Posted on Categories Travel

Staying on top of your license is one of the key requirements in being a successful Titan. Each state has their own requirements to obtain licensure and there are various resources that you can use to make sure that your license is up to date.

All 50 states require the NCLEX exam; whether it is an LPN or RN license you are looking into, you will still need to take the exam and send in an application to the state Nursing Board. You can be granted a single state license which is you can only practice in that one state. Or you can apply for a compact license and this allows you to practice in multiple states.

According to the National Council of State Board of Nursing Online, there are some requirements that have to be met in order to have a compact license:

  1. Declare a Nurse Licensure Compact state as your primary state of residency.
  2. These states are Montana, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine.
  3. Hold and active RN or LPN/VN nursing license in good standing.
  4. Meet the licensure requirements in your home state. When working in a remote state, you will also be held accountable to the nurse practice act of the state where the patient is located or where practice occurs.

You can also obtain a nursing license in another state by Endorsement. Every state has its own process to obtain a state nursing license. To obtain a license by Endorsement, you would need to find out the process that state has in which you are applying.

A different type of license to consider is a walk-through. A walk-through license allows a nurse to walk into the Board of Nursing with their application and fee and walk out with a temporary license in the state they are trying to practice in. These licenses are good up to six months. This can be used while you wait for your permanent licensure.

If you want to obtain a temporary license or permanent licensure, the procedures are pretty similar:

  1. A licensing fee. If you want to keep a license in a particular state, you will have to pay the renewal fees each time.
  2. A criminal background check and fingerprinting in most cases.
  3. No disciplinary actions or restrictions on against your license. We call them “hits.”
  4. You must maintain the education requirements for each permanent state license that you hold.
  5. In some states, they require 2 reference letters and a proof of work history.
  6. A valid Driver’s License and your social security card.
  7. Verification that all of your state licenses are in good standing.

A helpful tool that we use at Titan is called Nursys. This is an online resource that we use to verify current state licenses. Prospective employers and agencies often use this because it is so quick and efficient. Along with Nursys, each state has an online Board of Nursing website to make it easy to look-up, renew, or verify your license.

This was just a quick breakdown of some of the different types of license options that you have. As a traveling nurse, you have different licensing options. You can get a compact, temporary, or a permanent license. As always, we want to make finding a job easy so you can enjoy your assignment. We are definitely here to help you out every step of the way and you have multiple resources at your fingertips. Titan reimburses for all state licenses that you obtain as a requirement for your assignment.

Sources: