Renewal
Do LPNs need to take continuing education courses?
Every state has specific requirements when it comes to continuing education for LPNs. Each state board of nursing decides how many continuing education credits are mandatory for license renewal. LPN license renewals must be completed twenty-four months after the last renewal. Check with your state board of nursing to find out which courses and topics are approved and therefore will count towards the continuing education requirement.
Practice
Can an LPN perform a patient assessment?
In the state of Iowa, an LPN may not perform an initial assessment. Once the initial assessment has been completed by a RN or a physician, the LPN may then perform further assessments with collaboration and supervision of the RN or physician. The RN or physician is responsible for verifying the LPN's assessment findings. Triage is considered to be part of the assessment phase of the nursing process and considered to be the initial assessment in determining the care of the patient. Therefore, an LPN may not triage without the direct supervision of a RN or a physician and the RN would be responsible for verifying the assessment findings with the patient.
Licensure
Inactive License
Inactive status means that the licensee has not renewed their Iowa license, is not practicing nursing or the licensee has moved primary state of residence. Licensed nurses who do not renew their Iowa license within 30 days after expiration will automatically be placed on inactive status and requests for inactive status from licensees are not accepted. When your license is on inactive status, you are not required to obtain continuing education credit or to pay fees but you may not practice nursingin Iowa. Nurses who move to another compact state and are issued a license in the new compact state will have their Iowa license placed inactive immediately upon issuance of the new license. The licensee will need to forward their Iowa wallet card to the Iowa Board of Nursing office. Compact states Include: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Nurses who inadvertently allow their license to become inactive and continue to work using the inactive license, will be brought to the attention of the Enforcement Unit for Investigation. Iowa law requires you to keep the board informed of any name or address changes, even when your license is on inactive status.
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
Out-of-State Nursing Programs
The Iowa Board of Nursing does not approve out-of-state nursing programs, but they do accept out of state programs if the programs meet the following requirements:
- The program is approved by the state board of nursing or agency which regulates nursing programs in that state.
- The program is in good standing with the regulatory agency.
Please contact the appropriate state board of nursing or agency to find out if the program meets these requirements. If the program is approved and in good standing an individual may take the NCLEX in Iowa for licensure.
Career
Employer Type and LPN Wages
As stated by the American Hospital Association, nonprofit facilities in the United States are more prevalent than for-profit ones. Even though the number of nonprofit health care facilities is almost triple that of for-profit ones, more practical nurses are employed by the for-profit type. The reality is that given the same job and working conditions, nurses will choose the employer who will reward them better for their services. On average, working for an investor-owned, for-profit organization, means earning at least $2 more per hour than working for either a state operated and funded organization or a nonprofit one. The difference in pay does not seem big at first glance but for a full-time LPN job, the $2 difference can add up to an extra $4,000 annually.
Organizations
Iowa School Nurse Organization
The Iowa School Nurse Organization (ISNO) supports school nurses in the delivery of health services designed to improve the health and academic success of children.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide an organization through which boards of nursing act and counsel together on matters of common interest and concern affecting the public health, safety and welfare, including the development of licensing examinations in nursing.