Gov. Roy Cooper, D-N.C., signed a bill July 20 that triggered the enactment of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, which will allow nurses from 26 states to practice across state lines.
The multistate compact, which is funded by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and was approved to replace the original Nurse Licensure Compact in 2015, enables registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses to have one multistate license. These nurses may practice in person or via telehealth in both their home state and other eNLC states.
Licensing standards are aligned across eNLC states so all applicants are required to meet the same standards for a multistate license, including federal and state fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
The eNLC plans to implement and prepares to issue multistate licenses in 2018.
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