Renewing your nursing license

Renewing Your Nursing License First and foremost, never ignore that little reminder that comes in the mail about your license. You could find yourself without a job. License requirements do differ state to state, so if you move or are not familiar with requirements, be sure to investigate.

Renewing Online In some cases, you can renew online, again it varies by state. In many instances the following criteria applies-

-

Your license has not been expired for more than 3-5 years Since your more recent renewal, you have not been convicted of a crime or pled guilty to a crime. In some cases, the review board will overlook DUI, and traffic violations.

You have not been addicted or treated for any form of alcohol or drug dependency.

Your primary residency remains the United States.

You will be renewing a LPN or RN license.

In most cases, your current address must be on a driver license or state ID submitted. If any of the above does not apply in your case, you may need to renew in person. Most states require a commitment of a certain amount of contact hours, regardless of whether you are currently and actively working. The number of hours generally ranges from 20-40 hours. Many hospitals will allow you to work and be paid for the contact hours while covering vacation spots, etc.

It’s very important to record the date of your license, and mark your calendar when the renewal is due. In the event, you don't receive the renewal notification in the mail, it's up to you to follow up and locate it.

There are no exceptions for not receiving notice, you are expected to know when the renewal is due, and making sure you follow up with appropriate requirements. Licensing boards are not very forgiving, and in many cases, will not offer an extension.

Related: How to Make Your Patients feel more comfortable Moving State to State Some states will allow you to transfer your license. Other states may require a renewal certification, and some state requires you take a test as if you are getting your license for the first time. In the event, you are required to re-take a complete licensing test, be careful not to make the

mistake many others do, by not preparing. You may have been practicing nursing for a long time, and you may be an excellent nurse, but some of the questions on the test may not be relevant to the particular area of nursing that you are currently practicing. It may have been some time since you have needed to rely on information that the exam contains, so be prepared to do a refresher course and study until you feel you have a good understanding of all questions. Before moving from one state to another, check the requirements well in advance of making your move so that you will know what is required and what dates are available to test. Some states space testing far apart, and if you don't want to wait, you may need to plan your testing date accordingly. Do keep in mind most states will require a local address in order to take the exam.

Study Groups If you reside in an area that requires a test to renew your license, consider trying to connect with a study group. Studies indicate that group study can provide a more intense study process and produce better results on tests.

Preparing for a license renewal can be stressful, however allowing enough study time, and scheduling some off time around the exam time itself can lessen the intensity. Be sure to get plenty of rest the night prior to your testing, and eat a healthy and filling breakfast. If allowed, take a cold water bottle into the testing area so that you can stay hydrated and alert.

Related: Injuries Among Healthcare Workers Preparing for a license renewal when a test is involved is essential, if you are fortunate enough to simply complete a questionnaire to obtain the renewal, no real prep time is needed, just be sure you have all pertinent information needed. If you do not have everything you need on the date of a scheduled renewal, you could end up waiting for quite some time, so be prepared, you’ve got this!

Related: International Nurses Association Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter