Nursing Commission Notice to Nursing Ed. Program Graduates
In the last couple of weeks, the Nursing Commission has put forward notice to graduates of nursing education programs, specifically those who graduated from five (5) different programs in Florida, based out of Lauderhill, West Palm Beach, and Plantation—Siena College of Health, Carleen Health Institute I and II, Carleen Health Institute of South Florida, and Palm Beach School of Nursing. This notice is currently posted on the Commission’s website though it may be moved around pending updated issues: Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission :: Washington State Department of Health
See also the subheading here under “Notice to out-of-state graduates of nursing education programs.”
The Florida nursing programs were not listed on more recently approved nursing programs posted by the Nursing Commission and RCW 18.79.160 requires that minimum qualifications to be licensed in Washington include successful competition of a Commission approved nursing education program or that is equivalent at the time of graduation as determined by the Commission.
However, what happens to those who went to one of these schools, became licensed in Florida, and then the schools applied for their students’ reciprocal licensure in Washington?
WAC 246-840-090 permits a nurse in Washington under “interstate endorsement” without examination provided the “applicant was originally licensed to practice as a nurse in another state or territory after passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).” Thus it would appear that the Commission has left open the possibility for graduates from these Florida programs to be licensed in Washington, so long as they sat for the NCLEX and were subsequently licensed in Florida first. It seems if this WAC was clearly met, and Washington licensed the individual under this WAC, it can hardly come back later and question the credentials or whether that nurse is safe to practice.
It only complicates matters to know that in the last couple of years, due to COVID and the demand for licensed nurses needed in Washington, rules have been adjusted to be licenses in Washington with less barriers than there were historically. Just one example is in activation of emergency volunteer health practitioners, were health practitioners licensed in other states may practice in Washington without obtaining a Washington license. Also, the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act allows individuals with expired or inactive health care provider licenses to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
This is a time of great uncertainty anyhow, but particularly where recent graduates from these Florida programs who first passed the NCLEX and were licensed elsewhere, consistent with the WAC, should not be unduly punished.