Virginia Board of Nursing ā Overview
Virginiaās Board of Nursing (through the Virginia Department of Health Professions) licenses LPNs and RNs, sets education/program standards, and uses the NCLEX for initial licensure. Multistate licensure is handled through the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). According to the National Council of State Boards for Nursing, there are 26,026 active PN licenses in Virginia.
Virginia is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multi-state practicing license issued in Virginia allows you to work as a nurse in other Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) states.
Letās take a look at how LPNs and RNs can earn their nursing license in the state of Virginia.
LPN Requirements in Virginia
To become an LPN, you must have a high school diploma or GED, apart from earning your diploma from an approved program.
You can visit the Virginia Board of Nursingās official website to find a list of such state-approved programs. If you have graduated from a program in another state under the stateās approved program, then you can also apply for a license to practice nursing in Virginia.
Make sure that the practical nursing program you choose has at least 400 hours of supervised direct patient contact training.
If you have not received this training as part of the nursing program then you can contact the Virginia Board of Nursing directly by calling at (804) 367-4515.
There are several other factors that come into play for determining the right nursing program for you.
LPN License Application Procedure
You can fill out the licensing application form online at https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/ApplicantResources/
You will also need to register for the national licensing exam with Pearson VUE at https://home.pearsonvue.com/. You can register online, via telephone or using a standard postal service.
You will need to pay US$ 170 as a Virginia Board of Nursing application fee and US$ 200 as the NCLEX registration fee. You will then receive an ATT (Authorization To Test), which allows you to schedule a CAT (Computer Adapted Test). You will then receive an ATT (Authorization To Test), which allows you to schedule a CAT (Computerized Adaptive Testing) exam.
NCLEX scores are graded as pass or fail. If you need to retake the exam, you will need to fill out a short application form and send it to the Virginia Board of Nursing.
You will need to provide an address and other personally-identifying information and reply to a few questions, such as regarding possible criminal convictions in the past, etc.
Re-taking the NCLEX exam will also require you to pay US$ 50 as a repeat exam application fee.
RN License Requirements in Virginia
The Virginia Board of Nursing requires RNs to have at least a high school diploma or a GED, along with a diploma or degree in a professional nursing program.
Potential RNs should attend a state-approved professional nursing program, which you can find a list of on the official website at https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/EducationPrograms/.
The Board also accepts candidates who have completed their professional nursing programs from several other states, with similar standard requirements.
This includes having completed at least 500 hours of direct care of patients under the supervision of a faculty member. If you do not meet this requirement, then you need to call the Virginia Board of Nursing and discuss the issue.
RN License Application Process
You can find the application form for the RN License exam on the official Board website at https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/ApplicantResources/ApplyforLicense/
You will also need to fill out a separate online form to register for taking the NCLEX-RN examination. Be ready to pay US$ 190 as a Virginia Board of Nursing application fee and US$ 200 as the NCLEX registration fee.
Once you receive the ATT, you need to schedule an exam as soon as possible, according to instructions from the Virginia Board of Nursing.
If you are re-taking the NCLEX-RN exam, you will need to fill out a short application form and pay US$ 50 as a repeat exam application fee to the Board.
Conclusion
The Virginia Board of Nursing offers licenses to practice to those who have passed their requirements and the NCLEX examination.
Make sure that you fulfill the specific requirements set by the Virginia Board of Nursing to ensure that you get your license to practice successfully.
See Also
