Have you ever considered being a travel nurse, or just
practicing in another state? If so,
maybe it’s time you act on it, and the first step is getting a multi state
license.
NLC
Nurse Licensure Compact or NLC states allow you to use
a multi-state nursing license, and practice nursing in that state without
obtaining a new license within the state. There are some rules and regulations you must go by to obtain multi
state licensing.
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You must legally reside within one of the
states that is an NLC state. Currently
there are 25 NLC states, with more possibly added in the future. You must have a current and active
registered nursing license, or licensed practical nursing license. The license you have must be in good standing
with no limitations.
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You will need to declare a NLC state as
your primary residency state.
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You will need to meet the requirements for
licensing within your state. You will
need to meet the licensure requirements within your state. You must continue to renew your license as
usual, never let your license go without renewing it.
Nurses are required to notify the state they are
practicing in as soon as they are actually residing in the state. Above and beyond meeting the licensure
requirements within your home state, when working in a remote state you should
familiarize yourself with that states laws.
Reasons
for Multi State Licensing
There are some advantages to having a multi-state
license. Travel nurses are in demand,
and working as a travel nurse has some great financial benefits. A travel nurse is paid to travel to a
location other than their home.You are
paid while you travel there, and transportation costs are all covered. Once you arrive at the new location, you will
have a furnished apartment ready for you. The apartments are overall nice apartments with good amenities. You do sometimes have to live with one or two
other people, but roommates are not bad, especially if it’s not your
apartment. The roommates you have will
also be working as traveling nurses, so you will be in similar situations.
All rents are paid, all utilities are pad, so there is
no cost for living in the residence. Work
days and hours are similar to any hospital, so you would most likely have
several off days during a week to visit the new area and enjoy your
surroundings. Working as a travel nurse
will take you to areas that are in need of nurses, so you will be helping to
answer a need. In addition, you may gain
experience that you otherwise would not obtain, a different environment can
have its benefits.
Another reason to have multi state licensing is in case
of a disaster. It would be great to be
able to go to another state and assist in an event such as 9 1 1 or hurricane
Sandy. With 25 states allowing nurses to
practice with NLC licenses, there is a good chance you could assist during a
disaster. Having a multi-state license opens up doors
that may offer advancements in your nursing career. When travels take you to different locations,
it affords you the opportunity of networking, and meeting new people.
One nurse that had been practicing for 5 years decided
to sign up for one year as a travel nurse just for a change of pace. She went to several sites, most are from 6
weeks to 3 months. On her third placement,she was placed in the ICU of a large hospital. She realized immediately that this is exactly where she wanted to be
working. She enjoyed the one on one
patient care of ICU, and the intensity of the work. Before it was time for
her to return home, she was offered a full-time job in the department she had become
so fond of. She accepted and was very
happy with her decision, and for having had the opportunity to work as a travel
nurse and experience a variety of nursing departments.
If you are unsure what area of nursing you are drawn
to, consider a multi-state license that will allow you to find the area you are
most drawn to. For many, this is the
answer to finding the exact career path in their nursing career.
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