International educated nurse: License endorsement or NCLEX transfer?

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I am a foreign educated nurse and passed the NCLEX-RN under Florida BON. However, I have no active license because I am required to have a SSN to register my license. Now, my employer will be a hospital in Missouri so I am currently looking into getting a license in Mo.

I understand that both states are members of eNLC which theoretically will allow me to practice in Mo with a Fl eNLC license, but Mo BON advised me to transfer my NCLEX result from Fl to Mo since my home state will be Mo when I migrate to the US. Transfer of NCLEX result means applying by examination as opposed to the endorsement process which requires an active RN license from the original state.

I wonder if there are foreign nurses here who was in the same situation. Which would be more effecient and quicker? Should I just wait until I get a SSN register in Fl and try to get a eNLC license/or go through endorsement? Or should I just try and transfer my NCLEX result as early as now?

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I'm confused, why would you have to apply by examination? I've lived in a few states and the only thing you have to do is apply for endorsement to the state in which you're moving. If you already passed NCLEX they want you to have your NCLEX results forwarded directly to the BON to verify you actually sat for boards and passed them, similar to having transcripts forwarded to schools to verify you graduated.

After they verify your NCLEX results and licensure, in this case your FL license from FL BON, then they will issue you a license to practice in their state. Yes, you have a FL license which is a compact state but if you plan on residing in MO you need to obtain a license there. Once you move to MO, notify FL BON of your new address in MO and they will convert your license to a FL only license. However, since MO is also a compact state, you'll still technically have a compact license but with a MO address. Compact licenses only apply if your residence is in a compact state, otherwise it will be a state only license.

Hope I haven't confused you.

So to answer your question, transfer your NCLEX result now and once you move to MO notify FL of your new residence. You can also choose to place your FL license on inactive status when it's time for renewal. It's always best to place your license on inactive status vs letting them lapse.

Good luck to you!

Question: If you don't have a SSN how did you take the NCLEX?

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Hi NurseBlaq.

Florida BON allows nurses to take the NCLEX but will not issue a license unless a SSN is available. So technically, even after passing the NCLEX, I still am not a RN in Florida.

I guess license endorsement only applies if I have a RN license, but since I don't, Missouri would have to just go through the application by examination but I will have to just forward my NCLEX result to them. What I'm not sure is which procedure will be quicker because I wouldn't want to have to wait months for my license to finally be able to practice. I am absolutely clueless about this and have been considering to just wait for my SSN and complete my RN registration in Florida then endorse to Missouri.

How does a compact license work anyway? As an example in my case, if I get a compact license in Fl, will I still need to register in Mo? Will it be just changing addresses but will have the same license number?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Compact works if your main address is in Florida but you either temporarily work in another compact state or you live near the border between states so live in one but work in another. If you live in one compact state and move to another compact state and your main address changes then you have to endorse to the new state.

You are correct that to endorse you need a license so you do go through the license by exam and arrange NCLEX results are forwarded. Either route you mention probably has a similar timeline.

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Hi NurseBlaq.

Florida BON allows nurses to take the NCLEX but will not issue a license unless a SSN is available. So technically, even after passing the NCLEX, I still am not a RN in Florida.

I guess license endorsement only applies if I have a RN license, but since I don't, Missouri would have to just go through the application by examination but I will have to just forward my NCLEX result to them. What I'm not sure is which procedure will be quicker because I wouldn't want to have to wait months for my license to finally be able to practice. I am absolutely clueless about this and have been considering to just wait for my SSN and complete my RN registration in Florida then endorse to Missouri.

How does a compact license work anyway? As an example in my case, if I get a compact license in Fl, will I still need to register in Mo? Will it be just changing addresses but will have the same license number?

I would wait for the SSN so you could just endorse in MO after getting the FL license.

Compact works and is only applicable if you live in a compact licensing state, otherwise it's just a license for that state. If you move to another compact licensing state, you would have to notify both BON of your new residential address, in this case MO and FL. FL would then convert your compact license to FL only license, and MO would issue a compact license since your place of residence would be MO.

But note, MO will just issue you an MO license and FL would do the same until you actually move to either state. Neither will be a compact as they're not your permanent residence.

So basically, once you get a SSN you would then apply and receive the FL license for FL only. Next you would apply to MO for a license by endorsement. Once you actually move to MO, notify the BON of your new permanent MO address and they will update your license status from MO only to compact.

To answer your other question: Yes and no. Yes, your FL license number will be the same but your address will be different. MO will provide you a different license number for that state but it will be different from your FL license number. Each state you are licensed in will have a different number for that state. However, regardless of address change, your license number each state assigned will not change. For example, I am licensed in 3 different states with each having a different license number. I notify each state of my new address whenever I relocate but my license numbers remain the same. One of the three is a compact state but since I no longer live in that state, and my current residential state is not a participant of the compact act, my license status is for each state only, not compact status.

I hope I'm not confusing you. If you have other questions just ask away.

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