Aureus Medical shares travel nursing tips: How to secure a license in Washington State

Omaha, NE (May 5, 2016) - All registered nurses know that licensing requirements are different across the U.S. This presents certain challenges in travel nursing, as you may receive assignments in multiple states. It's important, though, not to be intimidated by the variations in the licensure processes. With the help of a quality recruiter, you'll have the right tools and knowledge to move forward in your career as a healthcare professional.

According to Ashley Lovell, branch manager with healthcare staffing agency Aureus Medical, Washington state is an especially tricky locale to navigate when it comes to RN licensing. Use her expertise to learn more about gaining licensure in Washington:

The challenges of licensing in WashingtonThe Nurse Licensure Compact is a strategy that allows RNs to have one license that applies to multiple states, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. While this is great for a travel nurse aiming to explore all the geographic beauty America has to offer, it doesn't apply to every state. Unfortunately, those hoping to work in the Evergreen State are out of luck with this tactic, as Washington is not one of the 25 locales that supports the NLC.

That's not the only challenge a travel nurse faces in Washington. It's also not a walk-through state, which would typically allow a nurse to approach the state's board of nursing in person, then apply and receive his or her license within 48 hours. Admittedly, this would result in only a temporary license, but it's still a convenient option for travel nurses taking short-term assignments.

According to Ashley, the absence of an online submission process for the license, something which many states have, serves as another pain point for travel nurses aiming to work in Washington.

"It is a PDF form that is required to be printed out, filled out in its entirety, and mailed to the board, which can be a timely process," she said.

Of course, this submission process also includes a background check, which involves fingerprinting. According to Ashley, the nurses will receive a fingerprinting card from the Washington State Department of Health. They then must take the card to their local police station to be fingerprinted and mail the document in.

Read the full article to learn how travel nurses can expedite the Washington state licensing process.

Aureus Medical Group is a national leader in healthcare staffing specializing in the successful placement of Nursing, Advanced Practice, Cardiopulmonary, Diagnostic Imaging, Medical Laboratory, Neurodiagnostics, Radiation Oncology, and Rehabilitation Therapy professionals, as well as Physicians, in hospitals and medical facilities nationwide.  With more than 30 years of experience, Aureus Medical offers a full range of staffing options, including national contract (travel), local contract, and direct hire.  Aureus Medical is the largest affiliate of Omaha-based C&A Industries, a leading provider of human capital management solutions for more than 45 years.