Should I let my nursing license expire in medical school

[RNthenDoc]

So this is kind of a conundrum, but I'm not sure on the legalities of maintaining my RN license as a medical student. Being a nurse is a major part of who I am, I worked hard for my license and don't like the thought of letting it expire.

However, and I know it's different for NP's as they have to keep up their nursing licensure, but once you become an NP, I believe that there are legalities in regards to practicing as an RN in reference to scope of practice and I'm not sure how those legalities will effect me. I believe medical students work under the license of their attending, as we were under the license of our instructor in nursing school.

Should I renew my license or should I let it expire? I would like to keep it active out of principle, but do not want to have anything fall back onto me as a medical student in case something were to happen with a patient. Recommendations?

[Lurkndmurk, ADN, RN]

I vote renew it. I dont see why anything would fall back on you as a med student just because you have a nursing license?

[CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN]

My mind says "renew it, what's the harm?" but since I have no knowledge to base that on, I would ask your academic adviser about that.

[NewOncNurseRN, BSN, RN]

When will you ever use it again? I vote don’t renew it. It seems like a waste of money. Yes, you worked hard for it, but now you chose something else and you are also really working hard for that as well. This new field will also be the next one where you work. If it is something like ACLS I would renew but not the RN license.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

It seems to me like spending money for no reason. If you don't intend to practice as a RN, you have no need for it.

And I don't think that anyone is ever practicing under a license other than the person named on the license. Students are covered by their schools, the only things preceptors could be liable for is if they use poor judgment in what they allow a student to do.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Renew it. You never know; you might want to pick up a few shifts here or there while in school.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

My RN friend who is in his third year of med school picked up trauma nurse shifts PRN between his first and second year. That is pretty much all he could so, after second year started, he had little time off. But working that summer between your first and second year might be a good way for you to put some $ aside.

[Nunya, BSN]

21 hours ago, NewOncNurseRN said:

When will you ever use it again? I vote don’t renew it. It seems like a waste of money. Yes, you worked hard for it, but now you chose something else and you are also really working hard for that as well. This new field will also be the next one where you work. If it is something like ACLS I would renew but not the RN license.

I would keep it in case you decide you want to/have to work prn while in school. I can't see that it would be a problem at least until you start clinical work, then I would check with my advisor or the BON.

[Swellz]

I would keep it just in case, from an employment perspective. I hear your concerns and think an advisor in your medical school should be able to give you some insight.

[JFfromCA]

I wouldn't let go one job before I have landed on another and wouldn't let one license expire before I have another license, firm in my grips.

[DeeAngel]

If it’s a license for a skill set that can pay the bills I would never let it go.

[Closed Account 12345]

Keep it until you have another license. Two cycles of renewal fees and some CEs won't break the bank.

Because medicine and nursing are two distinct careers and licenses, I would imagine you could continue working nursing shifts as a physician... but I also highly doubt you will. ?

In the nursing profession, you are held to the standards of your highest license. This is why new grad RNs shouldn't accept PCT/CNA/LVN jobs if they can't find employment as an RNs. Regardless of job title, they're held to the standards of an RN, so if they recognize something that needs to be acted upon by an RN, it puts them in an awkward employment position.

It's a myth that nursing students work under the license of an instructor. The only one working under a nursing license is the person named on it.

Now, if as an instructor, I encouraged a student to do something reckless and beyond their scope in clinical, and a patient was harmed, that would be on both the student and me (because it would demonstrate bad nursing judgment on my end my end). If a student had already been taught basic nursing safety but left a bed high in the air with no side rails up and a fall resulted when I was down the hall with another student... that's got nothing to do with my license.

Good luck in medical school!!