3 Unique Credentialing Opportunities For Nurses Right Now

Public concern about COVID-19 is back on the rise and is impacting communities across the United States. Hospitals continue to have elevated needs for nurses in certain locations, and are lifting some licensing restrictions to get nurses to the locations where they’re needed most. We’ve compiled some of the most relevant credentialing and licensing information for you in this blog so that you know your options for your next travel nursing assignment.

IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO GO TO CALIFORNIA

Traveling to California is at the top of many travel nurses’ wishlists. Great weather, guaranteed staff ratios, and high pay all make it an attractive destination. If you’re interested in traveling to California, we’ve got good news for you.

California has begun to allow nurses without a California state license to work in the state with a simple “out of state practitioner” designation. You will still need to apply for a temporary California license, but this new designation will allow you to work in California while you await your temporary licenses. This “out of state practitioner” license expires at the end of September, so the window to take your dream assignment in California will close if you don’t act quickly.

Our credentialing team will handle the licensing process for this out of state practitioner designation, and walk you through it step by step. Once you’ve been submitted, you will receive the license between 4 hours to 4 business days. If you accept an offer for a California assignment with this license, you will also need to apply for a temporary license, which our credentialing team can also help with.

INDIANA IS THE LATEST STATE TO JOIN THE COMPACT LICENSURE

Compact states are one of the greatest parts about being a travel nurse. Over 30 states in the U.S. use the compact licensure, which unifies state nursing standards and allows nurses to practice in any compact state as long as their home state license is issued by a compact state.

It’s a big deal whenever a state joins the compact licensure, and Indiana is the latest state to do so. This is beneficial for two reasons: if you’re a nurse with a license from a compact state, you’ll be able to start working in Indiana without any additional licensure. And if you’re a nurse whose home license is from Indiana, your license will allow you to work in over thirty states without any additional licensing. That’s a cause for celebration!

If you’re holding a compact license already, you’ll be able to start practicing in Indiana on July 1st. If you’re holding a single-state Indiana license, you’ll need to apply for a compact license on July 1st. Our credentialing team estimates it will take at least a week to issue your compact license once you’ve applied.

SOME STATES ARE FAST-TRACKING TEMPORARY LICENSES

Along with California, there are a couple other states offering temporary emergency licenses for nurses right now.

• Pennsylvania: Issuing temporary license that is valid for 1 year. This only applies to a candidate that has never held a PA license. Apply online as you would for endorsement license, and select temp license when prompted.
• New Jersey: Issuing temporary license through November 30th. When you apply online, your license is issued instantly.

Our credentialing team will walk you through the licensing process in each of these states, and can advise you on your unique circumstances. We will also reimburse you for licensing costs associated with travel nursing assignments in these states.