“11.3 Obtaining Your Nursing License” in “Nursing Management and Professional Concepts 2e”
11.3 Obtaining Your Nursing License
In the United States there are four common types of prelicensure educational programs that prepare a student to become a nurse. One option is to complete a practical nursing program and become a licensed practical nurse (LPN). The other three options include a two-year associate degree of nursing (ADN), a hospital-based diploma program, or a four-year baccalaureate degree (BSN) that all prepare students to be come a registered nurse (RN). Some schools offer an “Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing Track” (also known as Acclerated Programs) for non-nurses holding a baccalaureate or master’s degree in another field who wish to become a nurse. Licensure is the process by which a State Board of Nursing (SBON) grants permission to an individual to engage in nursing practice after verifying the applicant has attained the competency necessary to perform the scope of practice of a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN).[1]
All graduates must pass the same NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN to obtain their license from their SBON (or other nursing regulatory body). Additionally, the SBON verifies these three components:
- Verification of graduation from an approved prelicensure RN nursing education program or a practical nursing program
- Verification of successful completion of the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN examination
- A criminal background check (in some states)
- required in Missouri[2]
Resources for Obtaining Your Missouri Nursing License:
- Create and access a MOPRO account to apply for licensure, submit payments, verify licensure, and change contact information.
- Fingerprinting
- Requests for Exam Modifications
- Q & A Regarding Prior Criminal History and Disciplinary Actions
Nurse Licensure Renewal
Requirements for licensure renewal vary from state to state. Some states require continued education credits (CEUs), along with the payment of fees. In Missouri the nursing license is renewed every two years, on every odd year. See Figure 11.2[3] for an image of a simulated nursing license.
Resources for Maintaining Your Missouri Nursing License:
- Access your MOPRO account to make renewal payments and update your contact information
- Renewal Information
Use this map for contact information for the State Boards of Nursing.
Read more details on obtaining a Missouri RN or LPN license HERE.
Nurse Licensure Compact
When applying for your nursing license from your State Board of Nursing (SBON), you may also be eligible to apply for a multistate license. The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allows nurses to practice in other NLC states with their original state’s nursing license without having to obtain additional licenses, contingent upon remaining a resident of that state. Currently, 38 states have enacted the NLC. Read more information about the NLC using the information in the following box.
View the current Nurse Licensure Compact Map.
Read this algorithm on how to Navigate the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Read more information about the Nurse Licensure Compact Rules.
Watch a video for nursing students on the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Temporary Permit
In some states before taking the NCLEX, an applicant may apply to receive a temporary permit from their State Board of Nursing (SBON). A temporary permit allows the applicant to practice practical nursing under the direct supervision of a registered nurse until the RN license is granted. A temporary permit is typically valid for a period of three months or until the holder receives failing NCLEX results, whichever is shorter. In Missouri, a graduate of a nursing program is allowed to practice as a Graduate Nurse for a maximum of 90 days after they have officially completed all degree requirements.
Read about the Graduate Nurse Status in Missouri.
- NCSBN. https://www.ncsbn.org/nclex.htm↵
- NCSBN. https://www.ncsbn.org/nclex.htm↵
- “3277658479_86d3d7d61c_o.jpg” by Vernon Dutton is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0↵
- Missouri Division of Professional Registration (n.d.). Board of Nursing: Graduate nurse practice. https://pr.mo.gov/nursing-gnp.asp
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