Transfering out of Michigan, What transfers where? Where can I find this information?

allnurses Guide · Apr 21, 2013

Travel nurses need a great deal of experience.

westieluv · Apr 21, 2013

Michigan is not a compact state, which doesn't help. If you are not familiar with what a compact state is, in a nutshell, there is a group of states that have a compact with each other where you can work in any of the other compact states immediately (but just temporarily until you get your full licensure in that state) if you have your license in one of the compact states. Here is a list of the current compact states:

http://www.nursetogether.com/list-of-nurse-license-compact-states-

I am a well-seasoned RN of 23 years who has both my Michigan and Ohio licenses and I get a lot of phone calls and emails from travel nursing agencies who are interested in hiring me. They all tell me that they will pay for me to get my license in which ever state I choose to travel to and that some states have some kind of "quick" licensure where you can get a temporary license rather quickly and then get your permanent license once you get to your travel assignment.

Every agency that has contacted me has required acute care nursing experience, and the more the better. So far I have turned down these opportunities because I currently have a per diem position with no weekend or holiday requirement where I can pick and choose when I work and how many hours I want to work and I make $40/hour. I also love our house, which is very spacious. Kind of hard to walk away from that just to live in a studio apartment or extended stay hotel in some far away city with no promise of long term employment.

Once you gain some years of experience in Michigan and can get hired by a travel nurse agency, they will guide you in getting your license in the state where your assignment is. One agency even told me that they would fly me out to California and back to get fingerprinted for the licensing process and then fly me out again once I have my license and am ready to start my assignment. I couldn't even believe that one! It's no wonder healthcare is so expensive, because, of course, expenses like that eventually trickle down from the agency, to the hospital that they contract with, to the consumer.

The pp is correct, and there is a reason why agencies, travel or otherwise, require their nurses to be experienced. I have worked for a nursing agency in the past and currently work for an internal agency within a huge healthcare system. I got a whole four hours of orientation to the facility where I am currently working. Four hours to learn how they do things, how their charting works, where everything is, etc. When I worked for the other agency, I also got four hours of orientation at each of the facilities that I worked at, and it didn't matter if it was a hospital, nursing home, or whatever, you get four hours and you are supposed to be able to wing it. And it's not like the rest of the nursing staff has time to hold your hand or orient you, because they are busy with their own work. This is extremely hard for even a seasoned nurse who has "been around the block a few times" like me. I can't imagine trying to do it as a new grad with little or no experience. Oh, and can I add that the regular staff will often want to dump the worst patients or the most admissions on the agency nurse because they figure that she is making more than they are, so why not. Try doing two or three admissions in a twelve hour shift in a facility where you got four hours of orientation. It's sink or swim time, for sure!

Hang in there, get some local experience, and then the world will be your oyster. : )

westieluv · Apr 21, 2013

Even after that rambling post I'm not sure if I answered your question directly so no, you cannot use your Michigan license in any other state. Wherever you work, you will need to get your license in that state before starting your job there. Again, if Michigan was a compact state, that would be different, but it isn't.

samanthajo23 · Apr 26, 2013

Thank you so much for the information! Sorry I didnt get back quicker. I do remember hearing about the compact states somewhere. Unfortunately Michigan isn't one, so relocation is sounding pretty good. Here in Michigan I'm almost guarenteed a job at our local hospital so I hope to gain experience there and then possibly transfer :)

I really hope the needing of experience holds me back after a few years because I have choosen not to have children specifically to travel.

But thanks for the advice/information!