Moving as a nurse

[Brendan D.]

Hello all! I am currently in my last couple weeks of nursing school. I graduate May 8th and I've accepted my first job as an RN and I start June 8th on a busy Med/Surg floor. I'm very excited because I've been working on the same floor as a tech for a year now. I've grown to know the staff, computer systems, and improved my direct care skills.

After two years of gaining experience and earning my BSN, my partner and I plan on moving to a new state and starting our lives. We are both young and have jobs that facilitate our lifestyle. I'm writing this thread because I am wanting to know how it was transfering your license and starting a new nursing job in another state. How different were the patient loads, policies, hospital environments, etc.? We are looking at New York or Maryland.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Nursing licenses are not transferred from one state to another. Rather, you obtain a brand new license by endorsement through the board of nursing in the state where you plan to relocate. You can maintain your original license or allow it to lapse.

I would submit the application for licensure by endorsement several months before you relocate to your new state.

[Brendan D.]

By obtaining the license through endorsement you do not have to retake the NCLEX in that state, correct?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

By obtaining the license through endorsement you do not have to retake the NCLEX in that state, correct?

That is correct.

[canigraduate]

I've been in a few states and I have found that there isn't much difference between them. Policies, environments, and patient load depend on the facility more than the state. (Excepting CA, of course.)

Getting a new license isn't a big deal, but it is time consuming. I always try to apply ASAP when I find out I'm moving. Some states are faster than others, and some take FOREVER just to process the application, and even longer to get your background check, etc. I've had it take 12 weeks.