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I'm getting a bit desperate, so I'm trying to see if by any chance anyone here has dealt with this: my RN and ARNP licenses expire 12/31/22 (they were expired and I reinstated them earlier this year). I'm being notified by the BON that I need to renew my license. My BON portal has a red alert saying I need to renew my licenses. However, the "renewal" link is grayed out and not working. I called the BON 4 times last Friday and spent most of 6 hours trying to get this resolved. They kept telling me there is no problem with my account and the problem has to be with my computer. I tried 5 different devices, including a library computer (they said that would be ideal), different browsers, made sure pop ups are enabled and history cleared etc... everything they asked me to do. The last person I spoke to finally gave me an emailed address of a supervisor, but I haven't heard anything back from her yet. I'm getting very worried, because the BON reps were very unhelpful, kept insisting that there is no problem and that they cannot help me, and seems annoyed that I keep calling back. I cannot just not renew my license. Has anyone experienced this specific issue by any chance??

Yes, I kind of wish I'd have done the FNP to begin with. I could do all jobs I'm doing now, plus more. I've been working in some family clinics, and mostly prisons, which I like a lot, but still it limits me in some ways. Still, the thought of now going back to school and doing clinical hours again is not very appealing at all...

No, I don't see kids now, never have as an RN either, except for the brief mandatory pediatric clinical rotation. I now see mostly adults, but also teenager about 12 /13 years and up. The positions I'm curious about require seeing "the whole lifespan", so not only kids, but definitely would require being comfortable with any age group. My fear is mostly based plainly on a lack of experience with young humans :)

I'm an Adult/Geriatric NP. I'm happy with my rule, but sometimes there are some positions I would be quite interested in (including some military positions, but others as well) that require FNP certification. I'm somewhat considering getting a post Master's FNP certificate so I could be considered for those positions, although I'm not thrilled about the idea of going back to completing all the clinical hours and the nightmare of trying to find preceptors. Also, my professional and personal experience with children is very minimal (as in I've never even changed a baby's diaper)... which is why I chose the ANP/GNP path in the first place. Can a few credit hours and clinical training really make me confident to examine and treat a child or counsel a parent who deals with the kids day o in and day out? I know nobody can answer those questions for me, but I'd appreciate any input, especially if they're are other FNPs who had very little experience with children prior to their FNP program.

Thanks, that would be a good idea, however, I didn't mention that I will be abroad much of the time between jobs. So working even occasionally will not be doable with what I'm planning.

I'm a NP and recently started doing locums tenens work. I love the travel aspect and flexibility of it. I don't have a lot of financial needs, so I'm wanting to take between 1-3 months off once or twice a year between jobs to travel, visit family, and other things. I know financially I can afford it. I am a little worried about getting back to a (new!) job after such a long break. I have had a 1 month vacation before starting this current job. I know I'll probably be fine (I'm just a worrier), but I like to feel competent and prepared at a job. I would be interested in hearing from other NPs who have returned to work (especially at another job) after a somewhat longer break. I'm considering reading some medical review stuff during my time off to keep up with things. Any other ideas?

I would love to hear from some correctional NPs who are willing to discuss their experiences (especially from UTMB/TDCJ). I'm not currently working in a correctional setting, but have been very interested in becoming a correctional NP for several years. I really do like my current job and I have a very supportive employer and very reliable staff. Therefore, I really don't want to change jobs unless I'm reasonably sure that I will actually like the new position. Here are some of my questions/concerns: - I genuinely believe that health care professionals in correctional settings should be patient advocates and should provide the best medical care possible with the limited resources available. I have spent some time with a correctional preceptor as a student, and I found that many providers and nurses seemed quite judgmental and lazy. Not getting sued seemed the main concern, and at times the documentation I have seen was downright fraudulent. It could be very frustrating to work in such a setting, and it is hard to provide good health care if one cannot rely that orders are actually getting done. - I also have experience from the "other side" with an incarcerated family member with whom I have experienced at least one huge health care issue that plainly should never have happened and was very difficult to get resolved. This is where part of my passion for correctional health care comes from. If I go into correctional health care, I would truly want to do a good job and advocate for the inmates (at the same time I'm perfectly aware that security is a major concern, and I do respect the rules). However, I'm not sure how this would be received by coworkers, especially if they learn that I have a loved one in prison (at a different prison of course). I'm also afraid I might be perceived as being "too nice" and get taken advantage of my some inmates. Are my concerns justified? Or does it sound like I could be good correctional NP material? If someone would like to PM me to discuss this, I'd appreciate that as well.

Yes, I went ahead and renewed it in the meantime. Although it looked like I needed to submit all the same documents as for the original application, once I managed to talk to someone from CGFNS, I found out I really needed only a verification of my license and an updated transcript. So the online renewal process was very misleading. - Then, before I ever even submitted any documents, I was surprised to get my renewed visa screen in the mail. RNGad2006, 3.5 months from start to finish? The prevailing wage determination alone took about 6 weeks for me. Processing for I-140 is currently around 4 months (although premium processing for an extra $1,225 reduces it to 2 weeks), and I thought for AOS it's about another 5 months.

Thank you for your insights, TraceyMarino. I don't think all drug reps are evil, and I have no problem being polite to them, or even briefly listening to what they have to say about their drug. Having to sit down to lunch and do small talk with them during my break is what I have a hard time with on many levels. The MD at my clinic doesn't seem to mind attending the lunches, and I think the other NP is also going most of the time. Maybe I'll just start skipping more and more lunches here and there and see what happens. I guess I just don't want my employer to interpret it as being rude or antisocial somehow or lacking interest in education (nothing could be further from the truth, which is why I otherwise spend much of my lunch time reading professional articles).

I'm a new NP in a small clinic. We get free lunch from drug reps several times per week. I would prefer not to partake in these lunches for several reasons: - I have ethical concerns about the free lunches from drug reps - The food is rarely anything I owuld consider healthy. Plus, I prefer not to eat a big lunch anyway, since it makes me sleepy in the afternoon. - Lunch really doesn't feel like a break to me if I have to spend it talking to a drug rep. I prefer spending the time quietly in my office, going for a walk, or running an errand. When I stay in the office during lunch-free days, I usually catch up on reading professional journals etc. - much more unbiased eduation than what I can expect from the drug reps. I'm not sure how it would be received if I just wouldn't show up for the lunches. I feel like it might somehow be expected for me to show up. I'd love to hear from other NPs who have individually opted out of free lunches at their clinic, and whether anyone has questioned them about it.

My visa screen certificate will expire in the end of June 2013. I recently started OPT as an NP, and my employer began the process of sponsoring me for a Green Card (currently waiting on the prevailing wage determination). According to my lawyer, I should not have to renew my visa screen, because the process should be complete before it expires (I'm in the ROW category). However, it is still making me nervous, as I would hate for anything to get delayed and then being held up even more due to an expired visa screen. Therefore, I would like to still go ahead and renew it. I repeatedly read online that the renewal does not require as many documents and is a lot easier than the original application. I completed the online application up to the point where I'm supposed to print all the forms, and I just don't see that it asks for any less information. I'm supposed to re-submit all my transcripts (including the foreign ones, which are a pain to get). Is it normal to have to re-submit everything? Or what is usually required for the renewal? I imagines I would just have to provide proof that my RN license is still valid, and maybe proof of the BSN and MSN degrees I did in the meantime. Maybe someone who has done the renewal before can offer some insight. Thanks!

Thank you Meriwhen. Yes, in the meantime I pretty much accepted that I'll just have to keep disclosing it as a misdemeanor conviction if I decide to transfer my license to another state. Getting a lawyer involved to fix it all might be an option, but since this "conviction" is not a big thing anyway, I think it may be less hassle to just disclose it again. Unfortunately it's not easy to even get the required paperwork from abroad, but I will try.

I'm a newly graduated NP in the process of looking for my first NP job in Texas. Recently I was asked by a possible employer about NPI, DEA, DPS, and Medicare numbers, and I'm realized I'm confused about the process of getting these numbers. Can I get any of these numbers on my own before signing a collaborative agreement? I was under the impression I need to have a collaborating physician for all of these. Also, if anyone could clarify the steps/timeline for getting these numbers I would really appreciate it (e.g. what do you need to get first etc.). Thank you!!

Okay, here is my weird/crazy story: I'm a foreign citizen, and when I first applied for my RN license in the US I disclosed a "misdemeanor" that took place abroad, and got a stipulated license for the first few months. Since then, I found out that this "misdemeanor" was never actually even considered a conviction in the country it occurred in, and I'm not considered to have a criminal background abroad. During that original licensure I was confused about the terminology and wanted to be extra safe. Since I had to pay a fine I had assumed it would count as a conviction. Now I'm considering moving to another state and transferring my license. So now I'm debating whether or not to disclose this incident again. I'm certain that if I had not disclosed it originally, it would never have come up. However, I'm afraid that it will come up now when I transfer my license, since I did disclose it to the original Board of Nursing. I would very much prefer to avoid the hazzle of obtaining any documents from abroad regarding this old incident, having them translated, and prolonging the licensure process, especially since as I said my record abroad is indeed clean. I feel like I created a criminal history for myself that I didn't actually have!! Any suggestions?

Thanks, I have emailed them and was told they are waiting for approval from another department before they can process my application. I'm still not sure what exactly that means. So if I don't hear anything else soon, I'll give them a call.

I have passed the NP certification exam and I'm currently waiting for my licensure through the board of nursing in Texas. There is an option on the website where I can check on the status of my application. It says all my documents have been reviewed, and then there is one item listed called "approval to process". I can't figure out if this is an outstanding item, or if it means the process is in the last step. It's not explained on the website (all the other items are defined on a list of possible required documents. I'd also love to know how much longer it might take from here, since I'm just getting very impatient! ;-)

Thank you, Silverdragon!

I'm currently awaiting licensure as an APRN (NP) in Texas. I have completed all my nursing education in the US on a F1 visa (ADN, BSN, and MSN). After my initial licensure as an RN (before I found out about retrogression) I have completed the visa screen process, and my certificate is still valid until July 2013. Now I hope that once I have my APRN license, I will be able to be sponsored by an employee in the E2b ROW category. My question is if I will need to renew my visa screen certificate in order to include my APRN licensure for the sponsoring process, or if my current visa screen certificate is still good for this purpose (assuming I get sponsored before the certificate expires of course). I can't seem to find the answer for this and will greatly appreciate any insights!

Ok, I'm an RN with a BSN, currently still on OPT (F1). My OPT will run out in December 2010, and I've been planning on going on for a Nurse Practitioner. Since all programs I'm interested in seem to start in Fall only, I'd have to give up 4 months of my OPT and to back to school in August. My problem with this plan is that I don't think I really want to be a NP. I love being a staff nurse, but the closer August comes the more I think I really lack the motivation of going on for a Master in Nursing. Maybe I'm not comfortable with the added responsibility or whatever, but I'm just not comfortable with the idea and hate spending my money on a degree I don't "really" want, just to stay here. Here are some alternative thoughts: - make another Bachelor in an unrelated field (I'd also be very interested in equine science) and hope the visa situation will change in the meantime - make a Bachelor or Master in agricultural engineering (it also actually sseems interesting to me) and hope I can then get the GreenCard either with nursing or engineering afterwards. - I might also have an option of switching to a H2A visa and work on a horse ranch for 1-3 years, and again hope the visa situation will change in the meantime - if I run out of other options in a few years, go to Switzerland (I'm a European citizen) to work as a nurse and wait out retrogression there. I would like each of these options a lot more than making my NP. I do hope to work as a staff nurse eventually, but also some things in the agricultural field on the side in some form. How much of a problem would such a break in my employment as a nurse be? I mean, let's say once retrogression is over, would it be a problem that I may not have actively worked as a nurse for 3 years or so? And does anybody have experience with switching from a F1 to H2A visa and back? Not sure how realistic that really is. Sorry for the long post, but maybe someone has any advice or opinion on these choices... I feel sort of stuck and I'd appreciate any suggestions.