Endorsement & Temporary Practice Permit in PA - timeframe?

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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I'm a NJ RN and I've applied for endorsement in PA with a temporary practice permit.

I sent in all the paperwork, check, paid nursys to verify my license, and my school sent my official transcript to the board. The PA board should receive everything in the mail by Monday.

Anyone know approximately how long this process takes? I have an interview next week, and if all goes well, they would want me to start on April 8th. But I need to have my TPP for PA to start orientation. I'm hoping I can go to the interview and be able to say "I should have it by then."

I know the NJ BON is notoriously slow, but if you are persistent with calling/emailing or if you show up in person, they'll issue your license. Is PA like this too?

I applied for my license via reciprocity on March 24th. Sent in my application, fee and then did the required

child abuse education. Had my college send out transcripts that same day too. It's April 23 now and a few

items are still marked as "unchecked". Of course, the fee is checked as is the mandatory education. I

send an email to the PA nursing board making sure I didn't forget anything and I received an automatic

reply that says they will evaluate everything sent in 20 business days from the date that "all material" is

received. I did not apply for the TPP as my job won't begin until mid June. I'll update this thread once

I get my license.

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Hi PingoRN-

I'm in the same boat now... How long did it take you?

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I applied for my PA RN license by endorsement as I am moving from New Orleans to Philadelphia in a couple months. I applied on April 4th and have not heard anything, I am starting to get a little nervous. Anyone know why it is taking so long?

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Hello, I am in the same boat. I applied for endorsement from NY to PA on April 12, finished the Child Abuse module April 26 but still haven't heard back.

Salemer, Where are you seeing certain parts of the application are unchecked? When I log into the Penn Licensing System, www.pals.pa.gov/#/page/login , I just see that my license is pending. Am I looking in the wrong place? Thanks.

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MedSurgRN14-

Click on the left where it says checklist. That should bring pop a box that says application, fee, transcripts (a few different things.) The only two things checked off out of 7 is the fee and something else. Glad I went back and applied for the TPP. I got that in the mail about a week ago. Still no license though and I applied on 3/24. I did call the PA BON and they said they were experiencing a backlog! Good luck.

ps- I logged in using the mylicense sign in where you have to log on using a name and password. Try that.

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I applied 3/24 and still nothing. Apply for the TPP (temp work permit). I applied for that in the end of April and just received my permit in the mail about a week ago. I called the BON and was told they are backlogged and it'll be longer than expected. Hope that helps!

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Hi all,

I applied for my PA license through endorsement on 4/1/2017. Unfortunately, at the time I did not realize I needed to send my school transcripts as well (first state license I've applied for via endorsement that has required them despite not being a new grad)-- I requested those on 4/27 putting me even further behind :( . I did call the BON last week, they told me it would be about 10 business days from the time they receive the transcripts before they review the application due to high demand.

I got impatient and applied for a TPP. Does anyone know whether major hospitals will look at your job application if you only have a PA TPP?

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Thank you Salemer for the info! I realized that I was only looking at the PA licensing website (Bad Request), not the the mylicense website. I was able to log in and most of my stuff is not filled in. I spoke with someone last week and they said it takes at least 6 weeks for them to process applications. When I asked if anything was missing, they said they don't know since they haven't evaluated my application yet. I will call again to check. I didn't get the TPP because I didn't think it would take this long.

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Salemer,

Have you received your PA nursing license yet? I am in a similar situation. I applied 3/27 and have yet to have anything on my application checked besides the fee and the continuing education.

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@Heartaflutter, I don't think TPP should be an issue when applying for jobs. It just authorizes you to practice until you receive your license. It's like driving with a temporary driver's license until you get the permanent one in the mail.

Update: I called the BON/PA licensing dept again. Now they are saying that endorsements are taking 6-7 weeks. So each time I call, they extend the timeframe. I was told my application is just "waiting to be evaluated" (but on the checklist, only the fee and CE are filled out, everything else is "unchecked" even though I already completed them). She said my license should be endorsed "any day now" and to keep checking the website. She then transferred me to the endorsement dept but after 15 mins of holding, the system said "no one is available to take your call." I left my number for a call-back. Still waiting to hear from them.

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MedSurgRN14,

I too have called the PA BON. I have been told similar things, that I just have to wait and it will be reviewed soon. I was transferred to Endorsement and waited on hold for 35 minuted before it told me no one was able to answer my call, let a call back and haven't heard back either. I am running out of patience, I have interviewed for a position and I believe they wish to extend an offer but I worry they will not until I have my PA license.

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@evemarie, just received a call back from the endorsement dept. It is now taking 2 months for licenses to be endorsed. She said that the other option would be to get the TPP because that is evaluated quicker, after 5-10 days. If you need to start work asap, I would get the TPP. It's more money but if you think you have a good shot at a job offer, and do not want to have the position offered to someone else, do the TPP. In NY, I was not offered a job until I had the license #-- once I had it, HR moved things along quite quickly.

Endorsement closes at 5 pm, so you may not get a call back today. Hopefully, they will call you tmr. :-/

In re to my application, she said only the computer can identify the fee and CEs as being completed. Everything else must be manually verified and checked off by a person. I am guessing that since its close to graduation time, they may also be processing the paperwork for new grads.

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