Going to school in one state and moving to another right after?

[Dbohr1012]

Hi guys! Is anyone familiar with going to school in one state and practicing in another? I am currently in CA but my husband and I are seriously thinking about moving to AZ. I went on the AZ BRN site and this is what it read I wanted clarification, So I graduate and just show them my transcripts and I can sit for the AZ boards? Or if I sit in CA and pass then decide to move to AZ after do I retake my boards in AZ or is it an easy transfer?.....

To be eligible for RN licensure you must:

1. Hold a Diploma, Associate Degree or Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from an approved program.NOTE: Nurses educated in the Armed Forces must meet this requirement.
   
   
2. Have a passing score on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®),
   OR have a score of 1600 on the NCLEX-RN® if the examination was taken prior to July 1988,
   OR have a score of not less than 350 on each part of the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE) for professional nurses.
   
   
3. Have previous or current license in another state or territory.
   
   
4. Have met one of the following practice requirements:
   
   


1. Practiced as a nurse for 960 hours or more in the past 5 years or
   
   
2. Graduated from a nursing program and obtained a degree within past 5 years or
   
   
3. Completed an Arizona Board approved refresher course in the past 5 years or
   
   
4. Obtained an advanced nursing degree in the past 5 years (i.e. LPN to RN, RN to BSN, masters, or doctorate).
   
   

[*]Excelsior graduates enrolled after 9/1/06, who have not practiced for 960 hours as an RN in another state must request theschool to submit transcripts directly to AZBN showing completion of 120 hours Clinical Nursing Course.

[RN403, BSN, RN]

If you go to school in CA then when it comes time to apply for a license you simply apply for licensure in AZ. You can still take NCLEX in CA or even in AZ if you'd like (as it is a national exam) and your license will be activated in AZ (the state in which you applied for licensure).

You can also take NCLEX in CA and apply for licensure in CA and then go through the process later of obtaining an AZ license.

I'm not sure which way would be easier for you. I'm going to assume it'd be easier to apply for licensure in AZ as long as you are sure you will end up there (just my opinion/guess). But I do know that you can go to school in one state and become licensed in another. The beauty of nursing, it's a very mobile profession.

From what I've seen in the forums it might be easier for you to get a job as a new grad in AZ rather than CA.

Good Luck! Hope this helps.

[Dbohr1012]

Thank you so much! I currently work at a hospital in CA as a unit secretary. so I'm hoping scoring a new grad spot will be at a slight advantage, but I want a back up plan. I just wanted to make sure I didn't shoot myself in the foot if I need so many hours of actual RN experience prior to transferring state licenses.

[Ashleyk5041]

I went to school in Alabama and took boards (in Alabama) for georgia cause we were moving after graduation. All I did was apply for the ga license and not the Alabama one. It was pretty easy to do. Talk to your counselor and they should steer you in thenrightndirextion also