• Each state sets its own rules for suspending an LPN's license.nurse chris image by John Keith from Fotolia.com
  
  A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) also known in some states as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), is a health care professional licensed by the state or states in which she practices. If an LPN violates professional standards, or commits a crime, he risks having his license suspended, or even revoked, by the state's licensing board. While each state sets its own rules and criteria for license suspension, there are a few reasons for suspension that occur in many, if not most, states.
  
  

Lying on a License Application

• When applying for an LPN license, the candidate is expected to be entirely truthful about any information requested. If the licensing board later discovers that an LPN lied during the application process, the LPN can have her license suspended or revoked. A suspension can happen even if the LPN has an otherwise spotless professional record.
  
  

Substance Abuse

• Many LPN licensing boards take substance abuse by LPNs very seriously. A nurses who is found to be abusing drugs can have his license suspended and may be ordered into a drug-rehabilitation program. If the LPN is selling or distributing drugs, the penalties can be much more severe, and may include revocation of the license.
  
  

Criminal Conduct

• When an LPN is convicted of a crime, she risks license suspension. Some states will take disciplinary action against an LPN who is convicted of either a felony or misdemeanor. Other states restrict disciplinary action to felony convictions or prescribe more lenient discipline to an LPN convicted on misdemeanor charges.
  
  

Student Loan Default

• In some states, professionals who have defaulted on their student loans risk license suspension. Getting the license back usually involves getting written proof from the student loan lender, or guarantee agency, stating that the student is complying with a repayment plan.
  
  

Scope of Practice

• State regulations can be very specific as to the types of procedures that an LPN can perform. For example, it is illegal in some areas for an LPN to start an IV or administer medications to patients. If the LPN practices outside these boundaries, he can face disciplinary procedures that could result in license suspension.