Dual license, NYS/Pa, online FNP clinical question

[Barnstormin' PMHNP]

Ok, so here is the question....I have dual licensure in NY and Pa. My workplace is a hospital and clinic in Pa. My residence is in NY. My BSN is from NY. I am applying to a brick and mortar for FNP in NY (2 days a week at school plus clinical hours add up). I am also very interested in Frontier as well and it is an online degree. I am basically wondering if I could do an online FNP with any other schools due to my clinicals will be taking place at a hospital or clinic in Pa, and I have a Pa license. Any thoughts? Ideas about how the boards would work out and FNP licensure? Does the residence matter or the work/license? I know, kind of a bunch of strange questions, but I am frustrated with NY and the lack of options open to me.

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

You are required to have a license as an RN in the state where you are doing your clinicals. From that standpoint, you are good to go since you have a PA license. You should also check with the school in NY if you are allowed to have students cross state lines for clinicals since it's a brick and mortar program.

I attended an on-campus NP program in Michigan and we had students who did clinicals near the state border in Ohio. The school allowed this since the students were licensed there and clinical faculty did not mind an hour drive to see the students in the clinical setting (there are faculty visits from the school in brick and mortar programs in addition to the preceptor).

Your hypothetical question sounds like: what if I go to Frontier, do clinicals in PA, and try to get a license as an NP in NY? Did I get this right? Since NY appears to be strict in terms of their residents attending non-approved online programs, you may have to do the back door approach. That is:

Graduate from Frontier, take the national certification exam, and apply for PA licensure as an NP. Then, endorse your PA NP license to NY. I am not sure about the possible issues you may face since you will remain a NY resident through the entire process. But wouldn't NY honor the PA NP license you obtain in the end and allow you to endorse back to your home state?

[zmansc, ASN, RN]

If the question is related to going to Frontier and doing your clinicals in PA, I would call/contact Frontier and ask them about the specifics. They would be able to give you the definitive answer, as they have a whole group of people who do nothing but manage and organize your clinical experience. You can either call or contact them on their facebook page.

[futureeastcoastNP]

I assume your question is related to the annoying limit NY places on online NP programs, blocking all but about two programs: Frontier and Samford. The answer is that if you live in NY you can still attend an online program as long as you do your clinicals in a different state, in this case PA. When you apply for NP licensure, you would have to apply and sit for the exam in PA, then transfer your license to NY. I spoke to an admission counselor for an online program and she explained this to me regarding NY students. I too live in NY and if I do an online program will have to go over to NJ for clinicals.

[BetterMeRN]

I assume your question is related to the annoying limit NY places on online NP programs, blocking all but about two programs: Frontier and Samford. The answer is that if you live in NY you can still attend an online program as long as you do your clinicals in a different state, in this case PA. When you apply for NP licensure, you would have to apply and sit for the exam in PA, then transfer your license to NY. I spoke to an admission counselor for an online program and she explained this to me regarding NY students. I too live in NY and if I do an online program will have to go over to NJ for clinicals.

Thanks so much for clearing this up, I'm new in my search for an online NP program. I'm a NY resident and have been looking for an online NP program. Are you already enrolled in a program? Online or B&M? Keep me posted!!!