South Carolina Board of Nursing

INSTRUCTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE (APRN) Application

(Updating from a current South Carolina RN License to SC APRN License)

Information for Applicant

South Carolina is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC does not affect additional requirements imposed by states for advanced-practice registered nursing. A multi-state licensure privilege to practice registered nursing granted by a party state must be recognized by other party states as a license to practice registered nursing if a license to practice registered nursing is required by state law as a precondition for qualifying for advanced-practice registered nurse authorization.

A current APRN South Carolina license or temporary license is required to practice advanced nursing in this state. Orientation is considered the practice of nursing in South Carolina. Therefore, all nurses must possess a current South Carolina license and/or temporary license before beginning orientation (including classroom instruction and reading policies and procedures). It is a violation of the Nurse Practice Act to begin orientation without the proper license and can result in action by the Board. Please visit our website at http://llr.sc.gov/nurse to review the complete South Carolina Nurse Practice Act, Section 40-33-34 for more details on educational and certification requirements.

Prior to completing application, review Section 40-33-34 of the Nurse Practice Act for statutory requirements for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in South Carolina. The Nurse Practice Act can be found under Laws/Policies on our website http://llr.sc.gov/nurse.

If you were previously licensed by the SC Board of Nursing as an APRN, do not complete this application form. Go to http://llr.sc.gov/nurse for the APRN Reactivation/Reinstatement application.

Section 40-33-34(A)

An applicant for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:

1. has met all qualifications for licensure as a registered nurse; and
2. holds current specialty certification by a board-approved credentialing organization. New graduates shall provide evidence of certification within one year of program completion; however, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists shall provide evidence of certification within two years of program completion; and
3. has earned a master's degree from an accredited college or university, except for those applicants who:
4. provide documentation as requested by the board that the applicant was graduated from an advanced, organized formal education program appropriate to the practice and acceptable to the board before December 31, 1994; or
5. graduated before December 31, 2003, from an advanced, organized formal education program for nurse anesthetists accredited by the national accrediting organization of that specialty. CRNA's who graduate after December 31, 2003, must graduate with a master's degree from a formal CRNA education program for nurse anesthetists accredited by the national accreditation organization of the CRNA specialty. An advanced practice registered nurse must achieve and maintain national certification, as recognized by the board, in an advanced practice registered nursing specialty;
6. has paid the board all applicable fees; and
7. has declared specialty area of nursing practice and the specialty title to be used must be the title which is granted by the board-approved credentialing organization or the title of the specialty area of nursing practice in which the nurse has received advanced educational preparation.

Instructions & Information

1. Complete and submit this application to the Board if you have a current SC RN license and want to update your RN license credential to a SC Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license. Application fees are non-refundable. Money order, cashier's check or personal check should be made payable to LLR-Board of Nursing. Your application must include the following:
2. Recent 2" x 2" full faced passport type photo, sign and date on front or back and tape along top edge only onto your application.
3. Copy of current SC RN license with the expiration date.
4. Document of earned master's degree (§40-33-34) Have official transcripts sent directly from your master's from nursing educational program to Board of Nursing.
5. Copy of current specialty certification by a board-approved credentialing organization. (New graduates shall provide evidence of certification within one year of program completion; however, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists shall provide evidence of certification within two years of program completion).
6. Copies of legal documents that authorize a change in name, if applicable.
7. Obtain all physician signatures and license numbers to be included on your application, if applicable.
8. See the SC Nurse practice Act for guidelines on the development of written protocols.
9. Application fees -- Money order, cashier's check or personal check made payable to LLR-Board of Nursing.
10. $30.00 - Update from current SC RN license to APRN (Permanent license only)
11. $20.00 - Prescriptive Authority (See separate document for prescriptive authority application)
12. Applying for Prescriptive Authority-complete and submit:
13. Prescriptive Authority Application
14. Documentation of 45 continuing education hours in pharmacotherapeutics
15. Check the status of your application online at http://llr.sc.gov/nurse. Allow 14 business days for processing after receipt of your application in the board's office. Also allow 14 business days after receipt of the last document for a license number to be generated.
16. Change of Address - The Board should be notified of all changes in address, name and/or telephone number. You must notify the Board in writing immediately after you file this application in order to receive information from the board.
17. Change in Supervising Physician or Place of Practice - It is of utmost importance that you inform the Board of any changes in your supervising physician or place of practice. The South Carolina Nurse Practice Act §40-33-34(D)(3) requires a licensed APRN who changes or discontinues primary practice settings or physician or dentist to notify the board of this change within 15 business days and provide verification of approved written guidelines. Failure to notify the Board of changes in practice shall be considered misconduct and subject the licensee to disciplinary action.
18. Name Used on License - All licenses are issued in the applicant's legal name. Your legal name is your first name, middle name or maiden name, if married, and last name. The name as it appears on your birth certificate will be printed on your license, unless it has been changed legally by marriage, divorce or other legal action. If your name changes (marriage, divorce or other court order) after the application has been filed, a certified copy of the legal document changing your name must be submitted to this office so that the correct name appears on the license. Your first name cannot be dropped and your middle name used on the license unless you have legally made this change and have provided documentation (court documents).
19. Notification of Initial Employment or Change of Practice - §40-33-34 (D)(3) & (H)(4) of the S.C. Nurse Practice Act requires that licensed APRN who change or discontinue practice settings or physician (or dentist) shall notify the Board of such change within 15 days and provide verification of approved written protocols (guidelines). Failure to notify the Board of a change in practice shall be considered misconduct and subject the licensee to disciplinary action.
20. License Renewal - South Carolina Nursing Licenses are renewed every even year. All licenses must be renewed by April 30th every even year. It is the responsibility of the licensee to renew their license. Do not wait until renewal time to notify the Board of a change in your address, supervisor or practice setting. See §40-33-40 of the Nurse Practice Act to review the competency requirements and §40-33-34(E)(3) for prescriptive authority requirements for renewal.

REMEMBER:

• Prior to completing application, review Section 40-33-34 of the Nurse Practice Act for statutory requirements for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in South Carolina. The Nurse Practice Act can be found under Laws/Policies on our website http://llr.sc.gov/nurse.
• If you were previously licensed by the SC Board of Nursing as an APRN, do not use this application form. Visit Applications/Forms on the Board's web page for a Reactivation/Reinstatement Application to reinstate your APRN license.
• Please print clearly in black ink.
• Complete the Affidavit of Eligibility.
• Cashier's check, money order or personal check should be made payable to LLR-Board of Nursing.
• Documents (marriage licenses and other legal documents) are part of your application file and are not returned.
• Notify the Board immediately of any change in name or address changes during the application process.
• Copies of legal documents that authorize a change in name.
• Sign, date your photo on the front or back and tape along the top edge only onto your application. Color or black and white photos are accepted.
• Review and complete CBC requirements. If you need a fingerprint card, please e-mail NurseBoard@LLR.SC.GOV.
• Document of earned master's degree. Have official transcripts sent directly from your master's nursing educational program to the SC Board of Nursing.
• Supply a copy of a current advanced practice nursing specialty certification by board-approved credentialing organization. New graduates shall provide evidence of certification within one year of program completion; however, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists shall provide evidence of certification within two years of program completion.
• See the SC Nurse Practice Act [§40-33-34] and the SC Medical Practice Act for guidelines on the development of written protocols.
• Obtain all SC physician signatures and license numbers to be included on your application, if applicable.
• Check the status of your application online on the Board's website. Allow 10 business days for processing after receipt of your application by the Board. Allow 10 business days after receipt of the last document for a license number to be generated.
• Applications are maintained on file for one year; all fees are non-refundable.
• Applicants applying for Prescriptive Authority, complete and submit:
• Prescriptive Authority Application
• Documentation of continuing education hours in pharmacotherapeutics
• Any questions regarding this application should be directed to the SC Board of Nursing at (803) 896-4550.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE ONLINE APPLICATION