rightfully title themselves like "LPN, PhD" or "ASN, MSN". It happens pretty often with foreign-trained nurses, those who get another, frequently unrelated degree after entry-level nursing one and then return back to academia (which looks like the case being discussed), and those who go through "RN to MSN" type programs which never technically grant BSN. All that is perfectly legal.

In addition, some people just prefer to put their first and last degrees after their name for convinience sake. A title like "Dr. Mary Jones, LPN, ASN, BSN, MSN, MEd, PMHNP, PhD" tells quite an avesome lifestory but it is kind of awkward to use.

[kakamegamama]

Umm, no.... I don't think that would fly in Michigan....

Yeah....I don't think it would in Texas, either. I wonder if there is more to the story that perhaps the OP isn't aware of?

[nursel56]

I can think of several professors teaching nursing-related coursework who have post-graduate degrees plus an LPN. I thought the reason might be that they wanted to enhance their experience with at least some "boots on the ground" understanding of the subject matter. Even if they started as an LPN and later earned several more degrees, as this person for example, Timothy G. Smith, PhD, MPA, BA, LPN I would hardly say he was unqualified.

I'm the kind of student that finds teaching style and personality a better predictor of success, though.

[OscarTheOwl]

In my associate degree program, the teachers had to have a masters degree, or BSN and enrolled in a masters program.

[RescueNinja123]

Yes, it is possible, this also depends on years of experience.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Hmm - this is an interesting situation. Since I would assume that the course she is teaching (psych) is intended to teach RN nursing practice, I really don't understand how she could do this as she is clearly not qualified to do so. Maybe if she was team teaching with a qualified nursing instructor?

I hope some of our academic colleagues chime in with information on the accreditation impact.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

We had a geriatric nurse practitioner teach our critical care class. She knew absolutely nothing and had to read the book herself and was often confused on the material we were learning.

I don't think a LPN should be teaching a RN class.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

If the LVN is her only degree then I would say that is all sorts of wrong, but if she has a higher degree in either education or the subject she is teaching then I don't see a problem with it. The disclaimer here is I don't see a problem with it as long as her teaching is limited to lecture as I don't believe that an LVN degree is appropriate for clinical instruction in any nursing program. Every school I am aware of requires at minimum a BSN to instruct clinically for the LVN program and a Masters degree at the minimum to instruct clinicals at the ADN and BSN level.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

I think that you need to focus on being successful in your program. I wonder about students who fixate on the credentials of others. If she is your professor doing this will not end well for you. You need her, she does not need you. Good luck.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm in grad school doing an acute NP program and last semester my professor for pharmacology was a Pharm MD and has never been a nurse. I don't think it's relevant really, as long as they own a higher degree of some kind and are able to oversee the material.