Attaining and Protecting My Professional Nursing License

I am eager in graduation and obtaining my license, which is a life event that I used to think was so far away but it quickly approaching, which is intimidating and exciting as I will be able to launch my career as an RN. I intend to stay local and receive my license in Southern and Coastal Maine and either work in the Biddeford-Portland area, or in Portsmouth, NH. Maine is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) where I will be able to obtain my license in Maine and practice in other compact states, such as NH. Under the NLC, I am also able to practice via telenursing in all states that are also NLC. It is a cool factor that I am also able to respond in times of natural disaster and am able to go help out in other NLC states. In new graduate orientation program, an ATT letter must be received for first time applicants and is only valid for 3 months. For our class, we will be applying for licensure by examination (NCLEX). The application process consists of a $75 application fee that is notarized and includes a photo of you, whether it be a selfie or professional picture. Transcripts are only required if a student were to graduate from an out-of-state program, so in my case, transcripts are not mandatory. In Maine, the ULR requires that an applicant for licensure must submit fingerprints and other biometric information for obtaining a background and criminal check from the FBI. The results for a criminal background check are only valid for 90 days, so it is important not to do this step too early to avoid having to repeat. Provisions for impaired nursing for the state of Maine include mandated reporting for abuse or neglect of a child, stealing drugs, theft by deception, falsifying health care records, falsifying private records, criminal restraint, endangering welfare of dependent person, and assault. Assault can have a penalty of $300-$2000 and up to 1 year of incarceration. Criminal restraint refers to knowingly restraining another person with no order to do so. Falsifying private records is typically done in an attempt to defraud another person, such as timesheets and claims. Falsifying health care records is done with the intent to deceive any person and is a Class D offense unless causes SBI and impairment, where it would be a class C. Theft by deception is the idea of obtaining control over another’s property as a result of deception, examples being claims and timesheet or theft of non-controlled drugs. In the aspect of nursing safeguarding related to malpractice, abuse, mandated reporting, and unsafe practices, I will do my part to make sure that everything I am doing is within my scope of practice and is done in a way that is methodically thought out and shows my critical thinking. I will do my part by reporting any suspicion of child abuse as it pertains to my duty to do so. I will also make sure I am protecting myself and my license from these legal issues by assuring that everything I am doing has a purpose, order, and it correct in doing so for my patient. I will stay as my patient’s advocate and keeping them healthy and safe will always be my main priority.