Nursing License Tips: Access Jobs in All 50 States

RN licensure can be a hassle. Our tips on how to ease the pain, cover your costs, and turn yourself into a ready-to-go anywhere traveler

Sometimes new nurses ask us, “Is there a special Travel Nursing License?” No, you must simply have a valid license for the state in which you wish you practice. Our best advice to the savvy traveler is to apply for license in your 'goal' destination as early as possible, and in multiple states -- if it makes sense for you.

Each state Board of Nursing provides guidance on how to obtain a nursing license, plus the estimated time frame for license processing. When you’re waiting on a nursing license to secure a high-paying travel nurse job, you don’t want to hit any speed bumps - most healthcare employers won’t even accept a travel nurse profile until the traveler has the required state license in hand! Hiccups like required CEUS, unexpected paperwork, and slow processing times aren’t a big deal if you plan in advance. If they’re keeping you from a travel job, they can be excruciating!

As a travel nurse, you know how the industry works. You can have a plan and dot your “i”s and cross your “t”s, but you rarely know exactly what travel assignments will become available, and when or where, and with what pay. Maybe you’re pining for a travel nurse job in Hawaii, or in a resort destination like St. Petersburg Florida, Boulder Colorado, or Palm Springs California. On the other hand, maybe you’re ready to go wherever the money is. Whatever the situation, there are few things as frustrating as finding your perfect travel nurse assignment and then being unable to pursue it because you lack the necessary licensure.

If you already hold the requisite license for a travel nurse job when the assignment is posted, your American Traveler recruiter can have your nursing profile submitted to the position in minutes - which means you’ll be one of the first candidates screened by the nurse manager! In an industry as fast-paced as this one, being at the top of the candidate pile goes a long way.

Don’t forget that if you obtain (or renew!) a state nursing license and then travel to that state with American Traveler, American Traveler will reimburse you the cost of the license! Just make sure you haven’t worked on the license prior to your new assignment.

Nursing license turnaround times vary significantly state to state. Some states - such as Hawaii and Georgia - claim to issue licenses as quickly as a couple of days. Many states like Arizona, Idaho, Massachusetts, and New York say that they issue nurse licenses somewhere between 2-8 weeks. Other states - most famously, California - can take as long as 6 months to issue a license. However, incomplete applications, seasonal fluctuations in the number of applicants, and a host of other factors can lead to variability in the actual time taken to secure a specific state nursing license.

There are currently 38 states participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), a program designed to remove regulatory obstacles for nurses while increasing access to quality nursing care. Nurses with a permanent residence in a can obtain multi-state privileges, meaning there is nurse license reciprocity in any of the other participating states without applying for additional licensure!

You can avoid a lot of headaches by talking to your recruiter. They often have insight into different licensing processes as well as suggestions for the licenses necessary to accomplish all of your travel nursing goals. Let them know if you’re chasing high-paying travel assignments, looking for sun in the midst of winter, or trying to hit specific career goals like spending time in a Magnet hospital or academic teaching facility. Your recruiter has the knowledge and experience to get you where you need to go!

We know applying for nursing licenses can be a headache. No one likes extra paperwork! But these licenses are an investment in your future - and a way to ensure you capitalize on your travel nurse career!