Prior Florida RN's now residing in Wisconsin

U.S.A. Wisconsin

Published

Specializes in CVICU.

Dear prior Floridians,

I am graduating with an AS next month, and our family has intent to move to Wisconsin as soon as possible afterwards. Today I visited the WI DRL website, and have questions about endorsement you all may be able to answer. The website states reciprocity is possible "if the holder's credentials of general and professional educational qualifications and other qualifications are comparable to those required in this state during the same period...." Is there any way to anticipate whether or not my educational requirements will satisfy Wisconsin in advance of applying for endorsement? This is my priority question for this thread. Further, would it make more sense for me to sit for my Wisconsin license initially upon graduation, and then seek endorsement from Florida if we are detained? I ask this not knowing whether or not endorsement from Florida may be easier than the other way around. It is entirely possible I will have to work here before we are able to move. The worst-case scenario I've imagined is getting a Florida license, we move, and then I find out Wisconsin poo-poo's my qualifications when applying for endorsement. Thank you for your replies! :nurse: Wendy

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Once you have your license there are no educational requirements in Wisconsin. I moved here from Texas and they never asked what courses I took in getting my degree. Moving here then taking the NCLEX may be another story. I may be wrong so don't quote me on this, but I don't think Wisconsin has a graduate nurse status for work before passing the test.

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skatebetty -

I am about to begin the RN program in Orlando, FL. I will finish in December 2009 and soon thereafter will be moving back home to Wisconsin. I wonder whether I should take the test here in Florida before moving to WI or just move and then take it. Any advice?

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Specializes in physician office, ortho/neuro.

Yes, Wiscsonsin does have a graduate work status. You have to have a job already lined up and your supervisor needs to sign that you are working under an RN. If you do not pass the NCLEX, you are no longer a graduate nurse and have to return your temporary license back to the state.

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Yop should try Maxim Healthcare Services. They can place you at a bunch of diferant locations on pre-dium or contract and if you find something you like they may be a able to get you signed on full-time.

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Yop should try Maxim Healthcare Services. They can place you at a bunch of diferant locations on pre-dium or contract and if you find something you like they may be a able to get you signed on full-time.

Sorry, but new grads are not normally hired by agencies until they have at least completed their orientation and have gotten their feet wet.

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Once you have your license there are no educational requirements in Wisconsin. I moved here from Texas and they never asked what courses I took in getting my degree. Moving here then taking the NCLEX may be another story. I may be wrong so don't quote me on this, but I don't think Wisconsin has a graduate nurse status for work before passing the test.

Actually not quite true. The NCLEX exam has reciprocity, licenses do not and one must meet the educational requirements of the new state. And not all curriculums in the US meet the requirements for all states.

Did you not have your transcripts submitted before you had your license endorsed?

When one gets permission to sit for the NCLEX exam, it means that they have met the requirements for licensure for that state, except having taken the exam.

It is always easier to get a job once one has actually taken and passed the NCLEX exam, even if there is the GN status. As mentioned by another poster here, if you take the exam and do not pass it, then you lose the GN status and many times the job.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

Did you not have your transcripts submitted before you had your license endorsed?

*** I didn't when I moved here from California. All I had to was get Ca to send verification that I had a license there. They didn't even ask me if I graduated from nursing school (I didn't). This was for LVN/LPN.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Actually not quite true. The NCLEX exam has reciprocity, licenses do not and one must meet the educational requirements of the new state. And not all curriculums in the US meet the requirements for all states.

Did you not have your transcripts submitted before you had your license endorsed?

When one gets permission to sit for the NCLEX exam, it means that they have met the requirements for licensure for that state, except having taken the exam.

It is always easier to get a job once one has actually taken and passed the NCLEX exam, even if there is the GN status. As mentioned by another poster here, if you take the exam and do not pass it, then you lose the GN status and many times the job.

I was already a nurse when I moved to Wisconsin. I had taken and passed the NCLEX in Texas. When I moved to Wisconsin all I had to do was certify that I had no disciplinary action against my license. They never asked about my education. And no, I didn't have to submit my transcripts, just an application for the Wisconsin license.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

From the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing regarding Requirements for Endorsement Candidates:

"An applicant is eligible for licensure BY ENDORSEMENT if the applicant has graduated from a board-approved school of professional nursing; has passed NCLEX or a state board test pool examination for registered nurses; holds a current R.N. license in another State or U.S. Territory on which no discilplinary action has been taken; has not been terminated from employment related to nursing for reasons of negligence or incompetence and does not have an arrest or conviction record subject to the Fair Employment Act. (See attached Convictions and Pending Charges Form #2252.)

So according to that as long as it's a board approved school and a state recognized test for RN's you can get your license in Wisconsin. You don't even have to have passed the NCLEX specifically.

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So I should take the boards after I complete school in Florida and then move to Wisconsin and as long as I pass I will not have to take another test, Right? Then is there a process to get my license transfered from Florida to Wisconsin?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

moty,

How you prefer to do it would be up to you. All I had to do when I transferred from Texas to Wisconsin was fill out the application for license and certifiy that I didn't have any disciplinary action pending. That was in 1995, so things may have changed like the forms you use, but the excerpt that I post is directly from the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing, so it doesn't look like the requirements have changed any.

Good luck and welcome to a wonderful state.

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