Renewal
Are there continuing education requirements?
Yes, there are CE requirements for renewal. They are as follows: RNs - 24 contact hours, LPNs - 18 contact hours.
- Contact Hour Option: provide an original verification form signed or stamped by the program sponsor.
- Academic Option: provide proof of having completed an undergraduate or graduate course, in nursing or relevant to the practice of nursing.
- Teaching Option: provide evidence of having developed or taught a course or educational offering approved by the board or a board approved accrediting body. Applicants may receive four (4) CEs for each approved contact hour. This is not an option for nurses required to develop and teaching continuing education courses or educational offering as a condition of employment.
- Author or Editor Option: provide evidence of authorship or editor of a book, chapter or published peer reviewed periodical, if the periodical has been published or accepted for publication during the period for which credit is claimed.
The continuing education must be relevant to your current field of practice and there is no requirement for first time renewal.
Practice
Are LPNs supervised by RNs or Physicians?
Licensed practical nurses work under the supervision or direction of an RN, physician, or dentist. What this means is that a practical nurse receives guidance for accomplishing a specific nursing task or activity. The registered nurse, physician or dentist may also periodically inspect or witness the performance of a delegated activity. The person who is doing the supervising delegates appropriate tasks and skills to qualified LPNs. A good example is when a registered nurse delegates the administration of intravenous medication to a practical nurse. The supervising RN must ensure that the licensed practical nurse has been properly trained and is capable of performing the skill.
Licensure
How do I transfer my license to another compact state?
When permanently relocating to another compact state, apply for licensure by endorsement and complete the Declaration of Primary State of Residence for the new home state, which can be found on your board of nursing’s website. The declaration form is generally a page within the application. Notify the former compact board of nursing that you are no longer a resident. You can practice on your former license for a period of up to 90 days. The 90-day period starts when you become a resident in the new state. States are in the process of amending rules regarding the period of time a nurse can practice on the license issued by a former state of residence. The number of days is based on the rule in effect in the new state. It’s recommended to start the application process prior to the move. Residents of noncompact states are not bound by compact rules, which permit a licensee to hold only one compact multistate license in the primary state of residence.
Exam
Can I take the NCLEX in a different state?
The NCLEX-PN exam is administered on a computer at approved test sites throughout the United States. First, the nurse graduate chooses a test center where to take the examination. Since all states administer the same exam, it is not required that a candidate sit for the examination in the same state in which he or she applies for licensure. Each exam is individualized according to the responses given to previous test questions but all exams follow a standard plan. A minimum of eighty-five (85) questions must be answered by a candidate in order to determine a pass or fail status. Some candidates may be answering items for up to five hours in order to finish the test. Every question is multiple choice and each item needs to be answered in order to move to the next one. Candidates with disabilities need to notify the test center in order to receive special accommodations. The NCLEX-PN exam has no more than 205 questions but you can pass with only 85 if you answer correctly. Those who fail the test can take it again but must wait at least forty-five days to retest.
Education
LPN Training Program Structure
Most year-long practical nursing programs include both classroom study and supervised clinical practice (patient care). Classroom study covers basic nursing concepts and subjects related to patient care, including anatomy, physiology, medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, obstetrics nursing, pharmacology, nutrition, and first aid. Clinical practice usually takes place in a hospital but sometimes includes other settings.
Career
What is the annual wage of a Practical Nurse?
The median wage of LPNs and LVNs was $20.15 hourly and $41,920 annually in 2013. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest ten percent earned less than $31,300 and the top ten percent earned more than $58,000. Most licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses work full time, although about 1 in 5 worked part time or on variable schedules. Many LPNs and LVNs work nights, weekends, and holidays and they may be required to work shifts of longer than 8 hours.
Wages can be greatly affected by various factors such as the size, location and type of the healthcare facility where you work, how many years of experience you have, and if you are employed full-time or part-time. Long term care facilities offer higher wages but they also have a larger patient load for each nurse. When making decisions about potential employers and the salaries they offer you should also consider what the cost of living is in a particular area, especially if you are looking to relocate. Overall, the location and type of your employer make a substantial difference in how much money you will receive for each hour of nursing service.
Organizations
National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service
NAPNES is the oldest association that advocates the practice, education and regulation of practical and vocational nurses as well as the organization that is responsible for the legislation that provides for the licensure, and education of practical nursing in the United States.
Cleveland Clinic Free Nursing CMEs
The Center for Continuing Education has been committed to sharing a wealth of knowledge with physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals across the country and all over the world for more than 75 years. The Center for Continuing Education is responsible for one of the largest and most diverse CME programs anywhere.