Nursing is highly regulated. Pretty much by definition experiences are supposed to remain consistent from one location to another. Healthcare professionals in Texas have received the same training as healthcare professionals in Illinois.
Why would it matter where you get your degree from?
College accreditation is tricky. Even though a university is considered legally valid the degree you earned from it may not hold up in your state.
Furthermore, it may be that some locations have a different demand in their local job market. This means that if you get a specialized certification or advanced degree, it may not be extremely useful in your local job market.
In this article, we take a look at the nuanced realities of how your location can influence your life as a healthcare professional.
Regional VS. National Accreditation
National accreditation certainly sounds like a higher honor. This means that the degree an institution is able to provide will be legally valid. You want that, though it is also a relatively low bar to set for yourself, all things considered. Most of us strive for more than just “compliant,” don’t we?
Regional accreditation means that the degree will be legally valid where you live. There is usually a lot of overlap between the standards set by regional and national accreditation. Still, small differences can have a big impact on your life if it happens that the nursing program you choose is not recognized by your state.
Usually, when you are attending a state school, you can be fully confident that the degree you get will work anywhere. It’s when you go to online universities that you need to be more careful.
You might find that there are hundreds of nursing programs available, but only a few are recognized by your state.
To find out for sure, it’s a good idea to reach out directly to the regulatory board in your state. They will be able to provide you with a more comprehensive view of the situation.
Note that there are also accreditations provided by third parties. Basically, gold stickers of approval. Public endorsements of the program that have no legal standing, but do indicate that the university provides a quality education.
Special Certification
The same standard holds true for nurses with specialty certifications. While your extra credential may transfer over, it is possible that the place where you got it may have different standards than the place where you plan to work.
Forensic nurses, community health nurses, even school nurses, should make sure that their credentials comply with the local requirements.
Nurse practitioners
Nurse practitioners are heavily influenced by local laws. In some states, these professionals can work almost as junior doctors. No that isn’t an official description but it is more or less the reality. Some people actually see nurse practitioners instead of general practitioners and never know the difference.
That is because nurse practitioners can make diagnoses, provide preventative care, and even write prescriptions in some states.
In other states, the situation is pretty different. They may be able to do similar tasks but only under the supervision of an MD.
That can be pretty limiting. In one situation, you have the freedom to open your own practice and run independently. In another, someone is constantly breathing down your neck.
Unfortunately, the majority of states still have relatively limited laws concerning what nurse practitioners can do on their own.
The situation is trending toward more freedom, but progress is slow. Isn’t it always?
If you are interested in working as a nurse practitioner, do your research on local laws.
Just because your state has more prohibitive guidelines does not necessarily mean that becoming an NP is not worth your time.
Even in states with regulations nurse practitioners, still make good money and are in high demand. It’s nice to know what you can expect beforehand right?
Conclusion
Don’t let any of this scare you. Obviously getting a degree you can’t use in your own state would be a pretty bad situation. Fortunately, it is easy to avoid. Do your research ahead of time and it will eliminate most of the risk.
But what if you get a degree that is valid in your home state but then decide to move to a location where it isn’t valid?
That situation could be a bit tricky. You might be able to remedy the situation by getting a compact nursing license. This will allow you to work in more than 40 states.
If for some reason that doesn’t solve the problem, you will most likely have to jump through a few hoops before you can begin working. This will be tedious. It might keep you out of work for a month or two. At the end of the day, though you will eventually get your career back on track.
No healthcare degree from an accredited university is truly useless. Still, it helps a lot to choose a degree that is well-optimized for your location and your goals.
