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Frequently Asked License Questions for Clinical Nurse Specialists

General
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The 4 types of New York nursing professions are:

  • Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
  • Registered Professional Nurses (RNs)
  • Nurse Practitioners (NPs). New York State certifies NPs in the following specialty areas: Acute Care; Adult Health; Family Health; Pediatrics; Women's Health; Psychiatry; Gerontology; Neonatology; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Oncology; Perinatology; School Health; College Health; Holistic Health; Community Health and Palliative care.
  • Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) New York State certifies CNSs in the following specialty areas: Adult Health; Pediatrics; Psychiatric/Mental Health; and Oncology.

Note: In New York, midwifery is not considered a nursing profession. Midwifery is a separately licensed profession.

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New York Law requires the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to charge the following fees:

  • Licensed Professional Nurses (LPNs)
    • If you are applying for an LPN license - you must pay a $143 fee to NYSED. This fee covers your license and your initial LPN registration.
    • If you are also applying for a limited permit - you must pay an additional $35 fee to NYSED.
    • If you are renewing your LPN registration - you must pay a $73 fee to NYSED.
  • Registered Professional Nurses (RNs)
    • If you are applying for an RN license - you must pay a $143 fee to NYSED. This fee covers your license and your initial RN registration.
    • If you are also applying for a limited permit - you must pay an additional $35 fee to NYSED.
    • If you are renewing your RN registration - you must pay a $73 fee to NYSED.
  • Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs)
    • If you are applying for a CNS certificate only - you must pay an $80 fee to NYSED. This fee covers your CNS certificate and your initial CNS registration.
    • If you are applying for an RN license and a CNS certificate - you must pay a $223 fee to NYSED.
    • If you are renewing your CNS and RN registrations, you must pay to NYSED $30 for each CNS certificate that you hold and an additional $73 fee for your RN registration.
  • Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
    • If you are applying for an NP certificate only - you must pay an $85 fee to NYSED. This fee covers your NP certificate and your initial NP registration.
    • If you are applying for an RN license and an NP certificate - you must pay a $228 fee to NYSED.
    • If you are renewing your NP and RN registrations - you must pay to NYSED $35 for each NP certificate that you hold and an additional $73 fee for your RN registration.
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You are legally required to notify the New York State Education Department (NYSED) of your name and/or address change within 30 days. More information on how to notify NYSED of your name or address change.

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When you apply for a nursing license or to renew your nursing registration, you will be required to answer the following questions:

  • Have you been found guilty after trial, or pleaded guilty, no contest or nolo contendere to a crime (felony or misdemeanor) in any court?
  • Are criminal charges pending against you in any court?
  • Has any licensing or disciplinary authority refused to issue you a license or ever revoked, annulled, cancelled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a professional license or certificate held by you now or previously, or ever fined, censured, reprimanded, or otherwise disciplined you?
  • Are charges pending against you in any jurisdiction for any sort of professional misconduct? Has any hospital or licensed facility restricted or terminated your professional training, employment or privileges or have you ever voluntarily or involuntarily resigned or withdrawn from such association to avoid imposition of such measures?

You must report all criminal convictions and disciplinary actions against you, regardless of whether it occurred in New York State or elsewhere. You do not have to disclose "youthful offender" offenses, if your records have been sealed.

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Not necessarily. As part of the review of your license or registration application, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) will review your background including your prior conviction(s). NYSED decides on a case by case basis whether your prior criminal conviction(s) will disqualify you from being licensed as a nurse in New York.

Note: Courts often notify NYSED when nurses are convicted of a crime.

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No. US citizens and other persons lawfully in the US may qualify for a nursing license.

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No. You are not required to have a social security number. However, if you have a social security number, you must disclose it on your nursing license application and on your nursing registration renewal applications.

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In New York State, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) is responsible for "approving" (registering) nursing education programs. A list of NYSED registered nursing education programs is available at www.nysed.gov/heds/IRPSL1.html. All out-of-state and online nursing education programs must be registered or approved by NYSED in order to place students in clinical rotations in New York State (except in federal U.S. Armed forces or Veteran's Administration facilities).

Internationally Educated
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There are 5 methods for applying for licensure as an RN in New York State. If you were granted the BN, BSN, or BScN degree after January 1, 2015 from a university in a Canadian province (except Quebec), you may apply for licensure as a recent Canadian graduate (using RN method #4). If you don’t qualify, you may apply for licensure as an internationally educated applicant (using RN method #5).

For instructions for applying for licensure as an RN in New York State, click here.

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There are 5 methods for applying for licensure as an RN in New York State. If you graduated from a nursing school in another country, you can apply for licensure as an internationally educated applicant (using RN method #5).

For instructions for applying for licensure as an RN in New York State, click here.

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Before you will be allowed to take the NCLEX-RN, the following sequence of events must happen:

  1. You must:
    1. apply for licensure as an RN with the New York State Education Department (NYSED);
    2. either have CGFNS verify your nursing education credentials or use Forms 2F and 3F for that purpose; and,
    3. register to take the NCLEX-RN with Pearson Vue.
  2. NYSED must review your RN license application, including your education credentials. If NYSED determines that you are eligible, NYSED will inform Pearson VUE that you are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.
  3. Pearson VUE must issue an "Authorization to Test" or "ATT" to you. The ATT will include an ATT number. You must have an ATT number in order schedule an appointment with Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX-RN. Additionally, you must present the ATT and an acceptable form of identification at the test center to take the NCLEX-RN.
Clinical Nurse Specialists
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In New York State, a CNS is a registered professional nurse who has completed advanced education (usually a master's or doctorate degree) in a nursing clinical practice specialty and is certified by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as a "Clinical Nurse Specialist" or "CNS".

CNS provide expert nursing services that benefit patients with complex health care needs. In addition to providing, coordinating and supervising care, CNS’s evaluate the quality and effectiveness of patient care. They provide clinical consultation to other health care personnel and may be involved in health care management, health systems improvement, clinical research and health care policy development.

Clinical nurse specialists do not determine medical diagnoses and do not prescribe or order medical treatments or diagnostic tests. For example, a clinical nurse specialist does not prescribe medications or order CT scans.

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To be certified and registered as a CNS in New York State, you must:

  • be currently registered and licensed as Registered Professional Nurse (RN) in New York State;
  • submit an application for CNS certification and pay applicable fees to the New York State Education Department (NYSED); and
  • be a graduate from a CNS education program registered by NYSED, or meet alternative education or experience criteria acceptable to NYSED (described below).
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To satisfy the professional education and experience requirements for CNS certification, you must meet the criteria in one of the paragraphs 1, 2, or 3, below.

  1. You must graduate from a CNS education program that is registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as qualifying for New York State certification as a CNS. For a list of these education programs, click here.; or
  2. You must graduate from a CNS education program that is determined by NYSED to be the equivalent to a CNS education program registered by NYSED, and be currently certified as a CNS by a national certifying organization that is acceptable to NYSED; or
  3. You must hold a license or certification as a CNS issued by another state or country and have met the substantial equivalent of the New York requirements for CNS certification, as determined by NYSED.
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To find out whether your New York education program is registered by NYSED as qualifying for CNS certification, click here. To find out whether your out-of-state or online nursing education program is registered by NYSED, e-mail NYSED at: opprogs@nysed.gov. Please be sure to identify, by name and address, the nursing education program that you attended.

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Not necessarily. If you are already a New York licensed and registered RN, New York Law does not specifically require that you pass an additional license exam to be certified as a CNS. If you graduate from a CNS education program registered by NYSED, you do not have to pass an examination to be certified as a CNS. However, if you are trying to meet New York State criteria for becoming a CNS by being certified by a national certification organization, you may have to pass an examination to obtain a CNS certification from the national certification organization.
 

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Yes. In order to practice nursing as a CNS, you must be licensed and currently registered as an RN, and certified and currently registered as a CNS by NYSED. Every three years you must renew your CNS registration and your RN registration with NYSED in order to continue practicing as a CNS.