Has anyone endorsed to more than 2 states?

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Jul 17, 2011

I only have 2 states, that are non compact. Can't imagine having a liscence in a third state would be any different, the process would be the same.

You pay the fees, they do a background check, they verify your standings in the other states, you pay some more fees and eventually you have a liscence in a third state.

handyrn · Jul 17, 2011

Yep, just as LoveMyBugs said. You just apply, they do your backgrounds and you pay a fee and get licensed. I sure wish all states would just become compact. Just have a "national" license. It would make things so much easier!

FancypantsRN · Jul 17, 2011

I wish they were all compact too. I have licenses for 3 states. The one I am practicing in now is compact, the other 2 licenses are not. You go throughout the entire process for all of them. Apply, fingerprinting, pay fee, background check, etc.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2011

Yep, just as LoveMyBugs said. You just apply, they do your backgrounds and you pay a fee and get licensed. I sure wish all states would just become compact. Just have a "national" license. It would make things so much easier!

I would be simpler to have a national license, but I think there are a few states that would be very resistant to it. These would be the states that receive the most endorsement applications. These states receive a lot of revenue from endorsements, so I think they would be quite relectant to give that up.

DogWmn · Jul 17, 2011

At one time I had active licenses in 4 states, pre-compact. I've long advocated for a national licensing agency something like the Medical Technologists, MLT's et. al. have; the ASCP. State BON's would become redundant and go away. Some BON's are good and some are ummm not so good, they are really hit or miss and the BON's are appointed and tend to be at the whim of politicians. I think we could then move across state lines with ease, making us more marketable, we could track the stinkers of our profession much easier, scope of practice and CE's would be more uniform. We've had a national licensing test for decades, why not a national licensing agency? I would also hope this would lead nurses to a more united front to advocate for all of us, no more LPN vs RN, ADN vs BSN...we would ALL be nurses under the same umbrella.

EmergencyNrse · Jul 17, 2011

A national license is a horrible idea. The NCLEX is not the

epitome of nurse requirement or attainment. It is just a

start. A minimum standard.

Right now it is the responsibility of the Board of Nursing

in each state to determine education requirements, set

standards of care, scope of practice. It establishes

disciplinary measures and right to appeal charges. Although

many states share similar requirements they have necessary

differences as well.

The federal government has notoriously done a poor job

with everything is attempts to do. In short, the federal

government doesn't do anything right/well. You would

give them ultimate authority over your licensure just for

convenience? Not no, but Hell no!

So you have to do an application. Pay state fees.

Wait a little bit. So what "instant gratification"

generation? It keeps people honest and from bouncing

around all over the place. Shows that by doing the leg

work for reciprocity that you're really dedicated to working

in that particular state and not just here today, gone tomorrow.

(How chaotic)

Long live the sovereign states, individual state's rights,

and each state Board of Nursing.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2011

A national license is a horrible idea. The NCLEX is not the
epitome of nurse requirement or attainment. It is just a
start. A minimum standard.
Right now it is the responsibility of the Board of Nursing
in each state to determine education requirements, set
standards of care, scope of practice. It establishes
disciplinary measures and right to appeal charges. Although
many states share similar requirements they have necessary
differences as well.
The federal government has notoriously done a poor job
with everything is attempts to do. In short, the federal
government doesn't do anything right/well. You would
give them ultimate authority over your licensure just for
convenience? Not no, but Hell no!
So you have to do an application. Pay state fees.
Wait a little bit. So what "instant gratification"
generation? It keeps people honest and from bouncing
around all over the place. Shows that by doing the leg
work for reciprocity that you're really dedicated to working
in that particular state and not just here today, gone tomorrow.
(How chaotic)
Long live the sovereign states, individual state's rights,
and each state Board of Nursing.

I don't really think there should be a national licensing agency. A national agency certainly would not be any faster than the individual state BONs. And I didn't say anything about getting rid of the state BON. A nationally-recognized license doesn't mean that the federal government would be in charge. It would just mean that all states are involved in the compact. So that a nurse who is part of a family that has to move around a lot, such as army family, would not have to spend thousands of dollars over the course of a few years just to work as a nurse.

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Jul 17, 2011

Can you see this picture? Federal nurse licensing with the federal gov't about to hit its debt ceiling. They decide to shut down the nursing office. Remember they already said soc sec checks might not go out. All those people that just graduated would have to sit and wait while the politicians duked it out. I can not imagine!!!!!

honeykrown, MSN, NP · Jul 17, 2011

OP, its the same process has you got your last license.

I am one that would advocate for a federal nursing license or universal or compact nursing license due to the increasing price of obtaining each.

OP sorry to highjack your post but here is a blog about the cost of nursing license

http://community.advanceweb.com/blogs/nurses_16/archive/2011/07/15/the-cost-of-nursing-licenses.aspx

bagladyrn, RN · Jul 17, 2011

I'm currently actively licensed in 6 states and inactive in several more. I'm a travel nurse whose home is in a noncompact state.

I would love to see a nationwide license, either with all joining the compact or with an extra fee to be able to go from state to state without the expense (and it is considerable) and time (which can be up to 6-8 weeks) involved in obtaining that state's license.

I can see an advantage in having one data base for all nurses so that someone with serious discipline issues wouldn't be able to slide under the radar for as long as they do now.

SimplisticRnx · Jul 18, 2011

Thank you all for your feedback. As tedious as it is, going thru this process again is gonna take forever to have everything process again. I agree with most of your comments. I think nurses should be able to practice in any states and not have to deal with fees every time. Having a compact and noncompact license is hard to keep up especially renewing each one. Why can't we just have one license to practice any states period.