Travel Nursing Compact States & the eNLC
Updated as of July 3, 2018
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has announced the new Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), which will replace the original NLC with the long-term goal of enabling all 50 states to enact the eNLC.
The eNLC implementation date is January 19th, 2018. Here’s what travel nurses need to know about eNLC:
If you’re already licensed in a NLC state:
Good news for original nursing compact states license holders! If you held an active multistate license prior to July 20, 2017, you’ll be grandfathered in as long as your home state has enacted and implemented the eNLC.
If you have a NLC state license in a state that has not enacted the eNLC:
You’ll need to obtain a single state license until your state has passed legislations to join the eNLC. The only NLC state that has not enacted eNLC legislation is:
– Rhode Island
Nurses with a RI multistate license will not be able to practice in any state other than RI without applying for a single state license. Conversely, states under the eNLC will not be able to practice in Rhode Island without applying for a single state license. Legislation is pending for the eNLC in RI.
If your home state isn’t currently one of the travel nursing compact states, but enacts the eNLC:
Apply for and receive an eNLC license, and you’ll no longer need to apply for a single state license in other eNLC states. States enacting the eNLC that were not previously nurse compact states include:
– Georgia
– Oklahoma
– Wyoming
– Florida
– West Virginia
– Kansas (implementation date July 1, 2019)
– Louisiana (implementation date pending)
Other states that are not NLC states and awaiting legislation approval for the eNLC include:
– Massachusetts
– Michigan
– New Jersey
– New York
What’s required for an eNLC state license?
New applicants residing in compact states will need to meet 11 uniform licensure requirements. Those who do not meet the new licensure requirements may still be eligible for a single state license.
- *Meets the requirements for licensure in the home state (state of residency)
- Graduated from a board-approved education program or graduated from an international program (approved by the authorized accrediting body in country)
- Passed English proficiency (international nurses)
- *Passed NCLEX
- *Holds an active license
- *Pass the state and federal fingerprint- based background check
- No state or federal convictions
- *No misdemeanors convictions related to nursing – approvals are determined on case-by-case basis
- Not a participant in an alternative program
- Self-disclosed current participation in an alternative program
- Valid US Social Security number
*New criteria
The NCSBN has put together this handy list of facts, and we’ll update this article as we receive new information affecting state licensure through the eNLC.
If you’ve got more questions about how this affects your travel nursing job possibilities, contact a recruiter or call us at 800-299-8132.