If you’re a nurse who wants to work in other states, you can obtain a special license called a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC allows you to work in other states, including throughout the Southeast, without having to apply for licensure in that specific state. Here’s how that works.
The NLC is open to RNs and LPNs who reside in a state that already recognizes the multi-state licensure. With an NLC, RNs and LPNs can practice in multiple participating states with a single license. That includes all the states within the southeastern US, and many others.
How to Get Licensed to Work in Multiple States
Obtaining your NLC is fairly easy as long as you have established primary residency in a state that recognizes the Nurse Licensure Compact. That means that’s the state in which you vote, maintain a legal address, are licensed to drive, or have a state-issued ID card with your address.
After your legal residency is established, your eligibility must be confirmed. Your NLC requires verifying that you hold a current and active license with no disciplinary action. You must have graduated from a board-approved nursing program, passed your NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN exam, and submitted to a fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check.
Once you’ve completed the eligibility requirements, you are ready to apply for your license to work in multiple Southeast states, as well as many others. First, visit your home state’s Board of Nursing website and fill out the required information to begin applying for your NLC. If you already hold a single state license in a state that recognizes the compact license, simply apply to upgrade, pay the required fee, and await confirmation from your Board of Nursing.
As we mentioned, all of the states in the Southeast recognize the NLC. Unfortunately, if your primary residence is in one of the seven states that don’t recognize the NLC, you can’t obtain a multi-state license. In that event. You’ll need to obtain a license from each state you want to work, even if that state is a compact license state.
Who Benefits from A Nursing Licensure Compact?
There are several nursing scenarios in which a compact license is beneficial. The most obvious nurse who benefits from an NLC is a travel nurse. They move locations quite often and sometimes for short stints, so applying for licensure in every state they work seems inefficient. With a compact license, they have increased job opportunities and can begin working right away. Here are some additional nurses who benefit from multi-state licensure:
- Telehealth Nurses: A telehealth nurse frequently provides virtual care to patients across state borders. The NLC allows them to practice legally, as long as the patient is in a compact state.
- Nurses Working on State Borders: There are many times when healthcare facilities work with patients in neighboring states. The NLC allows nurses to work with patients from other states without having to maintain that state’s licensure.
- Nurses Who Frequently Relocate: Nurses who relocate often, perhaps due to their partner’s job or being a military spouse, can practice in other compact states with their NLC. This makes it easy to begin working after relocating.
- Healthcare Organizations: By working with an agency that has many nurses with NLC status, healthcare organizations gain access to a bigger pool of potential staff. This is very beneficial during emergency surges when staffing gaps are critical.
Should You Apply for An NLC?
If you live in a participating compact state, you should apply for an NLC. With this multiple-state license, you can work in over 40 states, including all of the states in the Southeast. A compact license means:
- Faster Hiring
- Reduced Costs for Licensure from State to State
- Flexibility in Where to Work
- More Career Opportunities
- Rapidly Respond to Disaster Relief
As long as you meet the requirements and the eligibility, you should consider obtaining your NLC. You will have to remember that the laws and rules sometimes vary between states, and it’s your responsibility to be aware of the local rules and laws.
For more on how you can benefit from an NLC and enhance your career, please contact BOS Medical Staffing.
