Renewal
What does area of practice mean?
A nurse's area of practice is defined as any activity, assignment, or task in which the nurse utilized nursing knowledge, judgment, or skills during the licensure renewal cycle. If a nurse does not have a current area of practice, the nurse may refer to his or her last area of practice or most recent area of practice. Some continuing nursing education (CNE) topics apply to all areas of nursing practice, such as confidentiality, documentation, ethics, recognition of substance use disorders, epidemiology, and nursing law and rules. Other topics apply broadly across nursing practice areas, such as health promotion, disease prevention, and management of chronic diseases. To identify your area of practice, think about what you do on a daily basis in your job. Do you take care of patients? If so, then what types of patients are they, adult, pediatric, geriatric? What types of disease states do they have and what types of medications and treatments do they receive? For example, a nursing director of two units, an orthopedic unit and an oncology unit, could complete CNE in any area related to the disease processes and prevention strategies applicable to the patient populations in those units, as well as CNE related to the role of nursing director, such as health care: finance, management, quality improvement and error prevention. Some traditional areas of practice, where the nurse is working directly with patients, are easy to identify, such as critical care, wound care, hospice, home health, geriatrics, and pediatrics. Nursing administration and education are also traditional areas of practice. Newer areas of practice, such as nursing informatics or genetics, may not have as many CNE opportunities. If we use nursing informatics as an example of a relatively new nursing specialty, then what types of CNE might apply? Informatics may impact medication administration, documentation, orders, confidentiality, and nursing process inclusive of care delivery, quality improvement, data collection, and nursing research. The nurse specializing in nursing informatics may have a sub specialization in a specific aspect of informatics that would guide the nurse's selection of CNE to align with the nurse's continued competence in the nurse's area of practice. You may choose to achieve more than the minimum requirement of 20 contact hours or there may be a CNE activity that both addresses your current area of practice and incorporates an additional area of practice that may be new to you. If you have more than one area of practice you don't need 20 contact hours in each area of practice. You may choose to attain all of your contact hours in any or all or your areas of practice, but you do not need more than the 20 required contact hours total. You may choose to attain more than the required minimum and you may choose how to distribute your learning across your multiple areas of practice. CNE hours must be earned within the two-year period immediately preceding the license renewal, beginning with the first day after the renewal month until the last day of the subsequent renewal. Additional hours earned may not be carried over to the next renewal period.
Practice
Traditional and Non-Traditional Nursing Roles
Nurses acquire their basic knowledge, skills, and abilities while completing a nursing program. Then, as they begin working as registered, licensed, or vocational nurses, they build upon that basic knowledge and become more efficient and knowledgeable. Traditional nursing roles include providing direct client care, acting as a nursing program instructor, and working as a nurse administrator, however, there are other activities performed by nurses which use nursing knowledge and skills and may not fall within the traditional nursing roles. Volunteer positions, as well as caring for a family member or friend qualify as nursing practice in some states even if compensation has not been received. One state which recognizes volunteer positions as well as taking care of a relative is Texas.
All nurses need to comply with the Nursing Practice Act, Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations, as well as any laws, rules, or regulations applicable to the nurse's area of practice. RNs and LPNs must know and follow the rules and regulations in the state in which they are practicing for both paid and volunteer nursing positions. Professional boundaries and client confidentiality should also be top priorities. An example of a nurse who may use her specialized nursing knowledge, skills and abilities is when a nurse researcher performs health related research in support of improved practice and patient outcomes. Other examples of non-traditional nursing roles include health education, utilization review, health information technology, policy and rule writing, consulting, and writing for nursing publications such as journal articles, books or continuing nursing education programs.Licensure
Can I take the NCLEX in a different state?
The NCLEX can be taken in any state convenient to you. The results will be directed to the board of nursing where you applied for your authorization to test (ATT) and licensure. You should apply for a license in the state where you intend to legally reside and practice.
Exam
Is the NCLEX pass rate history of a nursing program important?
The NCLEX pass rate is just one important factor in determining what nursing program you choose. A program which consistently shows NCLEX pass rates of at least 85% does indicate that students have been prepared well and that the program is successful in educating competent nursing graduates. Many states require that nursing programs maintain a certain minimum NCLEX pass rate annually in order to remain in good standing with the board of nursing. This rate may be different from state to state, but in general a pass rate of at least 85% is required. A program's licensing exam pass rate is influenced greatly by the number of students who take the exam that year. One or two individuals who do not pass the licensing exam can greatly influence the passing rate of a small graduating class. In order to accurately understand a nursing program's success, always look at how many individuals took the exam each year and then look at the pass rate.
Education
How should I choose an LVN program?
If you want to become a licensed vocational nurse, the first step is finding a LVN program that offers quality education. Inquire and learn as much as you can about the available training programs prior to selecting a particular one. Always select LVN programs that are approved by the Texas Board of Nursing. If the vocational nurse program you chose to attend is not a brand new program then check the NCLEX-PN pass rates received by prior LVN graduates.
High pass rates on the state examination usually reflect that students have been well prepared throughout the program. Seek student feedback on the quality of the vocational nurse program and also contact students who have graduated from that LVN school to ask how they would rate their experience with the instructors, as well as classroom and clinical practice. A good training program will help students in need of financial assistance either through grants and scholarships or by advising on other types of financial aid.
Career
How can I get a higher wage?
If you are looking to increase your income as an LPN then one option is to get more education in your field. For those who are interested in expanding their nursing practice, the option of becoming a registered nurse is a great choice. Many nursing schools are offering special LPN to RN programs which take no longer than a year and a half to complete.
Another option that will help you earn a higher income is to become certified in specific areas such as long-term care, gerontology, pharmacology, or intravenous therapy. Obtaining certification in one or several areas is a sure way for a practical nurse to increase her nursing knowledge, become more marketable to health care employers, and earn a higher wage.
There are two national licensed practical nurse associations which offer certification courses for practical nurses throughout the United States. The National Federation Licensed Practical Nurses Association (NFLPN) is known for its gerontology and IV therapy certification courses. If you would prefer a certification in pharmacology or long-term care then you should contact the National Association for Practical Nurses Education and Service (NAPNES) which offers both study materials and certification exams for practical and vocational nurses. Other types of certifications are widely available from many recognized nursing organizations and include Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), wound care certification, hospice and palliative care certification.
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.
Nursys
Nursys is the only national database for verification of nurse licensure, discipline and practice privileges for RNs and LPN/VNs licensed in participating boards of nursing, including all states in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Nursys provides online verification to a nurse requesting to practice in another state and nurse license lookup reports to employers and the general public.