Nursing School in One State, Taking Boards for Another

Skips, MSN, RN · Jun 3, 2015

Hi!

I was thinking about doing the same thing. I graduated from nursing school in Nebraska, and wanted to move to Michigan to be with family. I changed my mind and ended up taking boards in Nebraska, then...surprise!...fiance got a job in Minnesota. It was really easy to transfer my license.

Also, your teacher is incorrect. The NCLEX is the NCLEX, no matter what state you are in. It is the same test nationwide.

labordude, BSN, RN · Jun 3, 2015

I did this when I graduated. Since Florida is also a member of Nursys, it becomes much easier to verify your license if you ever need to endorse into another state.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jun 3, 2015

Hi,
I have been planning to move to another state immediately after my graduation for some time now (due to my husband's job contracts and relocations). I did an accelerated BSN program in Ohio, and I have signed up and scheduled to take the Florida Nursing Boards.
One professor (and only one) has warned me that since I was taught in Ohio, I will know different things than what they teach in Florida, and the boards will be different, so I need to study more (and that I should't have done that but rather take the Ohio boards and transfer my Ohio license to Florida - it is too late for that now). She suggested that I study the scope of practice for Florida nurses (I also don't know how to find this detailed information) and to take a CE course in Florida Law for nurses.
Has anyone been through this and can they give me some advice from their experience?
Thank you.

Good grief. I think it should be an actual crime when a nursing instructor spouts misinformation like this.

First, and foremost, you aren't taking any "boards", let alone "Florida boards". You are planning to take a national exam, the NCLEX. The "boards" aren't what we do anymore

And about that national exam, as the PP said, as it is a national exam, the questions are geared toward assessing the competency of an entry-level nurse anywhere in the country. When you get to a specific State, and a specific facility within that State, you will need to learn whatever policies and procedures are in place for your workplace.

You can apply to any Board of Nursing (BoN) you wish; you should apply to whatever State you intend to work in first. Gaining an endorsement to that license to work in another State isn't usually much of an issue, either, assuming you have met all the requirements of whatever State catches your fancy next! You never actually "transfer" your license; you have a license as long as you pay the renewal and registration fees as required, and keep up the CEUs. You can have as many licenses (endorsements) as there are States in the Union.

Good luck! :)

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jun 3, 2015

I did this when I graduated. Since Florida is also a member of Nursys, it becomes much easier to verify your license if you ever need to endorse into another state.

No need to use Nursys.com at all, actually; every State BoN has a license verification page on its website. Very easy to get this information from any State in the country :)

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jun 3, 2015

It is a national test. The test is the same what ever state that you take it. You may need to take extra CEUs for a license in Florida, but if you got a license in Ohio and applied for a Florida license, you would still need to take the courses.