RN working as LPN in insurance work

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Hi all, I have seen plenty of discussions about RN'S taking LPN jobs because of the scarcity of positions available..and how it may be detrimental to the RN license since you are not actively working in the RN role.

What about RN'S that work with insurance companies? I am an RN but my job title is LPN service coordinator..I work with medicaid members and do telephonic assessments. I'm worried that putting my experience on a future resume as LPN SC won't hold much value. Then again I do have an opportunity to work as an RN in a different role when one becomes available in the company.

Any advice? Thoughts?

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

You are an RN working as an RN but getting LPN pay. You are held to the RN scope of practive. Do not let them talk you into calling yourself an LPN.

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there was recently a post about an rn "working as an lpn". i tried to explain to that poster that this is not possible. once you receive your rn, the lpn is not valid. you are held to the standard of the highest license you hold. i have checked w/ the bon and was told to not renew my lpn license because i passed the nclex rn in feb. 2009 and my lpn license is now null and void. basically, you only hold 1 license in a field. if for some reason you have an action taken against your rn license, and it gets suspended or revoked, you don't have an lpn license to "fall back on". i have heard of many people thinking this.

so.....you have an rn license.....company x wants to hire an lpn.......you apply for the position and get it......you are still an rn!!!!!!!! but....they are going to pay you lpn wages.......huh??? no way.....yep....you got suckered. sorry.

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I understand what you are both saying, thanks for posting.

I need the job to support my kids (and the pay is actually pretty good) but don't want to do something dumb license-wise....the company had mentioned it would be possible to promote into an RN position when one came available (in fact I asked my supervisor about creating a position for a service coordinator RN who also did home health assessments. Of course that's no guarantee that I will get the job when/if it opens. Would it be ok to take this as an entry level nurse job with the intention of working towards the promotion? Am I being too hopeful? I understand I would be working under the RN scope of practice..is it legal to work as an RN if the 'title' of the job is "licensed state personnel"

I have very little clinical experience overall and just recently refreshed my nursing license after ten years..so I was hoping this job would get me started again. And jobs are scarce in my area.

Thanks again,

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there was recently a post about an rn "working as an lpn". i tried to explain to that poster that this is not possible. once you receive your rn, the lpn is not valid. you are held to the standard of the highest license you hold. i have checked w/ the bon and was told to not renew my lpn license because i passed the nclex rn in feb. 2009 and my lpn license is now null and void. basically, you only hold 1 license in a field. if for some reason you have an action taken against your rn license, and it gets suspended or revoked, you don't have an lpn license to "fall back on". i have heard of many people thinking this.

so.....you have an rn license.....company x wants to hire an lpn.......you apply for the position and get it......you are still an rn!!!!!!!! but....they are going to pay you lpn wages.......huh??? no way.....yep....you got suckered. sorry.

some states you can hold both. there is one state (and i forget now where it is) where you can work at a lower scope if that is what you are hired at and if you have that lower license. so best best is to do what you did and call your bon. i have both mine just to keep all options open in this economy.

to the op, personally i think any work experience is good to have. i don't think it will hurt you in the long run since most employers are well aware of the shortage of jobs.

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Yeah, I would suggest reviewing the laws of your state as to what your legal title should be. Is there any chance of speaking to your supervisor about just a job title change? Maybe even removing the liscensure from the title? Discuss that you are not legally an LPN and should not be titled as such. Also, are there any things different in your assessments that you don't do because of your LPN title, that you would normally say or do for a patient, when you have RN training?

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According to BON it's fine..

Interestingly enough, my job description requirements call for a LICENSED personnel, does not specify LPN

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oops sorry that posted before I had a chance to finish.. what I was saying is that the job does not specify RN or LPN in fact we have social workers doing the same job we are doing. Ideally I'd like to use the full range of my skills as an RN but realistically I can work this job until something else comes up..or until I get promoted :)

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