NCSBN Selects Kentucky Board of Nursing to Implement Nurse Licensure Compact

CHICAGO, IL - The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. has issued the first contract award to the Kentucky Board of Nursing for its implementation of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) under a grant that NCSBN received from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. NCSBN received the grant to work with state boards of nursing to reduce licensure barriers impacting telehealth and interstate nursing practice.

“We are very appreciative of this grant that will assist the Kentucky Board of Nursing to implement the NLC in a manner that best benefits our constituents,” remarks Charlotte F. Beason, executive director of the Kentucky Board of Nursing.

Currently 22 states have passed the NLC law and 20 have implemented the mutual recognition model for nurse licensure. The NLC is modeled after the U.S. Drivers License Compact; it allows nurses who legally reside in an NLC state and meet the uniform core requirements to practice in other participating NLC states on the privilege to practice. Additionally, NCSBN promotes the utilization of Criminal Background Checks as one of its Delegate Assembly adopted uniform core requirements for state boards of nursing. In doing so, NCSBN is recognizing that by assisting all states in implementing this activity, it will advance licensure portability across the U.S.

“We are excited to begin issuing the contract awards that will aid boards of nursing to initiate the NLC and pleased to provide funding to the Kentucky Board of Nursing to support them in implementing their participation,” said NCSBN Board of Directors President Faith Fields.