Change residency while traveling?

[Ultraposh]

I think it will be so much smoother being able to complete my BSN online while working travel assignments. The only school i can consider is ISU because the degree is accepted in California again. (I believe). Problem is ISU isnt possible for NY residents. I would like to change my residency to another state while traveling how can I go about doing this so that I am able to complete ISU's lpn-bsn program online? Do any of you change your residency on each assignment or are they too short? What if Im goingt to travel not in the same general area but in one specific state for an extended period What happens to people who move to NY while enrolled in ISU'S program? What happens if at the end of your contract you would like to stay in the same state but theres not another assignment right away? Do yu take over your housing fees during that gap?? Please no negativity just answer the question to the best of your knowledge. Thanks!

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

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[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

You would have to contact the ISU SoN to inquire what happens to your nursing education if you move to a state that does not accept the program. (I don't know for sure about the ISU nursing program but for some schools with majors such as education that aren't accepted in all states the student is required to change majors if their state of permanent residence changes).

However per ISU's online LPN to BSN program website the major/program is not available to CA students (as well as NY, AZ, AL, MA and other states).

[Ultraposh]

What do you think about this? I found this on another thread someone asked from advice with ISU living in AZ:

drive to a state that does recognize the school, I live in AZ too now so I will just drive to CA or NM to sit for the boards. We do this back east coast all the time several of my classmates graduated in TN & drove to Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia and got their licensure because they didn't want to wait for the available dates in TN..

2nd Answer...

Sounds easy. If ISU is not authorized in your state, just drive to another state and take your NCLEX there. However, before you take the NCLEX you must do your clinical hours. If your state does not recognize ISU and you consider doing your clinicals in another state, you need to be aware of other issues. You must be licensed in the same state you do your clincals. When doing hospital clinicals, you will be there the day before to pick out a clent and prepare your care plan. Next morning show up completely prepared for the morning for report, work the shift, and finally drive home to your own state. It can be done but takes lots of coordination and more money because you would need to pay fuel and housing.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

You can take the NCLEX in any state, just apply to a BoN that accepts the education. (You can apply to NJ but physically take the NCLEX in NY or even overseas. It's the BoN you apply to that matters) You would have to go out of state for clinical rotations, there is no way around that.

The issue is that if the online LPN to BSN is not accepted in AZ, CA, NY and other states you cannot get a license in those states. The only way you would be able to work in those states with another state license would be if you worked in a federal or VA facility. ISU is appropriately accredited. The only requirement for federal or VA job is a license from nah US state and graduation from an accredited program. I don't believe federal & VA facilities do traditional travel assignments though.

If you did the ISU program and traveled to say Indiana for clinical rotations, then obtained a NJ nursing license, you would not be eligible to endorse to CA as CA BRN evaluates your education that initially qualified you for licensing as an RN. But you could work for a VA or federal facility in CA with a NJ RN license since ISU is accredited.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

The driving to a other state to sit boards is unnecessary as it's not where you physically take the test but which BoN you apply to for licensing. Driving from AZ to CA would be useless as CABRN, like AZ BoN, does not accept the ISU BSN to RN program.

[Ultraposh]

I have no idea what I am going to do. Im no longer interested in Excelsior and I didnt know ISU graduates cant work in CA I keep reading different things. Im gonna go crazy. Thank you for your responses I really appreciate them

[NedRN]

Have you checked out the LPN and colleges forums? I suspect you will get better info there than on the travel forum.

To answer your original question, residency has multiple definitions. For the purposes of an online school, an address of convenience in a state may be sufficient and it doesn't matter where you are physically. Largely, residency is where you say it is and no one will check, but you typically need to back it up with a mailing address at a minimum. To qualify for in-state residency and lowered tuition at brick and mortar schools typically requires proof that you have resided in that state for a full year.

The question of residency comes up most often on the travel forum in relationship to an IRS defined tax home to be eligible for tax-free reimbursements from agencies. That requires a physical presence in one place with an abode that you can return to at any time. You don't necessarily have to spend much time there, but it does require a real nexus there with supporting evidence such as driver's license and car registration, voter's registration, primary care physician, et cetera.