Use of Out of State Nurses
To: Nurse Licensees, Nursing Employers, Nurse Educators
From: Kathy Weinberg, Executive Director
During the pandemic response, many inquiries have been received about the use of out of state nurses. This information is provided to guide nurses, employers and educators about the topic.
If a nurse holds an active license in any state, there is currently no impediment to that nurse working in Iowa and that nurse can start working immediately.
- If the nurse holds a multistate license from a compact state, he or she may always begin working in Iowa based on compact privileges and does not need to first obtain an Iowa license.
- If a nurse holds an active license from a non-compact state, board rule 655-3.2(2)(c) allows that nurse to work in Iowa in response to a state of emergency declared by the governor. The nurse does not need to first obtain an Iowa license and may immediately begin working in Iowa for as long as the state continues to be under a proclamation of disaster emergency.
The only class of persons who cannot start working immediately are recent nursing school graduates who must take and pass the NCLEX exam. However, as long as graduates do not delay in submitting their materials or submit incomplete materials, board staff can expedite processing and we do not anticipate any delays in processing completed applications.
If you have questions about the licensure process, please contact board staff.
Covid-19 Vaccine Providers
The Iowa Department of Public Health is reminding Iowa's enrolled Covid-19 vaccine providers to access and read the weekly Vaccine Information Brief published by the Bureau of Immunizations & Tuberculosis. The Vaccine Information Brief is THE BEST source of information for regular updates impacting Iowa's enrolled vaccine providers. It is important for Iowa's enrolled vaccine providers to monitor frequently updated guidance on Covid-19 vaccine administration from ACIP, CDC, and FDA. There are two ways to access the Vaccine Information Brief . First, a weekly listserv message (including the Vaccine Information Brief link) is sent to the emails on record for all Iowa enrolled vaccine providers. Second, vaccine providers can find the Vaccine Information Brief at the IDPH Covid-19 Vaccine Providers web page, located under the Resources section. Thank you for your ongoing commitment and efforts to ensure Iowan's are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
ACNL Webinar: Our Anger in the Time of Delta
In a collaborative effort between the Association of California Nurse Leaders, HealthImpact, and ANA California, a webinar was developed to examine the trauma experienced by nurses throughout the pandemic. Coping with anger calls for trauma-informed strategies for nurses themselves and are presented by Candace W. Burton, PhD, RN, AFN-BC, AGN-BC, FNAP, Associate Professor, UC Irvine, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing.
Thanks to Garrett Chan, HealthImpact, President & CEO, for sharing this information. Click on View Recording.
Phone Scams Continue
Board staff continue to receive calls from Nurse Practitioners who are receiving scam phone calls in an apparent attempt to acquire the Nurse Practitioner's D.E.A. number.
The call will show up on caller ID as the Iowa Board of Nursing. The caller is typically a male with a heavy accent who will tell the practitioner their license number and inform them they are an investigator for the Board of Nursing and the practitioner has committed some type of serious narcotics violation. The calls sound rough and unprofessional to the recipients.
This is usually as far as the call goes, as the practitioner typically hangs up on the caller at this point and calls our office to check on the call. Hanging up on any calls that sound suspicious and contacting our office to verify with a member of the Enforcement Unit that the call was fraudulent is the correct way to respond to such a call. You may contact us at 515.281.3255 and ask to speak to someone in Enforcement.
Next Generation NCLEX Resources
The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) will be launched in April 2023. In preparation for this exciting event, NCSBN has made several valuable resources available to provide up-to-date information about the NGN project:
The information provided is intended to prepare and guide candidates, educators and the public as we prepare for the launch of the NGN.
For questions regarding the NGN project, contact us at nclexcontent@ncsbn.org.
Get ready for Healthiest State Month!
#HealthyChoicesCount
Nurses are encouraged to participate in Iowa's Healthiest State Month. Each week of October will be dedicated to celebrating the 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! campaign. This program is helping create healthier environments in schools, child care and out-of-school programs, health care practices, workplaces, and communities — the places where Iowans live, learn, work, and play. It is centered around the common message of 5-2-1-0:
• 5 or more fruits or vegetables • 2 hours or less of recreational screen time • 1 hour or more of physical activity • 0 sugary drinks – drink more water!
Think of activities to incorporate 5-2-1-0 behaviors at your healthcare site. Don’t hesitate to get involved or participate. Learn more about 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! for healthcare sites and providers.
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Analysis of COVID-19 Impacts on Nursing Staff
In cooperation with Iowa Workforce Development, the Iowa Board of Nursing and the Iowa Center for Nursing Workforce have released the executive summary of the qualitative comments received during the survey period of the 2020 Nursing Demand Survey Report (Released April 2021).
The summary provides a glimpse in time about the respondents' responses regarding staffing and recruitment changes, needed nursing support, and how the pandemic affected early retirements among nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. See the document here: Analysis of COVID-19 Impacts on Nursing Staff (August 2021)
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Tip of the Week
Question:
How Many states have enacted the NLC?
Answer:
There are currently 38 jurisdictions that have enacted NLC legislation. You can view the NLC map here.
For more information about the Nurse Licensure Compact, see this link on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website: https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm
To read the newsletter about the NLC and APRN Compact updates, see Compact Connection.
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