Canadian nurse lacks maternity and peds hours, denied licensure

Dear Nurse Beth Advice Column - The following letter submitted anonymously in search for answers. Join the conversation!

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Hello Nurse Beth. I am a Canadian registered nurse who recently moved to the States to live and work permanently. I had my Bachelor of nursing degree in Canada and successfully passed the NCLEX in 2018. I have about 7 years of work experience as an RN (in psychiatry) in Canada. I am currently applying to get my RN license in different states and so far I have been denied by Washington and North Carolina board of nursing because I didn't have any clinical practice hours in Maternity and peds/child care. The state of New york accepted my credentials and granted me my RN license. I got job offers in South Dakota and Vermont as a Travel nurse but I am worried I might get denied of licensure. Do you have any suggestions which States I should apply to that may not require me of clinical practice hours in maternity and peds? 

Thank you so much,

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Here are some resources to help you:

NCSBN

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) represents all nursing boards in the United States and its territories. Visit the NCSBN's Nurse Licensure Guidance page. From there, you can select states individually to read each state's licensure requirements as a New York licensed RN.

NLC

If you are open to relocating, you could establish residency in a Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) state that endorses your license. You could then work in any of the 43 of the compact states.

Additionally, your agency should assist in facilitating the endorsement process and advise on which states would be the easiest for obtaining licensure in your case. 

I hope this helps you,

Nurse Beth

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