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Let us help you land on your dream job here in Mississippi! Read on this article to know more about the licensing process in Mississippi, 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 Mississippi
Popular hospitals in Mississippi
Nursing associations in Mississippi
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 Mississippi licensing page.
As a nursing compact state, Mississippi lets nurses obtain multi-state licenses.
*Fees may change without any notice.
Licensing Renewal Process
Check when your license expires by visiting the Mississippi Board of Nursing website. Mississippi has a Verification page for you to verify your license.
Complete all your continuing education requirements BEFORE your license expires.
Apply for your renewal process by going to the Mississippi Board of Nursing. You may check on the Renewal Information page for more specific information. Be reminded that if your Primary State of Residency is not Mississippi, you can not apply for a licensure in Mississippi because it is a compact state. You must declare that Mississippi is your Primary State of Residency to be able to do so.
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
The following are the Continuing Education Requirements for nurses in Mississippi.
For RN, you must complete 20 contact hours every 2 years.
For LPN, 20 contact hours is required every 2 years.
For APRN, you must have 40 contact hours every 2 years in which 10 hours of it must be in controlled substances.
The Mississippi Board of Nursing accepts courses that are ANCC accredited.
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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 Mississippi
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 currently $63,130.
Let us help you check out average wages of nurses to help determine if Mississippi is the right place for you.
Popular Hospitals in Mississippi
Still not decided on whether to work as a nurse in Mississippi 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 Mississippi. Here are some of them:
Mississippi Baptist Medical Center – (Jackson, MS):
Regionally ranked #1 in Mississippi and in Jackson
Rated high performing in 9 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Specialties include Cancer, Heart failure & heart attack, Hip & knee replacement, and Pulmonology & lung surgery
North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo - (Tupelo, MS):
Regionally ranked #2 in Mississippi
Rated high performing in 7 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility and a teaching hospital
Specialties include Colon cancer, Heart bypass surgery, Diabetes, and Hip replacement
St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital - (Jackson, MS):
Regionally ranked #2 in Mississippi and in Jackson
Rated high performing in 7 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Specialties include Colon cancer surgery, Heart failure & heart attack, Diabetes, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Anderson Regional Medical Center - (Meridian, MS):
Rated high performing in 1 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Specializes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), among other fields.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto - (Southaven, MS):
Rated high performing in 5 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Specialties include Heart attack & Heart failure, Diabetes, Kidney Failure, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Nursing Associations in Mississippi
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 Mississippi.
The Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses of Mississippi: “Minority Communities are prioritized by this nursing association. This group is committed to improving the state by making healthcare accessible to those who need it most but cannot afford it.”
Mississippi Nurses Association: “This institution is dedicated to promoting registered professional nurses through education research, partnership and advocacies.”
Mississippi Nurses Foundation: “This group envisions becoming an organization that is charitable in the state. It dreams to become most influential in making an impact on the professional image of nursing by funding and sponsoring their continuing education.”
For more information about the nursing associations, you may visit the comprehensive list of national organizations as well.
Contact Details
Mississippi Board of Nursing
Phone: (601) 957-6300
Fax: (601) 957-6301
Website: https://www.msbn.ms.gov/
713 Pear Orchard Road, Plaza II
Suite 300
Ridgeland, MS 39157