Retaking NCLEX For Licensure In Another State

[Rn198801]

Hi, probably a silly question but I let my license lapse in another state as I am currently working in another state. Anyway, I’d like to reinstate my license there but apparently I have the choice to either do 160 hours of clinicals in addition to cue’s which would not be a problem if I wasn’t so busy working full time. So the other option is to retake NCLEX. Of course I passed it when I took it before my license now 10 years ago, but if I were to not pass the NCLEX could my current license be revoked?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Have you been working as a nurse? This requirement seems odd if so... most are simply able to apply for licensure by endorsement when holding a license in another state. There may be some requirements for specific types of CEU, but not the clinical requirement.

[Rn198801]

Yes, the whole time I have been employed! It is such a weird requirement…

[jobellestarr]

I would recheck that. If you’ve been working and not let your current license lapse in the state you are working in, you should just be able to reinstate it. I’d call the BON to get clarification. 

[chare]

I agree with both posts above.  I'm curious, which state are you licensed in, and which state are you trying to reactivate your license in?

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

What state is this, so we can look it up?

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Never heard of such a requirement in any state. As long as you've been actively working as a licensed nurse in any state it's generally a pretty easy process to apply for licensure by endorsement. Your work hours fills that clinical hours/experience requirement. In a state that requires CEU's they would expect you to maintain necessary CEU's but not expect you to have that requirement fulfilled prior to issuing the license. 

You should not even need to apply for licensing by endorsement though as this is a state you have previously been licensed in and simply let that license expire due to non-use. Same thing happened to me. I live on a state border and one of the states is non-compact so I maintained a license in both states. After a few years I let my secondary license expire because I wasn't using it so why continue to pay for it?  Several years later I needed an active  license in that state and all I needed to do was pay a minimal fee for renewing an expired license.  My primary state doesn't have a CEU requirement while my secondary state does, all I had to do was check a box on the online renewal application agreeing to maintain required CEU's. 

As far as retaking the NCLEX, I doubt you'd even be able to as you already passed that test and hold a nursing license. I admit I'm not positive on the policy there but it makes about zero sense for an actively licensed nurse to take the licensing exam. This is why every state has a process for licensure by endorsement. I can see a state that has a higher clinical hours requirement than the state you are licensed in might expect a new graduate with no clinical experience to gain enough clinical hours or clinical experience through work to meet their clinical hours requirement but that wouldn't apply in your case as you are working and that should fulfill any clinical hours requirement.

[greener22, BSN, MSN, RN]

Call the BON in the state you wish to live to and ask for reinstatement. Pay the fee and then complete any CEUs but they won’t ask for those up front. Not hard