Renewal
Can I renew my license early and how will I know when I need to renew?
Your initial RN or LPN license is only good until the next expiration date of your profession (anywhere from 4 months to 1 year). After your first renewal, your license will be valid for 2 years. You will receive renewal information 45-60 days prior to the expiration date of your license and it will state the renewal fee required. You cannot renew your license early and it is your responsibility to renew your license on time.
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 does multistate licensure mean?
Similar to a driver's license, a multistate nursing license allows a nurse who is licensed in one compact state (called a home state) to legally practice in another compact state (called a remote state). The Nurse Licensure Compact requires the nurse to adhere to the practice laws and rules of the state in which the patient(s) receives care.
Exam
How many times can I take the NCLEX?
You must complete the NCLEX within 12 months of your first attempt at the test. If you fail the test, you will have to wait for 45 days before you can retake the test. You will typically be able to test up to 3 times per year. If you fail the test 3 times, you will have to complete an educational program that is acceptable to the board before you are approved to take the test up to 3 more times. You will have a total of 6 attempts at the test.
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
Where do LPNs work?
Licensed practical nurses are employed in long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, offices and private practice, home health, and outpatient clinics, however, the most common employment settings for LPNs are skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, and hospitals. These three health care settings have seen an increase of one to two percent in the number of licensed practical nurses employed in the last four years.
Organizations
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
As the voice of the Nurse Practitioner, AANP represents the interests of the approximately 192,000 NPs around the country, advocating for the active role of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered healthcare. The mission of AANP, a full-service national professional membership organization for NPs of all specialties, is to lead NPs in transforming patient centered health care.
National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities
The National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities is an open membership, cross disability, professional organization that works to promote equity for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions in nursing through education and advocacy.