Registering for the Boards

Now that I am getting settled in Oklahoma, it was time to start registering for my nursing license and NCLEX-RN. This test is, quite possibly, the MOST IMPORTANT test of my career/life. This is what will make me a Registered Nurse!! The process was a lot less complicated that I originally thought, and here is how I did it (for all of you future nurses out there):

1. Register online for the national exam through Pearson Vue (http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex/) Your eligibility to test will be delayed if you have not registered with the testing service at the time your application is initially reviewed by the board staff. (This currently costs about $200)
2. Apply online for licensure by examination through your state's board of nursing. (Application fees vary and are non-refundable) You may also need to submit the following:
• Transcript -- request that your school submit your official transcript to your state's board of nursing (most schools will send these to your board's office automatically, but if you moved out of state like I did, you'll need to take care of it yourself... too easy and only cost me $5)
• Degree plan and course descriptions from the college catalog (for those who graduated out of state-- I'm applying in Oklahoma, but graduated from a Georgia nursing program)
• Photocopy of "acceptable documents" to as Evidence of Status. (I am using my birth certificate)
• 2x2 photo, signed and dated on the front
3. Obtain fingerprints for a background check through the Board's vendor. (I had to apply online to make an appointment with the local vendor.)

IMPORTANT! The sooner you take your board's... the better you tend to do. So don't delay!! 

Now... a *Disclaimer*... each Board of Nursing may have different requirements. This is just the process as I did it in Oklahoma. The easiest thing to do is to register on Pearson Vue, then go to your state's board of nursing website and follow the instructions there. Or better yet, ask your instuctor, mentor/advisor, or director of your nursing program for help! 

I still have to scan all my documents, and my fingerprinting appointment is Wednesday. Then... we wait... 

TO BE CONTINUED ...