For decades, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) have been the backbone of patient care in long-term care, rehabilitation, and clinical settings. Many have spent 10, 15, or even 20 years providing expert care — yet the path to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) remains locked behind traditional education routes that don't recognize this hard-earned experience.

We, the undersigned, urge state Boards of Nursing and the NCSBN to create a new RN licensure pathway for highly experienced LPNs. This alternative would allow LPNs with 10+ years of clean licensure and clinical experience to qualify to take the NCLEX-RN — through testing and a competency-based assessment, not through redundant schooling.

This change would help:

Address national nursing shortages,
Promote professional growth,
And honor the experience of nurses already working in the field.

Let’s modernize nursing advancement and give experienced LPNs the opportunity they’ve earned.