working as a graduate nurse

[ilnurse]

What is your facility policy regarding working after taking your boards? I was told as soon as I received my letter stating I passed my boards that I could work independently.

In Illinois, I work in an extended care unit, hospital based with an RN Supervisor on duty 24 hours a day, as well as mutliple other nurses in the building, but not on my unit. I am the only nurse on my unit, but am very comfortable as I have been orienting for the past 4 weeks on the same unit I have been a c.n.a. on for the past 3 years while I went to school.

Today I was told that I have to wait until I have license in hand or on the internet before I work without another nurse on the floor with me. Other nurses in long term care told me they only have to have an RN on duty sometime during the 24 hours - not directly on with the graduate nurse.

Thanks for any feedback you might have.

[LPN01112005]

PN graduates cannot work as "graduate nurses" at my facility, and that may be true for any GA facility, I'm not sure. They do hire Graduate Nurse Techs who have graduated RN school and awaiting NCLEX, and they are basically buddying with a licensend RN during this time, however, they cannot give meds, or do anything invasive until they have a verifiable license.

Even the PN graduates in my class that were already working as CNA's at various facilities had to continue in that role until they had a verifiable license.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My facility hires GVNs (graduate vocational nurses), which are graduates of LVN programs who have not yet taken NCLEX. They are allowed to work the cart alone, and receive the same amount of orientation as every other licensed nurse. GVNs are usually hired onto the undesirable shift when no RN is present in the building, typically the 2pm-10pm shift.