question?

P_RN, ADN, RN · Mar 3, 2003

Only the boards of nursing can tell you that. Call them.

SandyB · Mar 3, 2003

some states give you a temp lic until they get all the paperwork done for the real one....I saw Colorado does..ck online.

Good Luck!

dcoxrn · Mar 3, 2003

Unfortunately, in New Jersey, not even the board of nursing can tell you that.

When I applied for endorsement in the fall it took over 8 weeks. I am on a travel nurse forum and some of the nurses there complain that it took almost six months. Out of over a half-dozen states that I have applied to, NJ is one of the worst to work with and the most disorganized.

BTW, they are also very rude when you call.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Good Luck,

Donald

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Donald Cox, RN, BSN, CEN, RCIS

mailto:[email protected]

IM me on AIM or Yahoo! - doncoxrn

http://www.cox-family.org/Donald/

Currently on assignment in New Jersey

But still calling North Carolina home.

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I feel like my wild oats have turned to shredded wheat.

ebeRN · Mar 4, 2003

thanks for your replies...so does any know if they give temporary licenses...i cant find it on their website...

how ironic, theres a shortage and they're not doing their best so that those nurses who want to work cant work yet...

sorry just ranting...

JNJ · Mar 4, 2003

This is exactly the sort of thing we should be bringing to the attention of our state reps. etc. In the majority of states, it is simply unacceptable how long it takes to get another state license. Ten years ago, when I already held current UK, IL and WI licenses, CA took over one year to license me.

CA kept asking for info. from my original training school, over 20 years ago. They received a direct written reply from the London school, stating they had provided it to IL, but had later misfiled it. I called every week for a year, politely, stating I could no longer verify my original training from the source.

Eventually the license just appeared in the mail with no changes ever having been made to my original application and no explanation. I felt like suing for loss of earnings (my husband was relocated to CA and I could not work as an RN. And you know what house prices are like in SoCal.)

Many states continue with this gross inefficiency, knowing a would-be RN dare not rock the boat too much for fear of being denied a license. Some states are now getting together for reciprocal licensure.

Incidentally, whe I needed an WI license (I lived on the IL/WI border), I just walked into the WI BRN offices and walked out with a 3-month license.

When I was applying for an IL license, holding UK licenses, experience etc. I was made to take NCLEX (not much problem with that) but also take TOEFL - a test of English as a foreign language because I am a foreign graduate. Huge fees to do this and the test was held 90 miles away. I'm English for goodness sake! I wrote saying I thought it was a mistake. No mistake. I got a perfect score on TOEFL. Does it make me a great communicator - no.

As RNs begin to need licensure in many states (think of telephone call center RNs) we need to work on this aspect of the nursing shortage.

Repat · Mar 4, 2003

Well, I, too, have had problems with licensure! I think that Washington, DC would hold the record for the worst organized, but they seem recently to have gotten better. The best of my 4 licenses? Massachusetts. The BON were extremely helpful. The worst, and rudest, though, were the UK authorities when I attempted to become licensed there. I had to have the director of nursing, the medical director, my supervisor and two colleagues write a two page questionnaire, plus sign forms that attested that I could speak English (I mean, I'm American for goodness sake!). They also required my nursing school to complete an extensive form - transcripts were not acceptable. That took forever. Finally, I was offered a studentship to work nights for 5000 pounds (about $7000 then). I was coming from holding a BSN and working as a charge nurse in Colorado ($35,000). Of course, this was a while ago, and perhaps their nursing shortage has changed things by now! I know they are actively recruiting in India and the Phillippines, so they may have become a bit more understanding of foreign graduates.

dcoxrn · Mar 4, 2003

Some good news in all of this is the Nurse Licensure Compact. There are currently 14 states participating and hopefully more to come. It is a slow start but a beginning none-the-less.

This really helps me as my primary license is in NC. Unfortunately if I want to work in a non-compact state, I have to go through the same ole hoops.

Check out:

http://www.ncsbn.org/public/nurselicensurecompact/nurselicensurecompact_index.htm

Donald

Disablednurse · Mar 4, 2003

Mississippi issued multistate licenses this renewal, I noticed. That is great, but I wish I knew which other states are multistate licensed. If anyone knows, let me know. I looked on the web, but did not see this info.

dcoxrn · Mar 4, 2003

Check out http://www.ncsbn.org/public/nurselicensurecompact/mutual_recognition_state.htm

The map is great.

ebeRN · Mar 8, 2003

I'm so fraustrated already... i really want to work but its taking forever to get my license... when i apply they tell me to wait for my license to come in... or i could work as a nurse assistance... i really dont want to work as a nurse assistance when i worked my @$$ of to be a RN...

can u guys give me some useful advice please!

psychonurse · Mar 8, 2003

It is nice to see that Arizona has became a state on the compact. They use to be really hard to get a liscense from had to have your paperwork to them and it had to be perfect and it had to be there at the right time or you had to wait another 6 months to get your liscense. But of course I am in a state that isn't in the compact as of yet. Maybe in my spare time I will try to work on that with the BON.