So i'm a Nurse right????

Nurses New Nurse

Published

Specializes in SICU.

What do you call a graduate Nurse who has not taken boards? a nurse? just not licensed yet?.... hmm...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

I call you a nursing student that has graduated.

....No, not a nurse

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would call you someone with an ASN, BSN, etc, but not an RN, not a nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I sort of see it this way: I am a BSN. I will be an RN when I pass the NCLEX and I see my name on the state's registry. But being a "nurse" and actually feel like one? I don't know when that will happen. Probably sometime during my first year of employment...I hope.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency; med-surg; mat-child.

Graduate nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Pediatric Transplant, PICU.

In our hospital, we call them "RN eligible". If you are a tech, graduate, you are "RN eligible", so you get a pay raise but not quite nurse pay.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU.

Technically i'm no longer a student.... so i like the graduate Nurse :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

In states such as the one I practiced in after I graduated (PA), graduate nurses are allowed to practice for up to one year on a temporary license before they take boards. They are called "Graduate Nurse's" and can not sign their name RN. I worked as one for a month before I took my boards. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.

In my state they would call you a RNA (Registered Nurse Applicant). Some people never pass the NCLEX and therefore never become an actual nurse (not saying this is you, I'm sure you'll pass the 1st time). So actually you may be called graduate nurse in your state, but graduating doesn't actually make you a nurse. Just like if you graduated from law school and never passed the bar, technically you are not a lawyer (you're just a graduate of whatever school you attended. ex) Harvard graduate, not a graduate lawyer). You can't legally practice as a nurse without a license, but soon you will be able to practice as a nurse. CONGRATS on your journey!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU.

as the previous poster noted, in some states it is possible to work as a nurse as you wait to take boards.. so yes in my book that makes me a nurse...just not a licensed one... after all i completed the coursework for my respective program....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Pediatric Transplant, PICU.

*sigh* oh, the eager new grad...

You may work as a nurse, but you can't say you are a nurse until you pass your boards and have a license number saying you are. I'm sure you can work and take boards and pass them, but until that happens, nobody (that matters) recognizes you as a nurse.

The coursework does not make a nurse. The NCLEX does.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU.

again....let me put a stress on the Unlicensed part of it.... just incase too many flames get thrown my way...:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment