Working with Expired License

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I understand that some Filipino RN's become LPN's in Alberta without taking the LPN board exam, is this correct?

In the duration of working as LPN's, their Philippine RN registration expires. Can they still work as LPN's?

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

No this is not true. The Filipino RNs in Alberta who are working as LPNs, as has been explained about a dozen times before on this and other forums, were not just handed an LPN license. They were originally hired as RNs, brought to Canada at great expense to the taxpayers of Alberta before their education and skills were assessed and were subsequently found not to meet the Alberta standards for RN licensure. So the province had to do something on the fly and they opted to work a deal with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta to allow these nurses to write the LPN exam and be licensed as LPNs. This is a one-time only deal and will not be repeated. It was the province's way of saving face when their errors were discovered. Since these nurses are working under a Canadian LPN license the only way it would matter that their Philippine license had expired is if they went back to the Philippines to work as nurses. They will, of course, have to keep their Alberta LPN license current to continue to work.

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No this is not true. The Filipino RNs in Alberta who are working as LPNs, as has been explained about a dozen times before on this and other forums, were not just handed an LPN license. They were originally hired as RNs, brought to Canada at great expense to the taxpayers of Alberta before their education and skills were assessed and were subsequently found not to meet the Alberta standards for RN licensure. So the province had to do something on the fly and they opted to work a deal with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta to allow these nurses to write the LPN exam and be licensed as LPNs. This is a one-time only deal and will not be repeated. It was the province's way of saving face when their errors were discovered. Since these nurses are working under a Canadian LPN license the only way it would matter that their Philippine license had expired is if they went back to the Philippines to work as nurses. They will, of course, have to keep their Alberta LPN license current to continue to work.

Well I am working with some, I would not mention names but they did not have to take their LPN board exams. They said it is because they have NCLEX. They have been working since April 2008, have finished their SEC with CARNA 2 months ago and might even take the February CRNE to become RN's. I saw their LPN licenses and they did not write the LPN board exam. So I gathered that at least a requirement for these nurses to be able work as LPN's here in Alberta would be that their RN status in the Philippines is active. Apparently not. So, there is is this one Filipino RN who has an expired Philippine RN license but who has an active US RN license who is working now as an LPN without having taken the LPN board exam.

Some who are indeed taking the LPN board exam this January 2009 are given the title "Conditional LPN's" until they pass the exam.

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Go straight to your AUPE steward and get on the phone to CLPNA. Stanger needs to be more open and forthcoming to the membership on the deal she wangled to get these nurses on the floor.

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In my opinion, what matters is that the nurses are licensed in Canada as LPN's or RN's. After all they are practicing nurses in Canada and not the Philippines.

But maybe the question is are you happy working with them? Do they speak near native English? Have they tried to adapt to the Canadian way of doing things? Are they trainable? Will they stay for a longer period of time? If you train them for 3 months and they stay for 5 years of service I think that may be more than enough to recover whatever cost spent to bring them over and train them.

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Who mentioned anything about the cost of these nurses.

The issue here is NCLEX is not valid in Canada. Every other LPN had to earn the "Licensed" part of their title by writing CPNRE. They are working under AUPE contracts and as such should be required to meet the requirements of their coworkers.

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^I agree Fiona.

It is unfair to all the great LPN's that I have worked with. The NCLEX is not valid in Canada. And they should write the LPN (or RN) exam like everyone else.

I think the regulatory body should learn from this case, and should not repeat it again.

However, how can you revoke a license when it was legitimately granted by a Canadian regulatory body?

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