Should I place my license as inactive?

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 22, 2015

I would never place my license in inactive status. What would happen if you need to change jobs? You'd have to wait for the license to come through as active again, which considering the speed with which many BONs work, is going to take a fair amount of time.

setsuna92 · Dec 22, 2015

But then what am I to do when I have to renew? Do I just do my CE online? Aren't I required to be performing nursing tasks and skills?

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Dec 22, 2015

You only have to have the CEU requirements. I wouldn't do inactive, like someone else said, if something comes up

and you need to prove licensure then it can take some time.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Dec 22, 2015

You are not required to work as a nurse to maintain a valid, active nursing license. DO NOT place it on inactive status. What if you needed a nursing job in a hurry?

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Dec 22, 2015

Do on-line CE's

AJJKRN · Dec 22, 2015

Become a member of a nursing specialty organization to keep up with nursing trends, EBP, and CE's (they're usually free with membership) by joining AMSN or ACCN.

Everline · Dec 24, 2015

Keep your license active. CEUs can be done online.

mercurysmom · Dec 24, 2015

Never, ever, ever, ever place a professional license on inactive status or let it lapse. Even if you're extremely ill with a poor prognosis. Yes, I'm serious. There are several people who post on AN who have stories similar to mine.

I have a progressive neuromuscular disease. In 2007, I was discharged home with Hospice care, and the plan was a terminal vent wean. The outcome is pretty obvious. Yep, I weaned from the vent, was decannulated and returned to NIV. Was discharged from Hospice. Went back to school. Started a business. Eight years past my "expiration date," I'm still going strong.

However, I ran into trouble that has cost me quite a bit of time, money, and aggravation. My teaching license was up for renewal, and I let it lapse. I received my teaching license in 1994, right before my state changed their licensure rules, including multiple licensure exams and a mandatory M.Ed. within 5 years of "provisional licensure" after passing the exams. I have to take six separate licensure exams to get back to where I was before my license lapsed. I'm extremely fortunate that my RN license wasn't up for renewal and that I had been keeping up with CEU's. If my nursing license had lapsed or had been placed on inactive status, there's no way I would have been able to complete any type of clinical assessment due to my health issues and physical disabilities.

One aspect of my job is presenting interdisciplinary Continuing Ed workshops. I don't know if I'd have the credentials to do this without my RN license and the initials behind my name. Even though I'm plugging away at my MTEL exams to get my teaching license back, I don't think I'd win too many bids for contracts if All I could say was "I'm a really great nurse, even though I don't have a license anymore, and I'm a teacher, too...I just have to take a couple more licensure exams...but I'll do a great job at your conference. Trust me!" [emoji6]

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Dec 24, 2015

What does your state require? My state doesn't require CEU's, so no worries there. I wouldn't place my license on inactive just because you aren't CURRENTLY working as a nurse.

But then what am I to do when I have to renew? Do I just do my CE online? Aren't I required to be performing nursing tasks and skills?

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Dec 24, 2015

Maybe not. Not every state requires this!!

You only have to have the CEU requirements. I wouldn't do inactive, like someone else said, if something comes up
and you need to prove licensure then it can take some time.

setsuna92 · Dec 29, 2015

Yea I was iffy about this. I heard that activating a license again would require taking a refresher course with many hours. But I was on the fence about it since I'm not really practicing nursing. But thanks! This has helped.me a lot. :)