grad and work in different states? boards?

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I am currently attending school in MI but plan to move back to CO to work as soon as I'm done. It's not until next May that I will graduate, but would like to figure out how I go about getting licensed. Do I have to take the boards in both states, or just the state I want to work in, or is there a national board I can take?

Thanks!:)

Jen2

931 Posts

I live in Pa and am going to work in Wv when I graduate. Fortunately for me I can take NCLEX in Wv since it is so close. If you take the boards where you live now you will have to get a temporary permit to practice in Co and apply for a Co liscensure. You won't have to retake NCLEX just apply for liscensure in that state. This is my understanding of it. Your school should also be able to help you, and maybe someone else on here knows more about it than I. Good luck.

wonderbee, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,212 Posts

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

I just finished researching this myself. The NCLEX can be taken anywhere in the country at any Pearson testing center. You make application to take it in the state in which you wish to be licensed by examination. For instance, I will graduate in Florida but will be practicing in PA. I will apply to PA for licensing and for authority to take the exam. They will issue an ATT (Authority To Test) to me and I will then contact the Pearson testing center of my choice.

As for a temporary permit to practice as a GN, check with the BON for the state that you're interested in moving to. PA allows for a temporary permit to be issued to a grad of other states but that may not be the policy of all states.

bonjovigirl

143 Posts

Hey RNkittykat, we're doing the opposite!

I live in Philadelphia, and am (if I sell my house) moving to Florida, back home again.

hey, you wanna buy a house ;)

And I have been told that taking the NCLEX in another state is easier than transferring a licence once you get it. I emailed the Florida board of nursing and was told that the process is the same as if I were taking it in PA. Email the BON in whatever state youre looking at. I got a reply within a day, and it eased my fears a bit.

Best of luck to ya, moving is very stressful in itself.

wonderbee, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,212 Posts

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.
Hey RNkittykat, we're doing the opposite!

I live in Philadelphia, and am (if I sell my house) moving to Florida, back home again.

hey, you wanna buy a house ;)

And I have been told that taking the NCLEX in another state is easier than transferring a licence once you get it. I emailed the Florida board of nursing and was told that the process is the same as if I were taking it in PA. Email the BON in whatever state youre looking at. I got a reply within a day, and it eased my fears a bit.

Best of luck to ya, moving is very stressful in itself.

Coming back to the land of swaying palm trees and sweltering summers are ya? I hear Philly is a good place to start a nursing career. Still, I'm not going to Philly. I'm headed out to the Pittsburgh area. There's still nothing like a Florida winter so once I get enough time and experience in, I'll be looking into travelling a few months out of the year.

Good luck to you too! Want to rent a place on the beach?

caiaccarino

13 Posts

i will be graduating in june, here in pa. will be relocating to arizona upon passing nclex. my advice is to call the state board of nursing where you plan to relocate to. i called az and their recommendation to me was to test in pa since i was being "groomed" for pa style of questioning. they also said that it would be less time consuming to transfer, rather than apply and test out there.

each state is different. i would call and get that state's suggestion on how to handle your situation. **just my opinion**

cindy :balloons:

wonderbee, BSN, RN

1 Article; 2,212 Posts

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.
i will be graduating in june, here in pa. will be relocating to arizona upon passing nclex. my advice is to call the state board of nursing where you plan to relocate to. i called az and their recommendation to me was to test in pa since i was being "groomed" for pa style of questioning. they also said that it would be less time consuming to transfer, rather than apply and test out there.

each state is different. i would call and get that state's suggestion on how to handle your situation. **just my opinion**

cindy :balloons:

i agree about contacting the bon for your destination and i have no doubt that's what you were told. however, the nclex is a national exam. the review books have no state biases and present questions in all of the known possible formats. priorities are priorities wherever you go. critical thinking can't change that much from state to state. and what about foreign nurses who take the boards? if the exam is different for different states, it wouldn't be a national exam anymore. i don't understand how the exams would be different based upon the state in which it's taken.

maybe someone who's gone this road already can shed some light?

Altra, BSN, RN

6,255 Posts

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
I agree about contacting the BON for your destination and I have no doubt that's what you were told. However, the NCLEX is a national exam. The review books have no state biases and present questions in all of the known possible formats. Priorities are priorities wherever you go. Critical thinking can't change that much from state to state.

Agree. I live in a "tri-state" area and it's not uncommon to live in western PA and practice in OH or WV or the other way around. The licensure process varies somewhat from state to state, but the NCLEX is NCLEX is NCLEX.

There are always fees involved in licensure. If you're sure you're moving to another state it seems unnecessary to bother to get licensed in one state and then have to turn around and pay to get licensed in another state.

HTH.

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