NASN Question....

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Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

Is the NASN open to RNs only??

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Specializes in School Nursing.

yes, only rn's. we lpn's aren't considered "real" nurses ! :lol2:

praiser :heartbeat

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Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

Honestly, that kinda makes me mad. I'm just as much a school nurse as an RN! Why would you have an associated for School Nurses if they aren't all able to join???? RNs and LPNs are both nurses...I just think that's really unfair.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

yep jessica, you are so right ! i have been a school nurse for 18 years now and i have seen it all. i love my job and i have the respect of all of my staff, students and parents. i think and act like a nurse.

i am a nurse. i have a license to proove it. i went to school for this. i worked hard and earned this. if i became a rn, i would be making about 20 more cents per hour. i choose to remain an lpn and i am proud of it. love school nursing and bear all of the liability that it offers. chin up jessica :nurse: you are a nurse :lol2:

praiser :heartbeat

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Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

Oh I've never doubted that I'm just as much a nurse as they are...I just think it's extremely unfair to offer an association for school nurses, then only allow RNs to join. Oh well, so it goes I guess.

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I believe it may be partly because in some states, there are things that an LPN cannot do without the supervision of the RN. Depending upon the Nurse Practice Act and the Public Health code for each state...there are some things that may need to be done that are not within the scope to the LPN (functioning independently).

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Specializes in School Nurse, Maternal Newborn.
I believe it may be partly because in some states, there are things that an LPN cannot do without the supervision of the RN. Depending upon the Nurse Practice Act and the Public Health code for each state...there are some things that may need to be done that are not within the scope to the LPN (functioning independently).

I think that is exactly why the NASN is for RN's only. In some states, you cannot use the title "school nurse" at all unless you are an RN. In others, you cannot be a school nurse until you are certified, and that process is only open to RN's. You must be a BSN in some states to be referred to as "school nurse". Some have the nurses on teachers salary schedules, thus would expect that you would have a comparable educational background to a classroom teacher. :twocents:

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Boy, I wish I was on a teacher's schedule! I am not unionized with the teachers, although sometimes I wish I was (especially on pay-day!). :)

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I actually emailed NASN about a month or so ago and they told me that I could join as an LVN! She said to fill out the form and put my LVN license number in the RN license number spot. I haven't done it yet but I plan on it!!

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There are many different member categories in NASN - anyone can join NASN and benefit from the discounts on conferences books journals, weekly electronic newsletter and the Internet Discussion Lists. An RN is needed to vote in elections,, and in some states, you must be certified to be a voting member. Even though I was certified in Minnesota, when I moved to Chicago, I was not allowed to join in Illinois as a voting member until I had earned the coursework and taken the exams needed for Illinois certification.

Come to Chicago to the NASN annual conference on Michigan Avenue and check it out.

http://www.nasn.org

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