Renewal
LPN License Renewal
Licensed practical nurses need to renew their license every two years in order to maintain an active status on their state's board of nursing. Most states require a renewal fee and some states offer online renewal. Those who have an inactive, lapsed, or suspended license are not eligible for renewal and must contact their board of nursing to find out how to reactivate it. Every state has its own renewal requirements and only LPNs who meet work and continuing education requirements qualify for renewal and are allowed to practice. Contact the board of nursing to find out how many hours of nursing practice and how many continuing educational credits are mandatory for license renewal in your state.
Practice
What is the practice of nursing?
The practice of nursing is a set of interactions that take place between the nurse and the client. The process starts with a detailed assessment of the client’s health care needs. The nurse interviews the client and sometimes the family to obtain the health history as well as the current health status. The nurse physically examines the patient and also reviews the client's medical record including important data such as the results of diagnostic tests. Nursing assessment is followed by developing a plan of care which address the client's ongoing health conditions. The goal of a nursing plan of care is to improve an individual's health status and to prevent future illness. The interventions outlined in a nursing plan of care may include support with activities of daily living as well as highly complex technological services such as ventilator support. It is the nurse's job to observe the effects of the services being provided to each client and to make necessary adjustments. The nurse should always be the patient's advocate and act in the client's best interest.
Licensure
What is the Nurse Licensure Compact?
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is a mutual recognition model of nurse licensure that allows a nurse to have one license, issued by the state in which the nurse claims primary residence, and to practice in all states that have entered into the interstate compact (multistate licensure). The nurse is subject to each state's practice laws and discipline but does not have to meet separate licensure eligibility requirements for each state.
Exam
What is the NCLEX-PN exam?
The NCLEX-PN is an exam administered to individuals qualified for and seeking a practical nurse license. Only those who have completed a state-approved LPN program and received authorization by a state board of nursing are allowed to sit for the exam. This test is a national licensing examination, administered using a computer, in the United States and its territories. Nursing graduates are tested on their knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure they are ready to practice nursing at the entry level. Because the same exam is used throughout all states and territories of the United States, practical nurses are able to request endorsement or reciprocity of their license from one state to another without having to re-take the exam. The test results are reported as either pass or fail. Those who pass the exam obtain an LPN license in their particular state.
Education
What should I look for in selecting an LPN program?
Choosing an LPN program is the single most important step in becoming a nurse. The program you select, as well as how hard you work at learning, determines how well prepared you are when it comes time to take the NCLEX exam. If possible, it is a good idea to talk to graduates of the LPN program you are looking to enroll into. The following factors have been identified as important by many students when choosing an LPN program: state approval, NCLEX pass rate of graduates, the location and size of nursing school, program accreditation by reputable nursing organizations such as CCNE, tuition cost, financial aid opportunities offered by the school, the teacher to student ratio, the amount of hours spent in clinical practice, and the availability of online courses. You must decide which factors are most important to you and pick out a school based on those factors.
Career
How do I get a job if I have no experience?
Most nurse recruiters look for certain qualities in potential employees who are practical nurses and wish to become part of the nursing staff in any health care organization. What are the traits recruiters are looking for when hiring a new LPN graduate? Important qualities for any LPN looking for employment are: having a high energy level, seeking to learn new clinical skills, and being determined to provide the best quality care for patients. New practical nurse graduates will have plenty of job opportunities and employment offers as long as they show motivation, ambition, and excitement, along with a strong desire to succeed. Nurse recruiters and employers throughout the United States are very open to the idea of hiring new licensed practical nurses. A key factor in obtaining a nursing job is showing the ability to interact with others in a professional, respectful, and tactful manner.
Organizations
American Society for Pain Management Nursing
The American Society for Pain Management Nursing's mission is to advance and promote optimal nursing care for people affected by pain by promoting best nursing practice. This is accomplished through education, standards, advocacy and research.
American Nurses Credentialing Center
The mission of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), is to promote excellence in nursing and health care globally through credentialing programs. ANCC's internationally renowned credentialing programs certify and recognize individual nurses in specialty practice areas, recognize healthcare organizations for promoting safe, positive work environments, and accredit continuing nursing education organizations.