Question for Military wives who are RNs

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My boyfriend is in the Marine Corps and this fall we are planning to get married. :) Next spring I am due to start nursing school. He doesn't know where he will be stationed yet, but we are originally from California. If he is stationed in another state and I get my RN license in that state, how hard would it be when I return to California to get licensure there? Also, I've heard that if someone gets licensed in California it is easier to get licensed in other states versus going from the other state to California. Is that true? Anyone here have any first hand experience with relocation in the military being an RN. Thank you for any advice you can give me. :)

~Stacy

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

:balloons: hello stacy! welcome aboard allnurses! :)

[color=#4b0082]i am licensed in california and quite a few other states since i've done many travel nurse contracts over the years. i personally have never had a difficult time obtaining licensure from state to state. once you have a nursing license, and you move to another state (or you know you are moving to another state), call the board of nursing in the state you are moving to and ask for a packet for licensure by endorsement. the board will mail you the packet. or, go online to the board of nursing website of the state you want to move to, and request your packet there.

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[color=#4b0082]don't worry about moving around once you become a military wife. i've been there and done that, also. if you work for the military hospitals as a civilian nurse, all you need is one active nursing license from any state to work for those facilities.

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[color=#4b0082]best of luck to you in your pursuit of nursing, and in your upcoming wedding! :)

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the only thing i would add to what's already been said: be careful about signing contracts, once you become a nurse. if you have to get up and move because the military moves your man, you will either have to a) break your contract, or b) stay while he moves. also, some sign-on bonuses may have to be paid back if you break a contract. read the fine print, and don't sign anything until you are sure.

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Don't worry about moving around once you become a military wife. I've been there and done that, also. If you work for the military hospitals as a civilian nurse, all you need is one active nursing license from any state to work for those facilities. /QUOTE]

Really?! I did not know this. I have had to do endorsements five times since being married to my hubby. I haven't worked at a military facility as a nurse. We are now going to be PCSing to San Antonio, and I was considering working at Wilford Hall. Does that mean I can use any of my other five active licenses and not go through the endorsement process for TX? That would be GREAT!! I will have to look into this.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

The military facility thing (where you only need a license from any state) is usually only overseas. At least when I worked in Nevada and Indiana, I was required to have those states' licenses. However, I worked overseas with a stateside license. Good luck.

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The military facility thing (where you only need a license from any state) is usually only overseas. At least when I worked in Nevada and Indiana, I was required to have those states' licenses. However, I worked overseas with a stateside license. Good luck.

That makes sense. If you are overseas, there is not a license to get, so you can use a stateside license. If I am in TX at Wilford Hall, I am practicing in that state, so I would imagine I would have to have a TX license. I thought it sounded too good to be true! :o

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

The only exceptions would be so-called Compact States. There are a handful of states in which your license for one is good in another. See the following website for information, but as always, Check with the State BON to see what, specifically, you need to do to secure licensure in that state. I, being a military wife, have not had great problems with obtaining licensure in a new state. Being an RN was desireable to me, in part, due to its "portability" in my moves with my military spouse.

http://www.ncsbn.org/nlc/rnlpvncompact_mutual_recognition_state.asp

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I am getting ready to move to TX. Even though Virginia is a compact state (where I live now) as is TX, I still have to go through the endorsement process to get a TX license. The reason is that you MUST carry a license for your "home state" with the compact act, which is defined as your legal address and where you reside. Since I will reside in TX and not in VA any longer, I can't work under my Virginia license any longer than thirty days once I am living in TX. I have to apply for endorsement in TX, which will be my new "home state".

If I still lived in Virginia and did a travel assignment in TX, I could work under my Virginia license (since they are both compact states) because I still actually lived in Virginia. But once I change my legal address, I have to have that state's license, which becomes my new home state.

I have been dealing with this for the last three months :smackingf to get ready to work in TX when we move. The compact act really doesn't apply if you are actually moving to the state you want to work in.

http://www.ncsbn.org

Under RN and LP/VN Compact Rules

Article 2c

"A nurse changing primary state of residence, from one party state to another party state, may continue to practice under the former home state license and multi-state licensure priviledge during the processing of the nurse's licensure application in the new home state for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days".

(Statutory basis: Articles 4B,4C, and 4D[1])

PAIN IN THE NECK!!! :)

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
The military facility thing (where you only need a license from any state) is usually only overseas. At least when I worked in Nevada and Indiana, I was required to have those states' licenses. However, I worked overseas with a stateside license. Good luck.

No, that is not true. When working in a military hospital, a civilian nurse is only required to have an active nursing license regardless of what state that license is in. I know because I worked many years as a Department of the Army Civilian Nurse. Whether the hospital is in the states or overseas, as long as you are applying to work for a military hospital....you are good to go as long as you have a nursing license from some state that is active and in good standing. It is unnecessary to obtain a nursing license in every state one moves to WHEN working in a military hospital.............if you work in a civilian hospital, that is when you need that states own nursing license by endorsement. :)

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
That makes sense. If you are overseas, there is not a license to get, so you can use a stateside license. If I am in TX at Wilford Hall, I am practicing in that state, so I would imagine I would have to have a TX license. I thought it sounded too good to be true! :o

Again, not true. If you work in ANY military hospital, you only need one active nursing license in good standing from ANY state. :)

If you want to work at Wilford Hall -- which is a military hospital -- you do NOT need to apply for a TX nursing license. Your VA nursing license is sufficient. :)

However...if you want to work in a civilian hospital in TX, that is when you will need a TX license.

We were stationed in TX a few years ago..in San Antonio...nice city...hot and muggy...allergic to everything...had to take allergy meds DAILY to survive there.

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

check out this website for more direct information. :)

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pixel.gifdepartment: department of the armyagency: army medical command job announcement number:

md-dhl-05-3458 usajobs_vacancyann_off_nav_01.gifusajobs_vacancyann_off_nav_02.gifusajobs_vacancyann_on_nav_03.gifusajobs_vacancyann_off_nav_04.gifusajobs_vacancyann_off_nav_05.gifusajobs_vacancyann_off_nav_06.gifusajobs_vacancyann_off_nav_07.gifpixel.gifpixel.gif

usajobs_vacancyann_nav_back.gif clinical nurse

qualifications required:click on link below to view qualification standard.

[color=#0000c4]general schedule

  • qualification requirements:

    registration: applicants must have active, current registration as a professional nurse in a state, district of columbia, the commonwealth of puerto rico, or a territory of the united states.

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    Again, not true. If you work in ANY military hospital, you only need one active nursing license in good standing from ANY state. :)

    If you want to work at Wilford Hall -- which is a military hospital -- you do NOT need to apply for a TX nursing license. Your VA nursing license is sufficient. :)

    However...if you want to work in a civilian hospital in TX, that is when you will need a TX license.

    We were stationed in TX a few years ago..in San Antonio...nice city...hot and muggy...allergic to everything...had to take allergy meds DAILY to survive there.

    cheerfuldoer, this is VERY exciting news for me. If I don't have to go through yet another endorsement, I will be a happy camper. I am in talks with someone at Wilford Hall right now. She knows I am a military wife, but she did not mention this. I have an email out to her and hope to hear from her tomorrow. I have never worked at a military facility as a nurse, so it never came up.

    I will proabably get a TX license just to know I can go anywhere to work. But, if I do accept a position there, it is great to know I don't have to go through the endorsement process until I am ready.

    Thanks so much for the information!!!!

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