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Let us help you land on your dream job here in Florida! Read on this article to know more about the licensing process in Florida, and more!
Through this article, you will be able to know the following:
Fees for the licensing
Licensing renewal process (step-by-step)
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
Licensing and certification
Job and Salary Expectations of Nurses in Florida
Popular hospitals in Florida
Nursing associations in Florida
Contact details
Fees for the Licensing
The table below shows the required payments for the licensing, whether you are a first-time nurse, applying by endorsement, or renewing your license. For more details, visit the Florida licensing page.
As a nursing compact state, Florida lets nurses hold multi-state licenses.
*Fees may change without any notice.
**A background check is required in most states, but prices are not usually indicated.
Licensing Renewal Process
Check when your license expires by visiting the Florida Board of Nursing website. Florida has a Verification page for you to verify your license. To maintain the right practice, Florida Board of nursing requires its licensees to renew their license every 2 years.
Complete all your continuing education requirements BEFORE your license expires.
Apply for your renewal process by going to the Florida Board of Nursing. You may check on the Renewal Information page for more specific information. Since Florida is a compact state, you will not be allowed to apply for a licensure if your Primary State of Residency is in another compact state. You must declare that Florida is your Primary State of Residency.
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
The following are the Continuing Education Requirements for nurses in Florida.
For RN/LPN/APRN, you must complete 24 hours every 2 years
You are also required to take the following courses:
2 hours for medical error/prevention
2 hours on preventing human trafficking
2 hours for Florida laws and rules
2 hours on domestic violence every 3rd renewal
2 hours on recognition of impairment in the workplace (every other renewal)
1 hour one-time HIV/AIDS
3 hours on safe and effective prescription of controlled substances, if a prescriber
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Licensing and Certification
Step 1: Education
To earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), you must attend an accredited institution that offers ADN for 18-24 months. You can also take a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree in an accredited institution. These programs typically take 4 to 5 years to complete. If you have an ADN but you wanna pursue your bachelor’s, there are certain programs that let you earn your BSN in 12 to 18 months. There is also an RN to BSN program that will take one year for you to earn the degree. Said programs let you save on time and money as you work towards advancing your career.
Step 2: Licensing
Six weeks before your graduation, you can start the process of your application for the NCLEX-RN exam. This exam is composed of 75-265 items and you will be given a limit of 5 hours to finish all of it. Failing the exam does not necessarily mean that you do not have the chance anymore. After your first try, you just have to wait for 45 days and you can apply again.
The scope of NCLEX includes questions about: (1) health promotion and maintenance; (2) safe and effective care environment; (3) physiology and integrity; and (4) psychology and integrity.
Step 3: Experience
This time, you must learn how to take the opportunities in gaining first-hand experiences in dealing with patients, with colleagues and superiors, and with the different situations that you might face. These invaluable experiences will make you more attractive to bigger employers in the future.
Step 4: Certification
Your last step is to obtain certifications for your chosen career. There are different requirements for earning a certification, depending on your preferences so it is important to check with the governing provider for information. You can attend several trainings, seminars or workshops in varied institutions for this purpose.
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Job and Salary Expectations of Nurses in Florida
Shortage of healthcare professionals, specifically nurses, has been a perennial issue in the country. This makes nurses highly in demand during this period of time. This profession will increase by about 9% from 2020 to 2030. The average annual salary is $72,000.
Let us help you check out average wages of nurses to help determine if Florida is the right place for you.
Popular Hospitals in Delaware
Still not decided on whether to work as a nurse in Florida or not? This list of the best hospitals in the state will surely help you make that decision to go in the right direction. U.S. News and World Report made a list of the best and popular hospitals in Florida. Here are some of them:
Mayo Clinic – (Jacksonville, FL):
Regionally ranked #1 in Florida in Jacksonville
Nationally ranked in 7 adult specialties specialties
Rated high performing in 1 adult specialty and 16 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®
Specialties include Colon & lung cancer, Cardiology & heart surgery, Diabetes & endocrinology, and Neurology & neurosurgery
UF Health Shands Hospital – (Gainesville, FL):
Nationally ranked in 6 adult specialties and 8 pediatric specialties
Rated high performing in 5 adult specialties and 12 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Specialties include Cancer, Diabetes & endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Pulmonology & lung surgery, and Urology
AdventHealth Orlando – (Orlando, FL):
Nationally ranked in 3 adult specialties and 1 pediatric specialty
Rated high performing in 6 adult specialties and 16 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®
Specialties include Colon & lung cancers, Cardiology & heart surgery, Diabetes, Nephrology, and Neurology & neurosurgery
University of Miami Hospital and Clinics UHealth Towers - (Miami, FL):
Nationally ranked in 3 adult specialties
Rated high performing in 1 adult specialty and 6 procedures and conditions
A cancer facility and a teaching hospital
Specialties include cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Nephrology, and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery
Nationally ranked in 5 adult specialties
Rated high performing in 4 adult specialties and 12 procedures and conditions
A general medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Specialties include Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes and Endocrinology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery
*The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) awards Magnet Status to Hospitals that apply and meet certain criteria. This award is also considered as the “gold standard” for excellence in nursing practice and care.
Nursing Associations in Florida
Becoming a member of a nursing association opens a lot of opportunities to your career growth. It gives you the advantages of varied job offers and networking, and a bunch of information and experiences shared between you and your fellow nurses. Through these organizations, learning and professional growth never stop. Listed below are just a few of the nursing organizations that you can find and join once you are in Florida.
Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners “This institution of Nurse Practitioners work together for the improvement of access of the people of Florida to healthcare.”
Florida Nurses Association “Members of this organization aims to make better lives for nurses. Each of them help nurses by providing professional growth and promoting excellent levels of practice.”
Haitian American Nurses Association of Florida “This group of nurses envisions to be recognized as a world class nursing organization by offering opportunities to nurses to collaborate,and getting involved in resolving issues relevant to health and welfare of Florida citizens.”
For more information about the nursing associations, you may visit the comprehensive list of national organizations as well.
Contact Details
Florida Board of Nursing
Board office
Phone: (850) 245-4125
Fax: (850) 617-6460
Customer contact
(850) 488-0595
Mailing address:
Department of Health
Board of Nursing
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-02
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3252
Applications and Fees ONLY:
Department of Health
Board of Nursing
PO Box 6330
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6330