VA Licensure Requirement: 500 Clinical Hours??!!

[Nurse!Nurse!Hello?]

I am looking into applying for a VA RN license, since I plan to relocate to Virginia this summer. I have been an RN for 13 years, but the program I graduated from was an associate's degree program. Obviously, there wasn't 500 hours of clinical experience, since it was a 2-year program.

I see that the requirement for licensure in Virgina is 500 hours. Over the past 13 years I have had many thousands of hours working in SNF/LTC settings. Do I need to have my employer verify that I have worked? Is that how I prove to the board that I am worthy of a license? I've been licensed--and worked--in three states, and have never had this type of requirement before. Am I misunderstanding the requirement about this?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

[UVA Grad Nursing]

Definitely contact the Virginia BON. They are the best determinants for the Virginia licensure requirements.

[neko11111]

There is a page on the application that your current employer can fill out for this requirement. I too just submitted my application - still waiting for the license, but it's only been a week..... Good Luck!

[Nurse!Nurse!Hello?]

Thanks. I was just hoping I misunderstood the requirement. I was trying to figure out how many clinical hours I had during the two-year associate's degree program, but it was so long ago I have absoulutely no idea! The 500-hour requirement sounds more in line with a 4-year degree to me. I really don't know, though...

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

You'll be fine. Don't stress about it. That 500-hours-of-clinical-concurrent-with-theory bit was added a couple of years ago, and was aimed at graduates of Excelsior College (who are already healthcare providers and who undergo a rigorous clinical exam, vs. full clinicals). Even Excelsior grads can endorse in with 960 hours of RN practice in another state, so you'll be just fine. :) No worries!

[Nurse!Nurse!Hello?]

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. Guess I should stop worrying about it!