SECTION 485:10-9-2. Licensure by endorsement

(a)   Qualifications.

(1)   The applicant must submit an application containing such information as the Board may prescribe;

(2)   Be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age on or before the date the license is issued;

(3)   An applicant for licensure by endorsement as a Licensed Practical Nurse shall meet the requirements of the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act. An evaluation of educational requirements may be completed to ensure the applicant meets educational standards.

(4)   An applicant licensed in another state or U.S. territory since June 30, 1954, must have passed the licensing examination adopted by the Board. A license to practice practical nursing in Oklahoma will not be issued until this requirement is met.

(5)   In addition to meeting other requirements for endorsement established by the Board in these rules, each applicant for endorsement must demonstrate evidence of continued qualifications for practice through completion of one or more of the following requirements within the last five (5) years prior to receipt of the completed application in the Board office:

(A)   Submission of an official transcript or certificate of completion verifying completion of a nurse refresher course with content consistent with Board policy;

(B)   Successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses;

(C)   Cause submission of an official transcript, provided by an entity approved and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a primary source for providing education transcripts, verifying successful completion of at least six (6) academic semester credit hours or 105 contact hours of nursing courses in a state-approved practical or registered nursing education program, which includes classroom and clinical instruction;

(D)   Present evidence of licensure as a practical nurse in another state, territory or country with employment in a position that requires practical nursing licensure with verification of at least 520 work hours during the past five (5) years;

(E)   Submit evidence of completing at least twenty-four (24) contact hours of continuing education applicable to nursing practice;

(F)   Submit current certification in a nursing specialty area.

(6)   Applicants for endorsement who took the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses for initial licensure within the last two years must:

(A)   Provide evidence of completion of the nursing education program within two years of initial application for licensure by examination; or

(B)   Provide evidence of at least six months work experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the state, U.S. territory, or country of licensure; or

(C)   Successfully complete a Board-approved refresher course in accordance with the Board's policy; or

(D)   Successfully complete nursing didactic coursework and faculty-supervised clinical experience in a board-approved nursing education program at the appropriate educational level, to include at least 80 hours in classroom and skills laboratory review and at least 80 hours participating in patient care activities in the clinical setting.

(b)   Applications.

(1)   Applications must be completed and filed with the Board.

(2)   Endorsement may be accepted from the original state of licensure by examination.

(3)   If the applicant has written the licensing examination adopted by the Board in a state other than the state or U.S. territory of original licensure, an endorsement will be requested from that state, also.

(4)   If the application is not completed within one (1) year after receipt of fee, the application must be refiled.

(c)   Fee for licensure by endorsement.

(1)   The fee shall accompany the application.

(2)   The fee is not refundable.

(3)   If the application is not completed within one (1) year, a new application and new fee will be required for licensure.

(d)   Qualifications for applicants educated in foreign countries or in a U.S. territory. An applicant educated in a foreign country must meet the current educational requirements for licensure in Oklahoma. An applicant educated in a U.S. territory not recognized as a full member of National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) must meet the requirements for applicants educated in foreign countries. An applicant educated in a U.S. territory that is a full member of NCSBN but in a nursing education program not included on the NCSBN state-approved programs of nursing list at the time of the applicant's graduation from the program must meet the requirements for applicants educated in foreign countries.

(1)   The applicant must present evidence of:

(A)   competence in oral and written English as evidenced by receipt of scores directly from the testing service or from CGFNS verifying successful completion of:

(i)   Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), to include the Listening and Reading Test, and the Speaking and Writing Test of the Educational Testing Service; or

(ii)   International English Language Testing System (IELTS); or

(iii)   Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT) of the Educational Testing Service; or

(iv)   Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB).

(B)   graduation from a government approved post-secondary practical nursing education program or equivalent courses in a government approved post-secondary nursing education program, as verified from the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS);

(C)   licensure or registration as required in country of graduation as evidenced by official verification completed within the last twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date of application for licensure by endorsement received directly from the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools,

(D)   completion of formal courses including theory and clinical experience in nursing care of the adult, nursing care of children, and maternal-infant nursing in a government-approved school of nursing as evidenced by:

(i)   a translated transcript received directly from the nursing education program in the original country of licensure with certified proof of translation; or

(ii)   a certified copy of the transcript received directly from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

(E)   An evaluation of educational credentials as evidenced by:

(i)   Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Credentials Evaluation Service Professional Report, or

(ii)   Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Certificate or Visa Screen Certificate status;

(iii)   Reports received from CGFNS must have been completed within the five (5) years immediately preceding the date of application for licensure by endorsement. The five-year requirement is waived if the applicant holds a license in another state.

(2)   The requirement for verification by CGFNS is waived for applicants currently licensed in another state when the state validates that the credential review report was prepared by an independent credentials review agency.

(3)   The applicant must successfully complete the licensing examination adopted by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.

(4)   The requirements for competence in spoken and written English are waived for applicants who are:

(A)   Graduates of nursing education programs taught in English in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, South Africa, and the United States, or

(B)   Licensed in another US State or Territory and have successfully completed the licensure examination approved by the Board.

(5)   Applicants must submit a completed application with the required application and evaluation fees.

(e)   Temporary license for endorsement applicants.

(1)   A temporary license may be issued to the applicant on proof of

(A)   Current unrestricted licensure in another state, territory or country with no history of arrest or disciplinary action requiring further review;

(B)   Evidence of having successfully passed the licensure examination adopted by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing;

(C)   Evidence of meeting educational qualifications through completion of a state board-approved nursing education program meeting the educational standards established by the Board, or an evaluation of educational credentials and nursing licensure or registration as required in country of origin for the foreign-educated nurse as evidenced by:

(i)   Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Credentials Evaluation Service Professional Report with verification of equivalent educational credentials and unrestricted licensure in country of origin, or

(ii)   Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Certificate status or Visa Screen Certificate, accompanied by a verification of graduation from a government approved nursing education program, the translated transcript, and verification of unrestricted nursing licensure or registration as required in country of graduation;

(D)   Payment of the fee for licensure by endorsement and temporary license;

(E)   Foreign-educated applicants must provide evidence of competence in oral and written English by meeting the requirements of 485:10-9-2(d)(1)(A) unless 485:10-9-2(d) (4) applies; and

(F)   Demonstrating evidence of continued qualifications for practice through meeting the requirements of 485:10-9-2(a)(5) or (6); and

(G)   Submission of fingerprint images with the fee established by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and/or vendor for the purpose of permitting a state and national criminal history records search to be completed.

(2)   The temporary license may not be issued for a period longer than ninety (90) days.

(3)   The temporary license may be extended, but such period shall be no longer than one (1) year.

(f)   Licensure of active duty military or the spouse of an active military individual. Applications must be completed and filed with the Board.

(1)   Submit with the endorsement application a copy of the United States Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card and a copy of the Permanent Change of Station orders for the active military individual;

(2)   The requested Oklahoma license and/or temporary license shall be issued within thirty (30) days for their currently held valid license from another state or territory provided the license from the other state is found to be in good standing and reasonably equivalent to the requirements of this state; and

(3)   The fee for licensure, including temporary license, of active duty military or the spouse of an active duty military individual is waived with the license expiration date extended through the first renewal cycle.

[Source: Amended at 8 Ok Reg 3579, eff 9-20-91 (emergency); Amended at 9 Ok Reg 2103, eff 6-11-92; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 1362, eff 7-1-00; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 2707, eff 7-1-01; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 1415, eff 7-1-04; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 1345, eff 7-1-05; Amended at 23 Ok Reg 1453, eff 7-1-06; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 44, eff 8-24-06 (emergency); Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1439, eff 7-1-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1415, eff 7-1-08; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1024, eff 7-1-10; Amended at 29 Ok Reg 1615, eff 7-12-12; Amended at 31 Ok Reg 2113, eff 9-12-14; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 1199, eff 8-27-15; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1875, eff 9-14-18; Amended at 36 Ok Reg 1000, eff 7-25-19; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 2028, eff 9-11-20]