Abstract
When you're traveling beyond your state borders to work, make sure you're up-to-date on this important issue.
How many nursing licenses do you need if you live in Arizona but work in New Mexico or travel to assignments in Texas? Thanks to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the answer is one. That's because those states all have implemented the interstate compact, which means they recognize the licenses of nurses in the other states. Here's a brief overview.
Q. How does the interstate compact work?
A. It works much like a driver's license. A nurse who's licensed in, say, Utah could practice in any state that has passed the compact without getting a new license there.
Q. What states have passed the interstate compact?
A. So far, 18 states have entered the nurse licensure compact: Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In addition, New Jersey and New Hampshire have enacted but not yet implemented the compact.
Q. Under the compact, do I need more than one license to practice outside of my home state?
A. If both the state where you live and the state where you practice have passed the interstate compact, you'll need a license only from your home state. If the state where you practice hasn't passed the compact, you'll need a license from that state too.
Q. Does the interstate compact apply to LPNs/LVNs?
A. Yes.
Q. Does the interstate compact apply to advanced practice nurses (APNs)?
A. Not at this time, but an NCSBN task force continues to examine how it could include APNs.
Q. Where can I find out more?
A. Visit the NCSBN's Web site at http://www.ncsbn.org for a map indicating which states have enacted the compact.
Adapted and updated from “What's the state of interstate licensure?” Nursing2004 CareerDirectory, 2004.
