Nursing Compact States 2023 (2023)

FAQs

How many states are compact nursing states? ›

What states can I work in with a Nurse Compact license? These are the 37 states and two U.S. territories that have passed eNLC legislation and belong to the compact. *Guam has partial implementation. This means nurses with active multi-state NLC licenses can practice in Guam.

Alaska, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island and Washington have pending legislation to join the Nursing Licensure Compact states, according to the NCSBN. California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon do not participate and do not have pending legislation.

California does not plan to join the new compact, largely because of concern about maintaining state training and quality standards. The state, like many others, already requires nurses to undergo background checks. Washington, Oregon and Nevada are among the other states that do not accept the multistate license.

These states are: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Nurse Licensure Compact. The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allows nurses to have one license to practice in multiple states. There are currently 38 jurisdictions that have enacted NLC legislation open_in_new, meaning they recognize the multi-state license or have such legislation pending.

Compact State Nursing License Requirements

To be eligible to apply for a compact license, you must meet two important requirements: Your primary state of residence must be a participating member of the NLC. You must have a current nursing license that's in good standing.

Florida is a member of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). The eNLC allows a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse licensed in a Compact state to practice across state lines in another Compact state without having to obtain a license in the other state.

Nevada is not a member of the nurse compact, but nurses who are licensed in other U.S. states can apply for license by reciprocity. Candidates who have never been licensed in any state must apply by examination.

RN to BSN Graduates

California will be adding the newest positions by 2030 – more than 110,000 – but is still estimated to be more than 40,000 nurses short. Likewise, Texas, New Jersey, South Carolina, Alaska, Georgia, and South Dakota are all projected to experience shortages in registered nurses.

Which state has highest RN salary? ›

Highest-paying states for registered nurses

California tops our list of the highest-paying states, where registered nurses make $124,000 per year on average. Following it is Hawaii, at $106,530, and Oregon at $98,6300.

The highest-paying states by median NP salary are California ($151,830), Hawaii ($111,070), Oregon ($99,410), Alaska ($99,910), and Washington ($96,980). The lowest-paying states are South Dakota ($60,540), Alabama ($61,920), Mississippi ($63,130), Iowa ($64,990), and Arkansas ($65,810).

Can California nurses get a compact license? California is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact.

If you are an active working nurse in a compact state, and California passes SB 1053 to join the Nurse Licensure Compact, you will be able to work in California using the same multi-state license you already have; no need to spend the time and money acquiring a single-state license.

California is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows nurses in more than 30 states in the compact to work across state lines without getting an additional license. Nurses with a compact state license will still need to apply for California RN licensure by endorsement.

An interstate compact is a contract between two or more states. It carries the force of statutory law and allows states to perform a certain action, observe a certain standard, or cooperate in a critical policy area.

New York is a non-compact state, meaning that if you are a nursing professional looking to get an additional license in NY, you must be granted a license “by endorsement” by the New York State Education Department.

You must be licensed in the state in which you are living, and you can't have nursing licenses in more than one state at a time.

Is Texas RN license multistate? ›

Texas is one of the states that participates in the Nurse Licensing Compact, and if you have an active Texas nursing license, you essentially are granted “multi-state” licensure.

How long does it take to get my permanent nursing license? The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) staff has a target of 15 business days from the date the last item needed is received to review and, if approved, to submit an endorsement application for a license to be issued, then for the license to be issued.

Hawaii is Not a Compact State

This means that RNs must obtain a license by examination, endorsement, renewal, or reinstatement to practice nursing in Hawaii.

Nurse Licensure Compact: Multistate RN/LPN License Holders Can Work in Florida. Click here for Compact Information and a map of current Compact states.

A nurse with a single out of state license may begin employment once the following have been completed: Satisfactory evidence of current licensure in another state or territory. The nurse's licensure status can be verified in another state through Nursys at nursys.com/Default.aspx.

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The state of Nevada is close to hitting a critical point in health care as the shortage of nurses continues to get worse. Diego Trujillo, the President & CEO of the Las Vegas Health Care says we are about 5,000 nurses short and on the verge of emergency action.

A completed application submitted via the Nevada Nurse Portal, including a fee of $95 (LPN) $105 (RN) (MasterCard™, Visa™, Discover™, or AmericanExpress™ debit or credit card). Fees are not refundable.

Tennessee is a member of the nurse license compact.

Nurses who hold residence and licensing in other compact states do not need a Tennessee license to practice there unless they switch their primary residency.

Where do the happiest nurses work? ›

One of the happiest nursing jobs is a position as an office nurse. Nurses who work in a physician or other outpatient office provide direct care to patients for chronic or non-urgent conditions.

What type of RN is most in demand? All RNs are in demand more than other occupations. The BLS projects 6% job growth for all RNs between 2021 and2031, compared to 5% job growth for all occupations. Some specialties that are in especially high demand are neonatal nursing, surgical nursing, and critical care nursing.

Cardiac nurse practitioners are well-compensated for their specialized skills and training. According to Salary.com, cardiac nurse practitioners earn an annual salary* of about $116,000 or over $55 per hour. Cardiac nurse practitioners in the 90th percentile of earners can expect to bring home $131,000 per year and up.

4. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. Position description: To become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), you must be an RN ready to take on more of a leadership role in patient care. While RNs often focus on implementing a plan of care, APRNs focus on directing a plan of care.

Because of their many duties, which range from assessing patients' conditions, administering drugs to educating families and the community, it's no wonder why nurses get paid so much. Graduating from nursing school also takes a lot of hard work, which is why nurses are deserving of more compensation.

According to the report, the average pay for travel nurses in Florida had the biggest decrease out of every state, 41% lower than pay in August 2021. The report says this change is primarily due to the shift from travel to permanent nursing and fewer federal dollars for hospitals for large travel contracts.

To qualify for endorsement (reciprocity) into California as an RN, you must hold a current and active RN license in another state, U.S. territory, or Canada, have completed an educational program meeting all California requirements, and have passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN®) or the State ...

What is the difference between state license and compact license? ›

There is no difference between a compact license and a multistate license. This terminology is used interchangeably to reference the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) license that allows a nurse to have one license, with the ability to practice in all NLC compact states.

Drivers age 18 and over have no time restriction for using an out-of-state license in California. They may continue to drive as long as: They are not California residents, and. Their license remains valid in their state of residence.

California does not plan to join the new compact, largely because of concern about maintaining state training and quality standards. The state, like many others, already requires nurses to undergo background checks. Washington, Oregon and Nevada are among the other states that do not accept the multistate license.

Some states have not adopted the compact because they feel that there are still gaps that remain especially concerning criminal background checks. This means that if you hold a compact nursing license and want to work in a state that does not participate in the compact, you do not have the option of working there.

The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) is a nationally recognized, multi-state agreement that allows nurses to use their license to practice not only in their home state, but in all 34 states that have enacted the compact.

Registered nurses in Texas earn an average of $79,120 per year (or $38.04 per hour). Texas registered nurses earn 4% lower than the national average salary for RNs, at $82,750 (or $39.78 per hour).

If they fail, they'll need to wait 45 days before retesting. After failing three times, though, they'll need to complete a board-approved remediation program before the next retake. Candidates have six attempts to pass in total.

State boards of nursing oversee all administrative aspects of nurse licensing for each state. All 50 states, including the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands, have individual boards of nursing.

California tops the list with an estimated 44,500 deficit in registered nurses, nearly three times the deficit in the next shortest state. Texas, New Jersey, and South Carolina will lack more than 10,000 RNs; Alaska, Georgia, and South Dakota will each be short several thousand.

Is New York a compact nursing state? ›

New York is a non-compact state, meaning that if you are a nursing professional looking to get an additional license in NY, you must be granted a license “by endorsement” by the New York State Education Department.

Hawaii is Not a Compact State

At this time, Hawaii is not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. This means that RNs must obtain a license by examination, endorsement, renewal, or reinstatement to practice nursing in Hawaii. All of this can be done through the Hawaii Board of Nursing.