Inactive License?

morte, LPN, LVN · Oct 8, 2009

i would contact the BON directly....some if not all states have a req of hours worked ea year to maintain an active lic.....you may be wise to delay the nclex a little......i hesitate to say that....but you present a rather rare issue....good luck

Midwest4me · Oct 8, 2009

i would contact the bon directly....some if not all states have a req of hours worked ea year to maintain an active lic.....you may be wise to delay the nclex a little......i hesitate to say that....but you present a rather rare issue....good luck

i agree with the above and want to add this: many states(though not all) require a certain number of ceus in addition to the # of hours you've practiced in the last 1-2 years, so keep up on the ceus(keep copies of them for proof). most definitely contact your board of nursing so you know exactly what is expected of you to renew your license.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2009

Being licensed in WA state, I can say that your license will expire on your birthday each year. Right now there are no CE requirements in WA, so you can always just pay to keep it active each year until you do plan on using it.

To find out more information about what you would need to do to reactive it once you're back if you let it lapse, contact the WA Department of Heath to ask.

"Expired" usually means your license has not been renewed or put on "inactive" status and I know in the last state I lived in, they charged a late fee for reactivations of expired/lapsed licenses. "Inactive" status is when you request to inactivate your license because you won't be using it...you'd have to go through whatever process they have in place for reactivation when you'd like to use it again.

cougSN · Oct 8, 2009

Wow! Thank you so much, that is very informative.... Because my parents would absolutely die if I left the country without taking the NCLEX, plus a friend from another state told me to keep it active if I could *just in case* I can get a job at an American clinic, school, embassy, etc. So that would mean that I would continue to have my RN, even if I am not practicing? I'm sure I will have to take a refresher course when I get back, but I just want to make sure that I don't slack in terms of my licensure.

cougSN · Oct 8, 2009

Wait a minute.... I just remembered my instructor said to me in an email: " I'm working one day a week for planned parenthood. Had to get clinician hours or lose my license.".... Hahah now I am confused....

DeeAngel · Oct 8, 2009

The laws vary by state, so a call to the BON of that state is your best bet. Be prepared to take a refresher course before working in many places. My state requires a board approved refresher course if you have been inactive as a nurse for 5 years or more. Usually you can download all the BON's rules and bylaws from their website, which would be an excellent reference for you.

I've taken a refresher course myself, HUGE HASSLE and one I would avoid if humanely possible. Had I not already been employed by a hospital, I do not know if I could have gotten any place to allow me to do the clinical portion.

HM2VikingRN, RN · Oct 8, 2009

Volunteer hours as a nurse can be used to count as practice hours....

Have you considered applying for a DOD civilian nurse positions? usajobs.gov