Licensing and Educational Requirements for Nurses
In order to obtain a nurse license, Texas students have to graduate from a nursing program approved by the state and pass the NCLEX licensing examination. Nurses can be licensed in multiple states, either by retaking the NCLEX exam or by endorsement of their license by another state.
A multi-state agreement called the Nurse Licensure Compact allows nurses to practice in member states without retaking the NCLEX exam. Currently, 20 states, including Texas, participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact agreement. Nursing licenses must be renewed periodically. In Texas, nurses are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years for relicensure.
To become a registered nurse in Texas you can take any of the following nursing education paths: a bachelor's of science degree offered by colleges and universities which takes about four years to complete, an associate degree from a community or junior college which takes two or three years to complete or a nursing diploma. Diploma nursing programs are offered by hospitals and take about three years. Upon graduation from any of these types of nursing education programs individuals are eligible to take the RN licensing examination - the NCLEX-RN.
Licensed vocational nurses (LVN) must pass a licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-PN, after completing a state-approved vocational nursing program. A high school diploma is usually required for entry, although some programs accept candidates without a diploma, and some are designed as part of a high school curriculum. Most LVN training programs are available from technical and vocational schools, or from community and junior colleges. LVN programs in Texas last about one year and include both classroom study and supervised clinical practice.
In most cases, a high school diploma or equivalent is necessary for a job as a nurse assistant but neither the federal regulation nor Texas imposes a minimum education requirement for nurse aides. In order to become a certified nurse aide and be eligible to work in Texas you must successfully complete a state-approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program and pass the competency evaluation program examination. If you are currently on the certified nurse aide registry in another state you may qualify to work as a CNA in Texas by reciprocity. All Texas nursing education programs include both classroom instruction and supervised practice in hospitals or other health care facilities such as nursing care facilities, public health departments, home health agencies, and ambulatory clinics.
Classroom instruction consists of courses in nursing, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, behavioral sciences, and liberal arts. Supervised clinical practice is provided in hospital departments such as surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and maternity. Advanced practice nursing specialties require at least a master's degree in nursing. Most advanced practice nursing programs last about two years and require a BSN degree for admission. Some advanced practice nursing programs also require one or two years of clinical experience as a registered nurse.
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