moving to Texas

Hello everyone:

I'm now a nursing student in New York and I'm going to graduate next May. I'm planning to move to Texas right after my graduation so I might take the NCLEX-RN in Texas. Now the problem is: Is there any additional requirements from Texas Board of Nursing? We don't have pediatric or mental health nursing clinicals here in New York. Does Texas require those?

Thank you.

Profesional Nursing Education: Program of Study

Texas Admin Code (TAC) Title 22, Part 11 Chapter 215, Rule 215.9

(e) The program of study shall include, but not be limited to the following areas:

(2) nursing courses which include didactic and clinical learning experiences in the four content areas, medical-surgical, maternal/child health, pediatrics, and mental health nursing that teach students to use a systematic approach to clinical decision making and prepare students to safely practice professional nursing through the promotion, prevention, rehabilitation, maintenance, and restoration of the health of individuals of all ages.

But you can petition the Board and ask them if your school would be acceptable:

TAC Title 22, Part 11, Chapter 213, Rule 213.30:

(a) A person enrolled or planning to enroll in an educational nursing program that prepares a person for an initial license as a registered or vocational nurse or an applicant who seeks licensure by endorsement pursuant to 217.5 of this title (relating to Temporary License and Endorsement) who has reason to believe that he or she may be ineligible for licensure, may petition the Board for a declaratory order or apply for a license by endorsement as to his or her eligibility.

Another avenue is, instead of seeking INITIAL licensure in Texas, you can obtain initial licensure (take the NCLEX) in NY and petition Texas to issue you a license by Endorsement.

I graduated from a school in MD and applied for initial licensure and took the NCLEX in Texas. I didn't have a problem. But then, the program I went through was an NLN program that DID include peds and mental health.

~faith,

Timothy.