[tinnyswimin]

has anyone heard of a law being passed that hospitals can no longer hire nurses license pending?

[Boston-RN]

It depends on the state Mass is already like that...no graduate nurse status

[RN1989]

Have not heard of a law. Have seen more hospitals not hiring a person until they have recieved notification of passing the NCLEX or of being registered to take NCLEX. This is due to an increase of people waiting months to take NCLEX instead of taking it ASAP after school. Due to being able to take test and get results back so quickly now, the hospitals seem to prefer to know that the people have passed - rather than hiring someone who doesn't pass or does not even do the paperwork to take the exam for several months after graduation. They did not do this previously but back before computer testing, the test was given once, maybe twice a year in each state and it took MONTHS before you were ever told if you passed or not.

[suzanne4]

Depends on the state first of all, there are quite a few now that do not offer the interim permit; the nurse must have passed the NCLEX exam to be able to work. But that does not mean that it is a law that they need to have passed the exam, some can get hired; but do not start pending the outcome of the exam.

And if a foreign nurse, it is a federal law, per the US State Dept that handles visas, that a nurse must have passed either the CGFNS exam or the NCLEX-RN exam to start the procedure. If they are able to use the OPT, then they can get hired before they pass the NCLEX-RN, but that is the only exception, since they are still under the student category of the F-1 visa until the OPT is completed.

Many facilities are also now choosing not to even consider anyone until they have passed the NCLEX exam, as there are those that still do not get thru it, then they lose their GN status and can no longer function in that role.

I always recommend that the nurse pass whatever licensing exam that they need before even looking for a job, they get more offers that way.

[kyfarmgirl]

Here in KY, a new grad cannot even sit for boards until they've completed 120 hrs. of direct patient care.

[Jolie]

Originally Posted by tinnyswimin

has anyone heard of a law being passed that hospitals can no longer hire nurses license pending?

Where are you located?

In IL, the Nurse Practice Act sunsets on January 1, 2008. The proposed new act includes a number of changes, including doing away with "license pending" status, which means that graduate nurses can not function in a professional capacity until they pass boards. Another important change is a new CEU requirement.

I'm not sure if the governor has signed the bill into law yet, but it is expected to be enacted with these and other changes.

States vary on whether or not they allow graduates to practice prior to passing NCLEX.