Pennsylvania To Allow Delaware Nurses with Multi State Licenses to Begin Practicing in the State. APRNs as well???? NO!

Pennsylvania To Allow Nurses with Multi State Licenses to Begin Practicing in the State starting Sept. 5!

Starting September 5, 2023, LPNs and RNs with active, unencumbered multistate Delaware licenses will no longer be required to obtain a separate Pennsylvania nursing license to practice as an RN or LPN in person or via telehealth in Pennsylvania.  

From the National Council of State Boards of Nursing:

Although the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) has been enacted in Pennsylvania, RN and LPN nurses whose address is in Pennsylvania will not be able to obtain a multistate license until the NLC is fully implemented in the Commonwealth (no date provided). However, once active, licensure requirements should theoretically be harmonized across all BON requirements so RNs and LPNs applying for a multistate license should be able to submit documentation to the BON in their state of residence only (i.e. fingerprint-based criminal background check).

With the NLC license, RNs and LPNs can provide direct and telehealth RN/LPN nursing services to patients located in NLC states without having to obtain additional licenses. This is very important to nurses in Delaware where RNs/LPNs could choose to live in Delaware but cross the border to practice in a Delaware based practice that has expanded to another state (i.e. Christiana Care).  The NLC multistate license will allow Delaware RNs and LPNs to accept positions in practices in other states such as primary care offices, case managers, transport nurses, and school and hospice nurses without purchasing additional licenses. 

IMPORTANT note for APRNs:   An RN/LPN multistate compact license does NOT cover APRN practice.  APRNs are required to purchase APRN licenses in every state where they intend to practice in person or via telehealth.  In 2008, NCSBN developed the APRN Consensus Model with the intention of expanding APRN practice to provide greater services for patients while decreasing burden of multiple licenses and systems. NCSBN provided state BONs and state legislators with model language to encourage rapid adoption so APRNs could provide appropriate care of patients in other states consistent with the outreach provided by other practitioners such physical therapists, certified nutritionists, psychologists, social workers and physicians and where the APRN Consensus was passed.  Requirements adopted by the NCSBN in 2008 called for ten states to implement the APRN Compact before any NP could use it. This requirement was decreased to seven states in 2020. To date, three states (Delaware, Utah and North Dakota) have passed the APRN Compact. 

Remember, even though the APRN Compact has passed in Delaware, until four more states adopt it,  APRNs must continue to rely on an APRN license for each state when you are practiting.  APRNs, please make sure to follow your professional organization's guidance on this matter and DCNP will work to keep you up to date. 

Happy Fall!!!

For more information about the Pennsylvania RN and LPN Multistate License