Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) and APRN Compact Receive Support of the American Telemedicine Association and National Patient Safety Foundation

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Oct 27, 2015) - The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), www.ncsbn.org, enhanced NLC and APRN Compact have received letters of support from the American Telemedicine Association and National Patient Safety Foundation. These organizations join a list of more than 25 others that recognize that nursing care in the 21st century must be dynamic and fluid across state boundaries and that these compacts offer the best mechanism by which to achieve this goal.

Allowing nurses to have mobility across state borders, the enhanced NLC and the APRN Compact increase access to care while maintaining public protection. The enhanced NLC, which is an updated version of the current Nurse Licensure Compact, allows for registered nurses (RN) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VN) to have one multistate license, with the ability to practice in both their home state and other NLC states. There are currently 25 states in the NLC. The APRN Compact allows an advanced practice registered nurse to hold one multistate license with a privilege to practice in other APRN compact states.

The enhanced NLC and APRN Compact enable nurses to provide telehealth nursing services to patients located across the country without having to obtain additional licenses. In the event of a disaster, nurses from multiple states can easily respond to supply vital services. Additionally, almost every nurse, including primary care nurses, case managers, transport nurses, school and hospice nurses, among many others, need to routinely cross state boundaries to provide the public with access to nursing services, and a multistate license facilitates this process.

Boards of nursing (BONs) were the first health care provider regulatory bodies to develop a model for interstate practice with the original adoption of the NLC in 1997 and its implementation in 2000. While other health care provider regulatory bodies are just getting started in this process, the NLC has been operational and successful for more than 15 years.

Commenting on the compacts, Jonathan D. Linkous, CEO, American Telemedicine Association, remarked, "Passage of the NLC and APRN Compacts will empower nurses to participate in and benefit from a variety of innovative service delivery models featuring a multidisciplinary team approach to provide and coordinate a patient's care. Patients will reap the ultimate rewards of these efforts."

To learn more about the NLC, view "The Nurse Licensure Compact Explained." Additional information about the NLC and APRN Compact can be found at https://www.ncsbn.org/compacts.htm. A list of supporting organizations and copies of the letters from American Telemedicine Association and National Patient Safety Foundation can be found at https://www.ncsbn.org/96.htm.

About NCSBN
Founded March 15, 1978, as an independent not-for-profit organization, NCSBN was created to lessen the burdens of state governments and bring together boards of nursing (BONs) to act and counsel together on matters of common interest. NCSBN's membership is comprised of the BONs in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories -- American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. There are also 21 associate members that are either nursing regulatory bodies or empowered regulatory authorities from other countries or territories.

NCSBN Member Boards protect the public by ensuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses. These BONs regulate more than 4.5 million licensed nurses.

Mission: NCSBN provides education, service and research through collaborative leadership to promote evidence-based regulatory excellence for patient safety and public protection.

The statements and opinions expressed are those of NCSBN and not the individual member state or territorial boards of nursing.

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