65-1115. Licensure of professional nurses; qualifications of applicants; examination; refresher course; renewal license; title and abbreviation; temporary permit; exempt license.
65-1115
65-1115. Licensure of professional nurses;qualifications of applicants;examination; refresher course; renewal license; title and abbreviation;temporary permit; exempt license.(a) Qualifications of applicants. An applicant for a license topractice as a registered professional nurse shall:
(1) Have graduated from anapproved schoolof professional nursing in the United States or its territoriesor from a school of professional nursing in a foreign country which is approvedby theboard as defined in rules and regulations;
(2) haveobtainedother qualifications not in conflict with this act as the board may prescribeby rule and regulation; and
(3) file with the board written application for a license.
(b) Applicant deficient in qualifications. If the board finds inevaluating any applicant that such applicant is deficient in qualification orin the quality of such applicant's educational experience, the board mayrequire such applicant to fulfill such remedial or other requirements as theboard may prescribe.
(c) License. (1) The board shall issue a license to an applicantto practice as a registeredprofessional nurse who has:
(A) Met the qualifications set forth in subsections (a) and (b);
(B) passed a written examination as prescribed by the board; and
(C) no disqualifying factors under K.S.A. 65-1120 and amendments thereto.
(2) The board may issue a license to practice nursing as a registeredprofessional nurse to an applicant who has been duly licensed as a registeredprofessional nurse by examination under the laws of another state or territoryif, in the opinion of the board, the applicant meets the qualificationsrequired of a registered professional in this state. Verification of theapplicant's licensure status shall be required from the original state oflicensure.
(3) Refresher course. Notwithstanding the provisionsof subsections (a) and (b), an applicant for a license to practice as aregistered professional nurse who has not been licensed to practiceprofessional nursing for five years preceding application shall be required tosuccessfully complete a refresher course as defined by the board.
(4) Renewal license. Alicensed professional nurse licensed under this act shallbe eligible for renewal licenses upon compliance with K.S.A. 65-1117 andamendments thereto.
(5) Licensure examinationwithin 24 months of graduation. (A) Persons who do not take thelicensureexamination within 24 months after graduation shall petition the board forpermission prior to taking the licensure examination. The board may require theapplicant to submit and complete a plan of study prior to taking the licensureexamination.
(B) Persons who are unsuccessful in passing the licensureexaminationwithin 24 months after graduation shall petition the board for permission priorto subsequent attempts. The board may require the applicant to submit andcomplete a plan of study prior to taking the licensure examination a subsequenttime. The study plan shall contain subjects related to deficiencies identifiedon the failed examination profiles.
(6) An application for initial licensure or endorsement will be heldawaiting completion of meeting qualifications for a time period specified inrules and regulations.
(d) Title and abbreviation. Any person who holds a licensetopractice as a registered professional nurse in this state shall have theright to use the title, "registered nurse," and the abbreviation, "R.N."No other person shall assume the title or use theabbreviation or anyother words, letters, signs or figures to indicate that the person is aregistered professional nurse.
(e) Temporary permit. The board may issue a temporary permittopractice nursing as a registered professional nurse for a period notto exceed 120 days.A temporary permit for 120 days may be issued to an applicant for licensureas a registered professional nurse who is a graduate of a professional schoolof nursing in a foreign country after verification of licensure in that foreigncountry and approval of educational credentials.
(f) Exempt license. The board may issue an exempt license to anylicensee as defined in rules and regulations who makes written application forsuch license on a form provided by the board, who remits afeeas establishedpursuant to K.S.A. 65-1118 and amendments thereto and who is notregularly engaged in thepractice ofprofessional nursing in Kansasbut volunteers professional nursing service oris a charitable health care provider as defined by K.S.A. 75-6102 andamendments thereto.Each exempt licenseeshall besubject to all provisions of the nurse practice act, except as otherwiseprovided in this subsection (f). Each exempt license may be renewed bienniallysubject to the provisions of this section.The holder of the exempt license shall not be required to submit evidence ofsatisfactory completion of a program of continuing nursing education forrenewal. To convert an exempt license to an active license, the exempt licenseeshall meet all the requirements of subsection (c) or K.S.A. 65-1117 andamendments thereto. The board shall have authority to write rules andregulations to carry out the provisions of this section.
History: L. 1949, ch. 331, § 4;L. 1963, ch. 314, § 2;L. 1968, ch. 231, § 1;L. 1972, ch. 231, § 9;L. 1975, ch. 316, § 3;L. 1982, ch. 261, § 1;L. 1983, ch. 207, § 1;L. 1986, ch. 233, § 1;L. 1990, ch. 221, § 1;L. 1992, ch. 151, § 1;L. 1993, ch. 194, § 9;L. 1994, ch. 149, § 1;L. 1997, ch. 158, § 1;L. 1999, ch. 84, § 1;L. 2001, ch. 161, § 1;L. 2009, ch. 81, § 1; July 1.