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A Nursing Career Resource with Licensing Info & Job Openings
Even though Washington D.C. is not a state, the district does have a board of nursing and requires any person that wishes to work as a nurse to be licensed in the district. Nurses in this area have a very high rate of pay when compared to other areas in the nation. This is due to the many high profile citizens they help treat and the high standard of living in the area. Washington D.C. does not participate in the National Licensure Compact and if a nurse moves into the area they must have their license endorsed to a D.C. license in order to practice in the district. Nurses may hold a license in several states as long as they are able to pay the fees.
People that wish to become a nurse in Washington D.C. will need to enroll in a local training program. These are all approved by the board of nursing and will provide both classroom and clinical programs. Licensed practical nurses and Registered nurses have the same basic divisions of classroom time and clinical time, though the program lengths and intensity are different. LPNs spend about one year in training while the lowest time period for an RN is two years. You may choose an Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree for RN. Other advanced titles and degrees are available, but every student that wishes to pursue these must finish the ASN and BSN of RN to proceed. Some students will be able to take the LPN examination and work as an LPN while still pursuing their RN.
The exam, National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), is the same in Washington DC as it is in all 50 states. The exam is computer based and asks a minimum of 75 questions to test takers. Students apply to take the exam through the board of nursing by filling out the application form. Payment for processing applies and is non-refundable. All applicants and test takers must provide valid photo identification, such as a driver's license on the day of the exam. Unless the student is being sponsored by an employer or has some sort of financial aid, they will need to pay the testing fee on testing day. The District requires a two year renewal. The fees may be paid online with a credit card. Nurses may also mail in their payments, along with any extra payments for fines related to allowing their license to lapse.
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