SECTION
I
LICENSURE AS A LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE
A.
LICENSURE QUALIFICATIONS
1. Good moral character.
2. Completion of an approved high school
course of study or the equivalent as determined by the appropriate educational
agency.
3. Completion of a
prescribed curriculum in a state approved school of practical nursing with a
diploma or certificate therefrom. The State Board may waive the graduation
requirement if the Board determines the applicant to be otherwise qualified
according to established criteria.
4. The Arkansas State Board of Nursing may
refuse to admit to the examination any candidate and refuse to issue a license,
certificate or registration to any applicant if the license, certificate or
registration of such person has been revoked or suspended or placed on
probation and not reinstated by the jurisdiction which took such
action.
B.
EXAMINATION
1.
Eligibility
The applicant must meet the requirements of the Board.
2.
Application
a.
Application for examination must be completed, certified and filed with the
Board office prior to the examination.
b. Two 2x3-inch photographs, signed by the
applicant, must be filed with the application.
c. Examination applications shall not be
accepted for processing if they have been notarized prior to completion of the
educational prograrm The application shall not be acceptable if the director or
instructor of an educational program has certified the applicant prior to the
date of completion of the program.
3.
Admission
At least seven (7) days prior to the examination, the applicant
will be mailed an admission card which must be presented at the door of the
examination room.
4.
Fee
a. The
examination fee must accompany the application.
b. The fee for taking the examination must be
submitted with the application prior to the examination date.
c. The examination fee (first time or retake)
is not refundable.
5.
Passing Score
The passing score on the licensure examination for practical
nurses shall be determined by the Board in accordance with national
standards.
6.
Failing Score and Eligibility to Retake the
Examination.
a. Any applicant
whose score falls below the parsing score shall fail the examination.
b. Persons failing the examination will be
responsible for preparing to retake the examination.
7. State board examination results are mailed
to applicants and to their respective schools.
8.
Foreign Educated
Nurses
An applicant from a foreign country must meet the educational
requirements for licensure in Arkansas at the time he or she graduated from a
school of nursing.
a. The applicant
must present evidence of:
1) Graduation from a
secondary school (high school -12 grades total) or the equivalent.
2) Graduation from an approved or accredited
school of nursing.
3) Licensure in
country of graduation, or proof of eligibility for licensure.
4) Theory and practice in medical, surgical,
pediatric and obstetrical nursing. Theory in psychiatric nursing.
5) Ability to write, speak and understand
English.
b. All
transcripts and certificates which are not in the English language must be
accompanied by a certified translation.
C.
LICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT
1.
Qualifications
a. An applicant for licensure by endorsement
must meet the requirements of the Board at the time of graduation if the Board
so recommends.
b. An applicant
licensed in another state since 1950 must have taken a State Board practical
nurse licensing examination and achieved a passing score.
2.
Application
a. Application must be completed, certified,
accompanied by a 2x3-inch photograph signed by the applicant, and filed with
the Board.
b. Endorsement
certification will be accepted from the original state of licensure
only.
3. Fee
a. The licensure/endorsement fee must
accompany the application.
b. The
fee is not refundable.
SECTION II
TEMPORARY PERMIT
A.
EXAMINATION APPLICANT
1. The Board may issue a temporary permit to
practice practical nursing to a qualified applicant who has completed an
approved program in practical nursing and who has applied for or is awaiting
results of the first examination scheduled following graduation.
2. The temporary permit shall become invalid
upon notification of the results of the examination.
B.
ENDORSEMENT APPLICANT
The Board may issue a temporary permit to a qualified applicant
who holds a current license from another jurisdiction. This permit must have an
issuance date and a date when it shall become invalid, a period not exceeding
90 days.
C.
FEE
The temporary permit fee must accompany the application. The fee
is not refundable.
SECTION
III
RENEWALS
A.
BIENNIAL RENEWAL OF LICENSE
1.
Each person licensed under the provisions of the Nurse Practice Act shall renew
biennially.
2. Thirty (30) days
prior to the expiration date, the Board shall mail a renewal application to the
last known address of each nurse to whom a license was issued and/or renewed
during the current period.
3. The
application must be completed before renewal license is processed.
4. The fee for renewal must accompany the
application. The fee is not refundable.
B.
REINSTATEMENT OF LICENSE
1. The license is lapsed if not renewed by
the expiration date.
2. An
application for reinstatement of license must be completed.
3. Any licensee who allows his/her license to
lapse by failing to renew the license as provided above may be reinstated by
the Board upon payment of the renewal fee plus a penalty. Any person practicing
nursing during the time his/her license has lapsed shall be considered an
illegal practitioner and shall be subject to the penalties provided for
violation of the Nurse Practice Act.
4. An inactive nurse whose license is lapsed
shall not be required to pay the renewal fee so long as he/she remains
inactive. Should a nurse wish to resume nursing, he/she shall request the
proper renewal application from this office. Fees are not prorated.
SECTION IV
DUPLICATE LICENSE AND CERTIFICATE
A.
DUPLICATE LICENSE
1. A duplicate
license may be issued when the licensee submits a notarized statement to the
Board that the license is lost, stolen, or destroyed.
2. The license will be marked "duplicate" and
date of issuance noted.
B.
DUPLICATE CERTIFICATE
1. A duplicate certificate of licensure may
be issued when the licensee submits a notarized statement to the Board that the
certificate is lost, stolen, or destroyed.
2. The certificate will be marked "duplicate"
and date of issuance noted.
SECTION V
CERTIFICATION
CERTIFICATION TO ANOTHER JURISDICTION
A licensed practical nurse wishing to be licensed in another
state may have a certified statement of Arkansas licensure issued to the Board
of Nursing in that state.
SECTION
VI
NAME OR ADDRESS CHANGE
A. The licensee must provide evidence
(affidavit, copy of marriage license or court action) regarding change of
name.
B. It is the responsibility
of the licensee to keep the Board informed of current address.