Beginning Sept. 5, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses from 40 other states who hold multistate licenses through the Nurse Licensure Compact, or NLC, will be able to provide in-person and telehealth services to people seeking care in healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania.

“Allowing qualified RNs and LPNs to practice in the commonwealth expands the pool of recruits for hospitals and other healthcare facilities and helps alleviate burdens on overworked nursing staffs, making conditions safer for both patients and healthcare workers,” according to a press release from the commonwealth.

Act 68 of 2021 authorized Pennsylvania to join the compact. Allowing nurses from other states to provide care in the state is “a critical first step in the full implementation” of the agreement, Commonwealth Secretary Al Schmidt said. In the next step, he added, nurses from Pennsylvania will be permitted to practice in other states that belong to the compact, but first the state must meet additional conditions, including being able to certify to other compact states that Pennsylvania’s State Board of Nursing has performed FBI criminal background checks on Pennsylvania applicants, a process that requires FBI authorization.

“We are also ensuring that other technical and regulatory requirements are able to be met so that the commonwealth can fully implement the NLC as quickly as possible once we receive FBI approval,” Schmidt said.

Healthcare facilities licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health can refer to the state Department of Health’s facility-specific guidance for information and additional requirements before using RNs and LPNs licensed through the NLC. Employers that want to verify the status of a nurse’s multistate license can visit www.nursys.com, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s central repository for licensing information, and click on “Quick Confirm.”

A recent review found that the Keystone State could see a shortfall of more than 20,000 registered nurses by 2026.

Zachary Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, called the decision to join the compact a “no-brainer” initiative for the state. 

On social media recently, he expressed frustration that it has taken so long for Pennsylvania to fully implement its membership in the NLC. “Why is this taking so long?” he asked.