NP by state or USA?

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Specializes in ICU, OR.

Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find this. I am interested in Family NP. If I were to pass the NP exam and be an NP, would that be for just one state? Or is that throughout the USA? Are you certified state by state like the RN and have to transfer license etc?

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Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find this. I am interested in Family NP. If I were to pass the NP exam and be an NP, would that be for just one state? Or is that throughout the USA? Are you certified state by state like the RN and have to transfer license etc?

You will be certified in one state only. I know that some states are "compact states" and the RN license is easily transferable, however this is not the case with the NP certification.

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Specializes in pediatrics.

The only exception to the state rule is if you work for the federal government (prison, military base) either as a GS employee or civilian contractor. You can work in these settings with any state license. I only know this because I have a FNP friend who works in a clinic on Fort Hood in Texas and she is licensed in Utah.

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The only exception to the state rule is if you work for the federal government (prison, military base) either as a GS employee or civilian contractor. You can work in these settings with any state license. I only know this because I have a FNP friend who works in a clinic on Fort Hood in Texas and she is licensed in Utah.

From what I understand, the government only recognizes FNP's & PNP's. I went through a FNP program with an Adult NP and she was doing this only b/c she's in the military and they don't recognize Adult NP's. I thought that was kinda strange.

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You will be certified in one state only. I know that some states are "compact states" and the RN license is easily transferable, however this is not the case with the NP certification.

Actually Certification is national but licensure is state by state. Most states accept the same national certifications but then have different rules for licensure. The exception is that all certifications are not accepted by all states. For example GA does not accept Oncology NP certification.

Almost all states require certification from one of the national bodies to be licensed in addition to graduation from NP school and a state RN license. In compact states the RN license can be transferred under the nursing compact but the NP license cannot (there are a few states that do not allow compact transfer for NP licenses).

David Carpenter, PA-C

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unlike RN licensure, there are only 3 states that are a part of the compact for NPs--TX, UT, and IA (as of 2007); in part, the reason for this is that the scope of practice for each state is different, depending on what certifications they acknowledge; NP scopes are regulated as either independent (no MD involvement to Dx and treat), collaborative (NPs must work with MDs), or supervised (MDs delegate to NPs)

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unlike RN licensure, there are only 3 states that are a part of the compact for NPs--TX, UT, and IA (as of 2007); in part, the reason for this is that the scope of practice for each state is different, depending on what certifications they acknowledge; NP scopes are regulated as either independent (no MD involvement to Dx and treat), collaborative (NPs must work with MDs), or supervised (MDs delegate to NPs)

Actually TX has not issued the rules for nursing compact. The proposed rules are up on the web site. One of the side effects of the new rules is that there will be no allowance to work prior to certification. The full rule can be found here:

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/August82008/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#113

Addition I'm not sure if this has passed or not. It may be delayed due to the recent hurricanes.

more addition in looking at the APRN applications of all three states, none of them recognize the compact except to do the original RN license. In addition the nursing compact information has the following:

No date has been set for the implementation of the APRN Compact, but the states of Utah, Iowa and Texas have passed laws authorizing joining the APRN Compact. Bold is mine. The APRN compact seems mostly notional at this time. Given the variation even between the three states mentioned for prescriptive authority (to use one example) I have a hard time seeing how this will be implimented.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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Actually TX has not issued the rules for nursing compact. The proposed rules are up on the web site. One of the side effects of the new rules is that there will be no allowance to work prior to certification. The full rule can be found here:

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/August82008/PROPOSED/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#113

Addition I'm not sure if this has passed or not. It may be delayed due to the recent hurricanes.

more addition in looking at the APRN applications of all three states, none of them recognize the compact except to do the original RN license. In addition the nursing compact information has the following:

No date has been set for the implementation of the APRN Compact, but the states of Utah, Iowa and Texas have passed laws authorizing joining the APRN Compact. Bold is mine. The APRN compact seems mostly notional at this time. Given the variation even between the three states mentioned for prescriptive authority (to use one example) I have a hard time seeing how this will be implimented.

David Carpenter, PA-C

Texas is a Compact State in regards to RN's, but not APRN's.

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Actually Certification is national but licensure is state by state.

David Carpenter, PA-C

You're absolutely right. It's the certification that's national, but not the license.

It's also important to point out that not every state accepts some of those "specialty" certifications. It's important to contact your state Board of Nursing to find out exactly what they will accept before enrolling in a NP program.

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but the states of Utah, Iowa and Texas have passed laws authorizing joining the APRN Compact.

what you pulled was from Oct. 2007; and I said TX was a part of the compact as supported by the remainder of the quote above, which is what I was saying...I agree with implementation, though; IA are indep. practitioners; also, I believe they can Rx sched. II-IV; TX only III-IV and they are regulated by delegation; not sure at all about UT

however, there is a push in TX to bring the APRNs or APNs (or whatever they want to call them) as indep. practitioners by 2010...we'll see

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
From what I understand, the government only recognizes FNP's & PNP's. I went through a FNP program with an Adult NP and she was doing this only b/c she's in the military and they don't recognize Adult NP's. I thought that was kinda strange.

Hmmm, interesting. I wonder how true that is 'cause it definitely made me wonder. I tried a search on the topic but couldn't really find definitive info.

Looks like the Army only accepts FNP, PMHNP, CRNA, and CNM as APN's who are Independently Licensed Healthcare Providers: http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/nurse/corps_specialties_requir.jsp

The Navy did not specify anything on their Nurse Corps page: http://www.navy.com/healthcareopportunities/nursecorps/

The Air Force recognizes FNP, PNP, ACNP, WHNP, and PMHNP as Air Force Nurse Practitioners: http://www.airforce.com/careers/job.php?catg_id=3&sub_catg_id=2&af_job_id=355

The Federal Government repository of United States governement jobs do not seem to specify a preference for any particular NP specialty, but rather looks for applicants who meet the specialty requirements of specific job postings: http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/jobsearch.asp?sort=rv&vw=d&brd=3876&ss=0&customapplicant=15513,15514,15515,15669,15523,15512,15516,45575&q=nurse+practitioner

Anyone with additional info is welcome to clear things up.

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