Worked with EXPIRED LPN license for 5 days and didn't know

[Aluvforheels]

Hey, long story short I worked with expired LPN license at the facility I work at and was totally unaware. I happen to get on the BON and looked my name up and BOOM....Expired...My heart dropped...I immediately paid the 180.00 and the next day I was active. I messed up when I felt so bad about it that I told a co worker who in returned told the DON. He wrote me up but said that someone could still report me to the BON. If they did what would happen? Should I call the BON first thing Monday morning and let them know and just let the chips fall were they may? I hate this feeling. I totally didn't know. I am active know but I did work 5 days with expired licensed. Have this ever happen to anyone? I feel like I am the only idiot who has ever made this BIG mistake. Advice please....

[Katie71275]

You should be fine. Here in Louisiana we renew ever year prior to Jan 1 I think, so you always know to renew before the end of the year.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

I agree, you are a grown up it is your responsibility. I do not chase my staff down and remind them. It is also their responsibility to remember to do their KPI update s. I will however say that they do get a reminder about that as they are all assessed in house ( no lift BLS hand washing aseptic techniques) so they need to book a time in with the assessors on the ward and the assessor needs to be aware how many. However I have put up the list for those due in May and June. If they are not done by the 3rd week of June they are given 1 reminder to do it and then rostered off .

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

It's not like all your professional experience was on pause. What crime did you commit exactly? The recompense for letting your license expire would be to to renew your license I guess (but I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV). I hope you learned your lesson about sharing a terrible secret...

[realnursealso/LPN, LPN]

I think a write up is in order for the DON, for allowing an employee to work unlicensed for 5 days. Every facility or agency I ever worked for was on top of whose license expired when. Not excusing the OP, come on, you must have had a hint. But I think everyone needs to be on the same page.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

This could be a very expensive mistake. My state's BON takes action against nurses who fail to renew their licenses on time. The disciplinary process is the same as any other license violation, and the penalty is usually a fine.

A school nurse in my area worked with an expired license for 18 months. She got a $1,000 fine.

[elkpark]

It's not like all your professional experience was on pause. What crime did you commit exactly?

The crime is practicing nursing without a license, which, as we all know, IS, in fact, a crime.

I'm with the others who have wondered how, exactly, one is "totally unaware" of the renewal date on the license which is your means of making a living. We're all adult, licensed professionals, and it's our responsibility to act like one. Many employers track this on their employees precisely because, if the day comes that your license is expired and you haven't renewed, you are off the schedule (without pay) until you do have a valid license again. Other employers aren't as responsible about their own obligation (to not have unlicensed people working there) and let the chips fall where they may. Maybe I'm the only one, but I don't have a problem with a coworker reporting this to the BON. It is a crime.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

How does a responsible adult not know when something as crucial as a nursing license expire? I never rely on others to remind me of my responsibilities, whether it is paying my mortgage, filing my taxes, renewing my drivers license, or renewing my nursing license. Maybe it's different in other states, but I get a postcard in the mail reminding me to renew- and if it weren't for the fact that I need the code on the postcard for renewal, I would most likely have renewed before it even arrived. Proactive, not reactive.