I keep getting my fingerprints rejected.

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

I just just had my Washington state fingerprints rejected for the second time. I fear that the same will happen with my Arizona fingerprint card (my wife had to send her card three times and this added about three months to the licensing process). Although, I have a "multistate" RN license (and therefore had computerized fingerprints) I still need to submit the "old fashioned cards) for Washington and Arizona (although not Colorado). Many of the police (who do the prints) tell me they have a very hard time getting acceptable prints for nurses that have been practicing more than about five years due to the "hand sanitizer" commonly used in hospitals (it seemingly degrades fingerprints). I might actually have to take a lower paying less ideal job in Florida (where I am already licensed) or Colorado (where they will take my multi state fingerprints from my multi state RN license) mainly because I can't get my APRN license for lack of legible prints. Any advice on improving quality?

[JKL33]

9 hours ago, myoglobin said:

Many of the police (who do the prints) tell me they have a very hard time getting acceptable prints for nurses that have been practicing more than about five years due to the "hand sanitizer" commonly used in hospitals (it seemingly degrades fingerprints).

Looking around online (no personal experience), it looks like your best bet might be to perform religious skin protection and moisturizing procedures in the time frame leading up to your next attempt. Sanitizer doesn't permanently remove prints as much as it removes oils. I've worked with several nurses who could only get into the med-dispensing cabinet by first rubbing the finger on part of their face where oils were more likely to be present (side of nose, forehead, etc.). Yuck ?...but OTOH I felt sorry for them. We're in the machines so many times during a shift and every single incident was a frustrating rigamarole for them (By the way, it does seem like there are other interventions they could have been advised of, such as lotion, but that's the advice they were given by the PTB. It was years of frustration before they finally let one of the individuals go back to using a password).

Can you contact the involved BONs to see if there is any alternative in situations where good enough prints can't be obtained by ink/cards? Do they ever allow anyone to use an approved facility where they can scan, so that they will know the set of prints is acceptable before you leave?

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Can you take a quick trip to Washington and Arizona to get your fingerprints done at a Livescan facility there? Look for special cheap airfares or consider driving. I went to school in Maryland, and a lot of the Calif students did a quick flight back home to get their prints done via Livescan, as that goes through quicker and without quality issues, as they tell you on the spot if it is okay.

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

The thing is that unlike California I don't believe they accept "live scan". They do have the option of "digital fingerprints" being printed on "their paper card", but no fingerprint facility that I have contacted does this.

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

When I needed digital fingerprints for a previous job, I was able to get them done by a company called Identogo which in my area (Indiana) performs this service at local Goodwill Career Centers. I just had to online to schedule an appointment, I seem to recall this as an uncomplicated experience all around.

Looks like they are a national company.

https://www.identogo.com/services/live-scan-fingerprinting

Good luck!