Procedure for Getting Licensed in Another State

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I am licensed in NY, and I want to get a Florida license. In reading the internet Forida BON website, there are a few things confusing me that perhaps someone can answer. The Florida BON says that you need to have taken the NYCLEX or their state board test OR you need to have worked in the last two-three years as an RN. I took my licensing exam in 1969. I do not remember what it was called, but obviously I did pass it. Does anyone know what those old licensing exams were called? Were they national or state exams? Would the test I took in NY qualify me to get a Florida license? Although I have not worked for the past two -three years, I did take a refresher RN couse with clinicals within that time period. An organization called Nursys takes care of this. Forida is part of Nursys, but NY is not. Can I still use Nursys? If anyone has been through this process and can offer me any information, websites or advice, thank you. The website isn't too clear. I tried to call them and couldn't get through. I emailed them and haven't heard. Krisssy

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

krisssy. . .I took my state board in California in 1975. It was a two day affair that you just never forget, do you? All the state boards are aware of these older exams as there are many of us still licensed. Since you were in NY you're exam scores are going to be OK. California and NY had the highest required scores on those tests in order to get licensed. I was always told that California and NY nurses never had any problems getting reciprocity because of that. I know that some states have enacted rules that a nurse cannot hold an active license in their state if they haven't been actively employed as an RN in the past certain number of years. Did you look at the Florida nursing law itself? I've had difficulty navigating around the Florida BON site in the past trying to find information. To my way of thinking it's just not a very user friendly site. You might just try placing a telephone call to the board and asking about this current RN experience thing. There's got to be a way to become an active RN without actually having a job at it in their state.

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I moved from MA to NC about 8 1/2yrs ago and all I had to do was show my current license and sign the paperwork.

I too took the 2 day exam....big difference from what they do now!

Cindy

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