Mutual recognition eases nurses' work across states
Requires license in home state and compliance in others
New Hampshire has become the 20th state to join the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), a mutual recognition model of nurse licensure that allows nurses to have one license in their state of residency and to practice across state lines. Under mutual recognition, a nurse licensed in one NLC state may practice in another NLC state unless otherwise restricted.
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), New Hampshire plans to implement compact in 2006.
Compact eases work restrictions
"The ready access of nurses across state lines will assist our board's mission to respond to state emergency-care needs and allow nurses greater work flexibility," according to Margaret Walker, MBA, BSN, RN, executive director of the New Hampshire Board of Nursing.
NCSBN developed the NLC with its member boards in 1997. Under the NLC, nurses hold a license in their state of residency and are able to practice in another NLC state, provided that they follow the laws and regulations in the state of their current practice (similar to laws governing drivers' licenses in the United States). All NLC states participate in a coordinated licensure database, Nursys, which shares information on nurses' license status in their home states and in states where they may practice.
The goal of mutual recognition is to simplify government processes and remove regulatory barriers in order to increase access to safe nursing care. This regulatory initiative responds to the rapidly evolving health care environment by addressing new practice modalities and technology (such as telenursing) for nurses who practice across state lines in a variety of health care settings.
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) supports the compact.
"The NLC provides an extremely valuable service in today's constantly changing health care delivery system," says Kathy Apple, MS, RN, NCSBN executive director. "The streamlined process in the mutual recognition model allows nurses greater mobility without ever compromising public safety or welfare."
The NLC is managed by the Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (NLCA), which functions as a separate incorporated body made up of the participating state-designated NLC administrators. Chicago-based NCSBN serves as the secretariat for the NLCA.
In addition to New Hampshire, states that have joined the NLC are Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
For more information on the compact, contact the NCSBN at (312) 525-3600, or visit the web site at www.ncsbn.org.
New Hampshire has become the 20th state to join the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), a mutual recognition model of nurse licensure that allows nurses to have one license in their state of residency and to practice across state lines.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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