Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
Registered nurse and practical nurse applicants for
interstate endorsement may be issued a license without examination provided the
applicant meets the following requirements:
(1) The applicant graduated and holds a
degree from:
(a) A commission or state board
approved program preparing candidates for licensure as a nurse; or
(b) A nursing program that is equivalent to
commission approved nursing education in Washington state at the time of
graduation as determined by the commission.
(2) The applicant holds a current active
nursing license in another state or territory, or holds an inactive or expired
license in another state or territory and successfully completes a
commission-approved refresher course.
(a) An
applicant whose license was inactive or expired must be issued a limited
education authorization by the commission to enroll in the clinical portion of
the refresher course.
(b) The
limited education authorization is valid only while working under the direct
supervision of a preceptor and is not valid for employment as a registered
nurse.
(3) The applicant
was originally licensed to practice as a nurse in another state or territory
after passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
(4) Applicants graduating from nursing
programs outside the U.S. must demonstrate English proficiency by passing a
commission approved English proficiency test if the nursing education is not in
one of the following countries: Canada (except for Quebec), United Kingdom,
Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana
Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands, or complete one thousand hours of employment
as a licensed nurse in another state, or provide evidence directly from the
school of earning a high school diploma or college degree from a United States
institution.
The one thousand hours of employment must be in the same
licensed role as the nurse is applying for licensure in Washington state. Proof
of employment must be submitted to the commission.
(5) For RNs: If the applicant is a graduate
of a nontraditional nursing education program and:
(a) Was licensed as a practical/vocational
nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the applicant must submit
evidence of two hundred hours of preceptorship in the role of a registered
nurse as defined in WAC
246-840-035,
or at least one thousand hours of practice as a registered nurse without
discipline of the registered nurse license by any other state or
territory.
(b) Was not licensed as
a practical/vocational nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the
applicant must submit evidence of at least one thousand hours of practice as a
registered nurse without discipline of the registered nurse license by any
other state or territory.
(6) Applicants must submit the following
documents:
(a) A completed licensure
application with the required fee as defined in WAC
246-840-990.
(b) An official transcript sent directly from
the applicant's nursing education program to the commission if the education
cannot be verified from the original board of nursing, or commission-approved
evaluation agency.
(i) The transcript must
contain adequate documentation demonstrating that the applicant graduated from
an approved nursing program or successfully completed the prelicensure portion
of an approved graduate-entry registered nursing program.
(ii) The transcripts shall include course
names and credits accepted from other programs.
(c) Verification of an original registered or
practical nurse license from the state or territory of original licensure. The
verification must identify that issuance of the original licensure included
passing the NCLEX.
(d) For
applicants educated outside the United States and in territories or countries
not listed in subsection (4) of this section, successful results of a
commission approved English proficiency exam, or, evidence of one thousand
hours worked as a nurse.
(e) For
RNs: If the applicant is a graduate of a nontraditional program in nursing and:
(i) Was licensed as a practical/vocational
nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the applicant must submit
documentation of two hundred hours of preceptorship in the role of a registered
nurse as defined in WAC
246-840-035
or at least one thousand hours of practice as a registered nurse without
discipline of the registered nurse license by any other state or
territory.
(ii) Was not licensed as
a practical/vocational nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the
applicant must submit documentation of at least one thousand hours of practice
as a registered nurse without discipline of the registered nurse license by any
other state or territory.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
18.79.110. 08-11-019, § 246-840-090,
filed 5/12/08, effective 6/12/08; 99-13-086, § 246-840-090, filed 6/14/99,
effective 7/15/99. Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.70.280. 98-05-060, § 246-840-090,
filed 2/13/98, effective 3/16/98. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.79 RCW.
97-13-100, § 246-840-090, filed 6/18/97, effective
7/19/97.