<p>Since NCLEX is a national exam, does the state you take the exam in have any bearing on what state you get a license? How are licensed registered nurses able to take jobs in states other than the state they earned their BSN/RN. Someone mentioned somehing abut only wanting college nursing programs in certains states, so now I am left wondering... Thanks</p>
<p>I was told that it is easy to move from state to state, because it is a national exam. In some states, there may be more paperwork to it, compared to other states. Some states have reciprical agreements that make it very easy to move from state to state.</p>
<p>Once you obtain your BSN degree you have to decide which state to obtain your first RN license. You can choose any state to get your initial license. It does not have to be in the state where you went to college. You then apply to that state’s Nursing Board and once you have completed all their application requirements the State Board will give you permission to take the NCLEX exam. Once you have passed the exam you are then licensed in that state. You only have to pass the NCLEX exam once. If you want to get a license in another state you just apply to that state’s Nursing Board and once you meet any other requirements they might have you can get your RN license. Some states have “Compact Agreements” with other states which would allow you to live in one state and work in a neighboring state without getting another RN license in the state you are working in. However if you subsequently move to the state you are working in you then have to get the RN license in the state you live in (although this is usually much easier to do between “Compact States”).</p>
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<p>But you can take the exam anywhere - it doesn’t have to be in the state you are getting licensed in. The process can take some time - you need to first get your diploma then apply to the state licensing board and wait for the NCLEX permission then register for the test and wait for a testing time then wait for results and wait for the license board to complete your license. Plus there are all the other requirements that need to be re-done each year (fingerprinting, drug testing, TB, vaccines, CPR cert, physical, etc)
My d graduated in May and had til Aug 1st to get licensed and move to a new state - she needed that time to get everything done.</p>
<p>All state Nursing Boards have their own specific requirements for initial licensure which commonly include fingerprinting, drug screening, and a number of other things. However for subsequent RN license renewal most states do not require anywhere near the same level of requirements (in fact many states require little more than CE requirements). Rarely, if ever, do any of the State Nursing Boards require all the things listed by ShanghaiMom be done on a yearly basis. However, many of these things may be required by the hospital where a Nurse is employed (again this would vary by the job) with some being required on a ongoing regular basis, some just upon initial hire. </p>
<p>Once you have been given permission by the state Nursing Board you initially apply to you can then apply to take the NCLEX. You will be referred to a web site to set up taking the exam at a testing center of your choice either locally or anywhere you like (as noted you do not have to take the exam in the state you applied to). There are multiple testing centers available in all states. The NCLEX exam is unlike any exam most students will take in college. It is a multiple choice exam. After the first 75 questions the exam may stop if the student has passed or failed the exam up to that point. But you won’t be told at that time if you passed or failed. If the exam continues you have to continue to answer questions up to a maximum of (I believe) 225 questions. The exam can stop at any time once the student has passed or failed the exam but again you will not be told at the time if you passed or failed.</p>
<p>The official results are usually received within 2-3 weeks. However you can also obtain the official results in 24-72 hrs (I forget the exact time frame) by calling a phone number to get the results (but you will be charged $10.00 for the call). Unofficially you can find out the results within minutes after taking the exam by going to the NCLEX application website and try to register for the exam again. If you have passed the exam you will not be allowed to register again to take the exam. Again this is unofficial but my D and her friends found this to be accurate when they took the NCLEX exam in 2010. Perhaps there have been changes in these time frames in the last 2 years. Best of luck to everyone when they take the exam.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Good info to know!</p>