Why Are Some States Generally Resistant to Joining the Compact?

Some states are resistant to joining the eNLC for a few reasons. The first has to do with perceived workers’ rights. Many of these states have strong ties to protecting their labor unions. They see the compact as an attempt to weaken their ability to do collective bargaining. Some nurses feel that administrators are only pro-compact so they can reduce nursing shortages in their facilities. Some people believe that relieving those shortages will lessen a nurse’s ability to negotiate better working conditions. The fear is that if they became a compact state, out-of-state nurses would come in and take jobs away from their own state’s nurses.

The second area revolves around non-compact state nursing board concerns. They feel that allowing compact nurses will diminish their pool of state-dedicated nurses. They have expressed that nurses from other states may not have the same high standards, and therefore patient safety would suffer. The compact does not clarify how discipline issues are to be handled.

And lastly, there is, of course, money. If nurses do not have to pay for separate nursing licenses and renewal fees for each state, that will lower the revenue stream that the state’s board of nursing brings in. And at the same time, nursing boards are not necessarily going to receive more state money to manage increased monitoring and oversight of compact nurses’ practice.

How Can I Determine If I Have a Compact License?

You can quickly check if your license is compact or not through Nursys, the only national database for verifying nurse licensure, discipline, and practice privileges for RNs and LPNs/LVNs. Here you can view all your licenses—both active and lapsed—and their compact status (single-state, multi-state, or N/A). If you download your Nursys report (easy and completely free), it will list out each and every state you are eligible to practice in.

What Are the Benefits of Being a Nurse in a Compact State?

First and foremost, working as a nurse in a compact state allows your nursing license to be accepted in any of the current 35 compact-implemented states and Guam. Having a multi-state license removes one major complexity that must be dealt with when working in one state with plans to work in another regarding requirements for nurse licensure.

This benefit is especially useful for travel nurses and telehealth positions. It means you don’t have to worry about applying for and renewing your nursing license across multiple states since you have a multi-state nursing licensure. Nor do you have to wait weeks to months for a license in the new state you applied to work in to come through.  

Basically, you save money and time by not having to apply for and renew various state licenses. You also have additional mobility when deciding where to work as a nurse (especially in the short term if you’re looking for travel nursing jobs).

What Are the Challenges of Being a Nurse in a Compact State?

There aren’t many immediate challenges unless you want to work in a non-compact state, such as California or Connecticut. If you do, you’ll have to apply for and keep up to date on that state’s specific requirements for licensure as well as those for your compact license. In addition, you are bound by that state’s regulations and scope of practice, so you need to become familiar with any differences.

If you’re currently licensed and living in a state with eNLC legislation pending, you do have to wait to apply for your compact license until an implementation date. So, you may be forced to renew your single-state license while waiting.

So, if compact status is really important for you, you may want to consider moving your Primary State of Residence (PSOR), or home state, to one within the eNLC. Your driver’s license, federal tax return, or voter registration (i.e., which proves where you live when you’re not on a travel nurse assignment) confirms which is your home state. In other words, your “home” home. Mind you, you cannot just own real estate in a designated “home” state. You must adopt that state as your new permanent home.

What Are the Advantages for States Within the Nursing Compact?

States that are part of the eNLC benefit from having greater access to a wider variety of more mobile and logistically available nurses. This flexibility promotes travel nursing and filling in for per-diem shifts across state lines, given the demand for nurses in various states.

In times of crisis, nurses from other compact states can immediately respond and travel to help. In addition, rural and remote areas can benefit from nurses filling staff positions, even if only temporarily needed.

Accordingly, it increases access to high-quality nursing professionals who are not constrained by a single-state license; ultimately, it’s a win-win!