UPDATE on my battle with the GA LPN BON

U.S.A. Georgia

Published

I sent in my application, along with a nursing resume - that included my work history (19 years), my education including my CE's, all the states I've been licensed in (currently active in Ohio), a copy of the nursys report and a letter outlining everything. I also sent an additional packet requesting approval for a distance learning program with a side by side comparison and a list of why the program would work for me.

Both packets were sent by certified mail and were recieved today at 9:44AM. We'll see how long it takes to hear from them.

I also called the Prez of the LPN Board to let her know all had arrived and asked her help to "hurry it along" due to my dire financial situation, I told her - I could be taking the therory portion right now (online). The BON only meets 6 times a year and sometimes they will meet via phone on the off months - January being an off month. She also told me they really have nothing on the agenda right now, so it could be the middle of February before I even hear anything :madface:.

I also called my State Representative to give him an update and complain about the antiquated system - lets move into the current century - no one on the board or any of the staff even have email:eek::banghead:. I think they communicate via string and paper cup :icon_roll.

So everyone keep their fingers, toes and anything else crossed that this moves through rapidly, I will still face several months of refresher, but I'd at least like to get started:cool:.

Hugs.

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If I were you I would be ready to leave GA by now.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.
If I were you I would be ready to leave GA by now.

I'd be out the door if someone would just buy my place:rolleyes:. If I can't sell it there's no :twocents: to move:crying2:. I've dropped the price by $100,000 to $160,000 and still no takers...I've got 10 acres and a MH in NE GA close to several hospitals in Athens and Gainesville and they are always advertising for RN's.

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I'd be out the door if someone would just buy my place:rolleyes:. If I can't sell it there's no :twocents: to move:crying2:. I've dropped the price by $100,000 to $160,000 and still no takers...I've got 10 acres and a MH in NE GA close to several hospitals in Athens and Gainesville and they are always advertising for RN's.

Have you considered a lease to buy situation? Might work for someone who is capable of paying rent on a monthly basis, but who doesn't outright qualify for a mortgage. But you would have to be very, very careful in checking the people out. You don't want to lease to deadbeats.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

Can't do it Caliotter3...I need the $$$ from the sale of the place to move. I've been unemployed for 18 months now and all my savings are long gone and I'm sweating bullets that with the abysmal unemployment rates that the unemployment benefits will again be extented. In my state it's gone up to 10.3% and that's only counting anyone on benefits not those who've run out.

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Specializes in home health, LTC, assisted living.

:confused:oh for goodness! is this still going on for you? how frustrating! i agree with previous poster, i bet you really want to leave this state!

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Specializes in ER.

I feel your pain, I have been waiting 1 1/2 months for my license. It was not even a new one. I let it lapse because I moved to another state. I went back to Ga. planning on staying a few months and working while there. So far.... The BON is taking its sweet time on getting their job done.

Guess Georgia does not really need experienced RNs..

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.
I feel your pain, I have been waiting 1 1/2 months for my license. It was not even a new one. I let it lapse because I moved to another state. I went back to Ga. planning on staying a few months and working while there. So far.... The BON is taking its sweet time on getting their job done.

Guess Georgia does not really need experienced RNs..

I do know they are behind with the pocket ID's, have you checked their website for status? Keep buggin' them. I've been working with my State Rep and Senator it took 17 months just to get them to change a policy that would let me even apply, according to my State Rep's lobbyist who's an RN, said the GA BON and LPN BON are the WORST!

I'd be interested to hear when you get your license and how long it took them.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

Well this week I talked with my State rep and his lobbyist, I sent them my "nursing resume" detailing my work history as a nurse and all the CE's I've taken and will take by 8/10 for my Ohio license. My state rep sez there is a real problem doing anything positive for LPN's in this state as there is another state rep that's an RN who HATE's LPN's and she was apparently instrumental in the anti- Excelsior legislation. If I'm still in GA when she run's again I'll actively campaign against her even though she's not in my district.

I kept pounding home that I'm just asking for a shot at taking the refresher and if I flunk I flunk, and if I do well and pass then I should be up to speed, refreshed and ready to go so they can give me my #$%^$ license back!

My state rep and his lobbyist had a phone meeting in regards to my situation and they decided to have the state rep contact the Secretary of State's office to see if they can "hurry" things along....I won't be holding my breath on this but at least they call me back and commiserate with me:rolleyes:. They've also asked me to come testify at hearings they'll have when legislation about these types of problems comes up...I told them yup I would.

So here I sit day after day, unemployed wishing I could at least start the theory portion of the refresher.

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Sounds to me that people with restrictions and problems with their license because of drug and alcohol use would have an easier chance at getting their licenses back free and clear than you will. And we all know how much trouble people with drug and alcohol black marks on their record have with their license. I do not think that this is very amusing at all.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.
Sounds to me that people with restrictions and problems with their license because of drug and alcohol use would have an easier chance at getting their licenses back free and clear than you will. And we all know how much trouble people with drug and alcohol black marks on their record have with their license. I do not think that this is very amusing at all.

Yup, and I try not to let it piss me off too much. I've never had any ding on my license what so ever.

See dogwmn tapping foot, drumming fingers...waiting, waiting waiting.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.

tears of total frustration and desperation today, i got a phone call from one of the non-medical clerks today at the secretary of state's office, his call was generated because of the call from my state rep. first he informs me that my application will not be reviewed until the next board meeting on 2/10 and then he informs me that my application is not complete because it doesn't out line my clinical or who i will be taking it with.:no::madface:

no where on my application does it say i have to do this as part of the approval process, i also told him that how can i ask for someone to let me do a clinical at their facility if i haven't even been approved:confused::madface:. i then ask him to tell me what skills are required...he then proceeds to read me a very broad single sentence that makes very little sense. i start asking him questions and he just re-reads the sentence:madface:. i told him that i need to talk with a medical person on the board to provide more detailed information. he then informed me that was not possible.:madface::no: by this time i'm trying very hard not to loose it that i need more info than he can provide and hang up. it is now week 3 since they have gotten my application and it is the first i've heard of this:banghead:.

so i then call the prez of the lpn board, i got at least a little bit more info, but still no clear outline available of what skills are necessary.:madface: how the h#!! can i put something together as a request and present to a potential facility if i don't even know what it is that the board requires.

by this time, my bp i'm sure is thru the roof, and i'm crying in total frustration. so after i calm down a bit, i start thinking about how i can make this happen and my pea brain has a light bulb moment. i get out the list of approved brick and mortar programs that are too far away for me to consider (closest is over 2 hours one way) and call one. for the first time in 18 months i actually talked with a person who was understanding, sympathetic and helpful to my problems and this is the head of a refresher program. i explained my delima and how obstructive, adversarial and obtuse the ga lpn bon is and she agreed:d. anyway, as it was the end of the day, she will send me the skills check list her program uses in the morning when she turns her computer on... at least it's something.

tomorrow, i will be calling facilities to talk with don's in hopes of getting an appointment to discuss approval of letting me do my clinical at thier facility. if any of you who read this and are managers, have any suggestions on how to approach them please let me know. i'm pretty good at selling myself but any tips what so ever would be greatly appreciated.

i have one week to put this all together, as i type this tears of total frustration are rolling down my face. i so needed a break somewhere along the line, just a bit of help from someone to shepherd me through...nothing...it's like pulling teeth at every turn. it could all be for naught, if unemployment is not extended again because i can't seem to get any type of job in my area, i can't seem to sell my place to move, i have no money to move if i can't sell it and i'm so scared i will become homeless.

a bad day for me all around, not to mention the 5 email rejection letters i've gotten this week for jobs i've applied to.

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