Why should I have to write the NCLEX after working in the USA for 24 years?

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Let me back up here and explain my situation.

I moved to North Carolina in 1992 after accepting a job offer in Charlotte.

North Carolina has reciprocity with Canada meaning that the state accepted my education- a 3 year RN Diploma program as acceptable to work as an RN in a Level 1 trauma center.

I worked for Carolinas Healthcare for 24 years! I worked in several different areas including a 6 year position in the float pool. I worked every unit in the hospital except L+D , the OR, and the ER.

My husband and business partner bought some businesses in Tennessee so we moved.

I couldn't find a position in my specialty area- Endoscopy right away so I am working as a traveler in NC.

I have found a job close to my home in TN so I applied to get my TN license by endorsement and I was informed that despite ALL my experience , I still have to take the NCLEX!!

TN is in the Compact~~~NC is in the Compact!!

What the heck???

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Wait, you don't mention having taken the NCLEX before -- did you get licensed in NC somehow in 1992 without taking and passing the licensure exam? If you have taken it in the past, I don't know why TN would be telling you now that you have to take it.

The standards for licensure have nothing to do with how many years of experience one has. If TN says it needs you to sit the NCLEX in order to get licensed, that is what you'll have to do (unless you just happened to speak to some whackadoodle at the BON who doesn't know what s/he is talking about, but that seems like a long shot).

Is there something you're leaving out of the story? This doesn't make sense to me as you've written it.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Elkpark: She is saying she never took NCLEX because North Carolina has reciprocity with Canada and accepted her Canadian license. Now she wants to practice in Tennessee ... and the Tennessee BON is saying she has to take NCLEX. She had assumed there would be no problem because both US states are compact states.

That's an interesting situation, Dodgern. I am sorry that is happening to you. I would check with a lawyer familiar with the Tennessee Nursing Regulations, just to be sure, but it may be that this particular type of situation is not covered by the compact agreement. If that's the case, you'll have to either take the NCLEX or limit your nursing practice to North Carolina.

Good luck to you.

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Elkpark: She is saying she never took NCLEX because North Carolina has reciprocity with Canada and accepted her Canadian license. Now she wants to practice in Tennessee ... and the Tennessee BON is saying she has to take NCLEX. She had assumed there would be no problem because both US states are compact states.

Well, you learn something new every day. I've spent most of my career in NC and have never of this before. There's nothing on the BON website about reciprocity with Canada nowadays. I wonder exactly when that was in force.

I can't imagine this would be covered by the compact. If you move from one compact state to another, you have to apply for licensure in the new state, and you have to meet the requirements of the new state.

Best wishes, OP.

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As a Canadian that has dual citizenship, one learns right away in the USA there is no true "united" of "states" when it comes to regulations, they all differ. have you reached out to the new State and talked to a human? The few Cdn RNs I know ( I did my training in the USA) all had to take NCLEX prior to working in the USA. GL

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As a Canadian that has dual citizenship, one learns right away in the USA there is no true "united" of "states" when it comes to regulations, they all differ. have you reached out to the new State and talked to a human? The few Cdn RNs I know ( I did my training in the USA) all had to take NCLEX prior to working in the USA. GL

Yes....I talked to many humans. ...

The best they could do was take the funds I paid for Licensure by Endorsement and use it to pay for the License by Examination application.

I think that happened because there is nothing on the application site that says you have to have written the NCLEX in order to get a TN nursing license.

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for that BUT I am still more than a little perturbed over the whole situation.

The lovely Nursing reps did rush the email with my ATT approval so I am booked in for July 27th. That is my wedding anniversary date. ....that 3wks after I start my new job. That will leave me 14 days to retake it IF I fail . My 30 days of working under my NC license will be up then.

Thanks for all the support. ..

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
That will leave me 14 days to retake it IF I fail . My 30 days of working under my NC license will be up then..

Just a heads up that it doesn't work that way. You have to wait 45 days between takes. You won't be able to retake at all before the job starts if you fail. Please do prepare yourself- you're going to have to be careful about real world nursing vs NCLEX nursing. I found that out as an OR nurse, taking the practice Periop101 exam. Stuff I should know, but the difference between how I've been taught to practice vs. how AORN wants nurses to practice...

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Thanks for explaining that to her. :)

I may try to help any other RNS in the future who find themselves in my situation. I would like to see a new precedent set up so they won't have to write the NCLEX in order to get a TN nursing license if they have to relocate the same way as I did. ...especially if they have similar years of working in the USA as me.

I'm studying now. ... Management of Care was not covered back in late 1980s. ... smh ;)

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Take a look at the NCLKEX forum here.....and I think the popular resource is now Uworld..... I have been told NCLEX was way different than the Cdn RN exam (which they now do NCLEX) GL

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Just an update~~~~I took the exam on July 27th (my wedding anniversary ;) ).....................

PASSED IT!!!!! I was worried knowing that I was going to have to put my nursing career on hold for 45 days if I didn't pass it.

Thanks for the replies and the support all.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Congratulations! That must be a huge release. Good luck with the new job.

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