Licensure in another state after contract completion

[LilRedRN1973]

I could probably call the Board of Nursing in Oregon to ask but when I did that for Texas, they started asking a ton of questions, including my name. I don't really want to give my name for general information. I am hoping someone here knows the answer. I am currently under contract in NV. We have two different types of contracts...a monitoring contract and a probationary contract. If you complete the monitoring contract, you are "free and clear" so to speak. Nothing has been reported to the national database and the only place it would show that I was under contract are in the Board minutes. My question is this: We are considering a move to Oregon after my contract is up in 2014. I was told by the TPAPN people I spoke with that even if I COMPLETED my contract here, then moved to Texas, I would be placed on another contract. I thought that was asinine. If I put in 5 years here, why on earth would I want to do another 2-3 years in a new state, while looking for a job? Jobs are hard to come by, especially with the restrictions we have placed on us (no nights, no home health, no ER/critical care, no narcotics for the first year, no overtime until that is granted back, etc). And if you are not working, you are not getting credit for "time served" on your contract. I'm fortunate and had a job from the day I was hired to work again as an RN and have been working straight through so I won't be on contract longer than 5 years like some of my colleagues who haven't been able to find a job in almost a year.

I am curious if the Board of Nursing in Oregon does the same thing...puts you on contract, even though by that time I will have about 6 years of sobriety, God willing. If I finish out my contract here, can I apply for a license in Oregon and not have to be put on a monitoring contract? Does anyone know?

[goofeegirl]

I asked the same question because I'd like to move up north after my consent is over but honestly the only way to go about it is to call the BON. Hopefully, though, someone here will have an answer for you. If it means going back on monitoring for several years then I'm staying put. I put my time in and earned it. I don't want to have to go through this again. What a mistake it was to self-report.

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

That's awful. If that's the case, then you might as well move now. It would be the same length of time in a program (the rest of your contract vs the new contract). Are job prospects better where you want to move?

I knew you didn't get credit for time served, but if you completed a contract, that is awful that you would have to start a new one...

[LilRedRN1973]

I am not sure if job prospects are better but I have a great job where I am at now. Been here for 3 1/2 years, have an amazing supervisor, great coworkers, and a Mon-Fri 7am to 4pm job. Why would I want to move, then? Because we don't really want to raise our little one here. It isn't the greatest place to raise a family. And my husband is in corrections; the Dept of Corrections here has gone to crap, pardon my language. Oregon is a much better place for corrections and pays much better for it as well. The nursing pay there is *slightly* higher than here and the cost of living is comparable. If we don't move there, I guess we can go with our second choice, Colorado. If I do have to be put on contract, I think there's is only three months long!! I wouldn't have a problem being on contract for a short time but it's the "not being to find a job" because I'm a contract nurse. Ugh. So frustrating. And I can't lie on the application because that doesn't exactly fit in with the program of rigorous honesty :-)

[goofeegirl]

Do you know for sure that Colorado only places nurses on a 3 month consent? If so, I might consider moving there!

[LilRedRN1973]

There is a nurse here who was on contract multiple times in Colorado (they let her go back to working peds ICU right after she got out of rehab!!!). She relapsed several times but she has mentioned that her contract was 3 months, which I found ridiculous.

[goofeegirl]

Wow. 3 months is nothing! I'm on a 4 year contract! I might have to consider moving to CO if that's the only requirement because I can't go through this again.