After graduation, I plan to be licensed in New Hampshire, where I am still a resident. New Hampshire is a compact state, which allows for me to have licensure in multiple states. New Hampshire also allows for new graduates to work under a temporary license, pending licensure by examination. To apply for licensure, I will need to complete a few steps including a criminal background check, finger printing, and an application for licensure by exam. I will have to fill out the criminal background form online and have it notarized prior to sending it to the board. I will need to send this form within 30 days of being fingerprinted. I have been fingerprinted before this when I was applying for my LNA license, so I know where to go in the DMV. I will request the NH state police to send my results directly to the NH state board of nursing to help the process move smoothly. I will need to send a registration fee to the NH treasurer, and a copy of my driver’s license to a declaration of primary residency form. The licensure application and the declaration of primary residency form is not allowed to be submitted online at this time. I will need to print these forms on high quality paper and send them via mail. Additionally, the state requires a copy of my transcript which is to include the type of degree and my graduation date. I must also complete a temporary licensure form and attach a fee, should I wish to work before I take the NCLEX or pending NCLEX results. Another very important step I am to take includes registering with the testing site Pearson to be able to take the licensure exam.

Once I attain my nursing license, I will do everything I can to protect it. As a nurse I must be aware of professional boundaries, and make a conscious effort to avoid crossing these boundaries. While forging a therapeutic relationship with patients helps to promote health goals, it is imperative that the nurse respects the space between patient and nurse, to avoid blurring lines and overstepping boundaries. The NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing) describe a continuum of professional behavior that I will endeavor to keep in mind at all times. In addition to protecting my own licenses, I must see to it that I protect my patients and institution from healthcare workers who may be unfit for duty. In New Hampshire, nurses are mandated reporters, and must speak up when they suspect abuse, neglect, intoxication, etc. For nurses and other healthcare personnel who may be performing under the influence, action should be taken to prevent harm to patients. People struggling with addition and substance misuse deserve to be helped and sometimes it takes another colleague to speak up for them to recognize their problem. Actions may be taken against the individual’s license, but some cases may depend upon circumstance. Overall, as a nurse working in New Hampshire, if I see or hear something that does not seem right, I must speak up to protect all parties involved.