New Hampshire joins the Nurse Licensure Compact

AORN Journal, Oct, 2005

The state of New Hampshire has passed legislation to join the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) in 2006. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) developed the NLC in 1997. Under the NLC, nurses can hold a license in their state of residency and practice in another NLC state, provided that they follow the laws and regulations in the state of their current practice.

Twenty states have enacted legislation allowing their participation in the NLC. These states include Arizona, Arkansas, DeLaware, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, MaryLand, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey (to be implemented), New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The goal of the NLC is to simplify government processes and remove regulatory barriers in order to increase access to safe nursing care. This initiative responds to the rapidly evolving health care environment by addressing new practice modalities and technology for nurses who practice across state lines in a variety of health care settings.

The NLC is managed by the Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (NLCA) and functions as a separate, incorporated body made up of the participating state-designated NLC administrators. The NCSBN serves as the secretariat for the NLCA.

NCSBN Welcomes New Hampshire to the Nurse Licensure Compact (news release, Chicago: National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Aug 16, 2005) http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1? release_id=93169 (accessed 6 Sept 2005).