Need Inactive license to take Refresher, but mine is expired!

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I live in Maryland, let my R.N. License expire about 10 years ago after I had my kids and did not plan to return to work. I did not pay the fee to keep "Inactive" status. Now I am considering returning to the field and see that an Inactive license is a requirement for enrollment in a Refresher course. I can't find any info on the Maryland Board if Nursing's website regarding this topic. Any ideas on what is required? Is it just a fee? Or do I take NCLEX again? I am not encouraged by all the nagative reviews I see for the MbON. It sounds like it is impossible to get info from anyone there. :-(

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.

How To Change An Inactive License To An Active License

It does say you need a refresher course and also lists the approved programs.

Good luck and welcome back to nursing!

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I live in Maryland, let my R.N. License expire about 10 years ago after I had my kids and did not plan to return to work. I did not pay the fee to keep "Inactive" status. Now I am considering returning to the field and see that an Inactive license is a requirement for enrollment in a Refresher course. I can't find any info on the Maryland Board if Nursing's website regarding this topic. Any ideas on what is required? Is it just a fee? Or do I take NCLEX again? I am not encouraged by all the nagative reviews I see for the MbON. It sounds like it is impossible to get info from anyone there. :-(

I did my Refresher thru Anne Arundel Community College. I started it March 2016. They offered the theory portion online..or in class one a week in the evenings.....I did it online....And then we did the clinical portion over 4 weekends at a hoispital

I will PM you info from someone at the school that will prob be able to help you.

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The OP isn't asking about how to convert an inactive license back to active status -- she's saying that she let her license expire 10 yeas ago and now has no license.

OP, have you maintained a license in any other state, or are you simply license-less at this point? Your best bet is to contact the MBON and find out what you need to do. They may well require you to write the NCLEX again, after this many years, but that would be up to them.

Welcome to allnurses, and best wishes! :balloons:

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and I PM'd her info regarding a person that may be able to assist her. But yes the MD BON should be able to assist her. I emailed with them a few times with questions and they got back to me in a timely manner.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.
The OP isn't asking about how to convert an inactive license back to active status -- she's saying that she let her license expire 10 yeas ago and now has no license.

Welcome to allnurses, and best wishes! :balloons:

I was only quoting what I read on the Maryland BON website. An expired license, at least to them, is an inactive license.

According to them, OP would need a refresher course, etc.

Thank you

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I was only quoting what I read on the Maryland BON website. An expired license, at least to them, is an inactive license.

Do you have some documentation of that from the MD BON website? It says nothing about that on the specific page you linked. In the different states in which I've practiced over the years, an inactive license and an expired license were two entirely different things. If MD has a different standard, I'd be interested in seeing that somewhere on the website. Thanks.

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