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Nursing Student Handbook

State Nursing Licensure Planning

ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS FOR A STATE NURSING LICENSE
During the 4th semester, prior to completion of the program, the student will be expected to complete, on their own and outside of class, an application and pay all required fees with the appropriate State Board of Nursing and a Person Vue test center to take the NCLEX National Council Licensure Examination for their LPN or RN license.

IMPORTANT:  ATI LIVE REVIEW: This is a required 2 day, comprehensive review conducted by an ATI affiliated Nurse Educator. Donnelly students consistently say this review makes an important difference with exam preparation.

  • Students enrolled in Concept Synthesis are required to attend both days to pass the Concept Synthesis course.
  • This review takes place immediately after the final semester and before the student takes the NCLEX licensing exam. Please be aware of this when scheduling your NCLEX exam.

Required Fees for Kansas Licensure: The student is responsible for registering to take the NCLIEX test and for fee payment. 
(Fees are subject to change and are not covered by Donnelly College.)

On the State Board exam application there are questions related to personal past and current legal matters:

  1. Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony?  Yes ___ No ___
  2. Has disciplinary action ever been taken with any other state, territory, county, or government agency?  Yes ___ No ___

If you answer YES to any of the legal questions above, please see the section below "Legal Considerations".

After successful completion of the examination:

  • A license will be granted for the graduate to practice as a licensed nurse by the appropriate State Board of Nursing.
  • Kansas - Your license will be available electronically from KSBN. You can check the status of your license on the KSBN Website

If you are a Missouri resident: The student is responsible for testing arrangements and payment of fees for Missouri.
(Fees are subject to change and are not covered by Donnelly College.)
  • The first application is free. Missouri Board of Nursing Website
  • $200.00 (approximate) should be submitted to Pearson Vue/NCLEX Test Center. 
  • The student is required to schedule and pay for digital fingerprints with the State of Missouri. 

If you are from a state other than Kansas or Missouri:

  • Notify the Director of Nursing as soon as possible. Exam eligibility is not always guaranteed if that State's board of nursing does not accept the Donnelly College nursing program curriculum.

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

If you answer YES to any of the legal questions above you need to be aware of the following information:
The State of Kansas authorizes the Board of Nursing to prevent NCLEX testing and “deny, revoke, limit or suspend” any license to practice as a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse practitioner, a registered anesthetist or a licensed mental health technician.

If the applicant is found to have been guilty of a felony or a misdemeanor involving harm to another person or an illegal drug offense, unless the applicant or licensee establishes sufficient rehabilitation to warrant the public trust, no license, certificate of qualification or authorization to practice nursing as a licensed professional nurse, as a licensed practical nurse, as an advanced registered nurse practitioner or registered nurse anesthetist shall be granted to a person with a felony conviction for a crime against persons.

You will also need to furnish the following information to the KSBN to determine if personal legal matters affect your eligibility:

  1. A satisfactory record of attendance as a student in the nursing program.
  2. Satisfactory reports from Clinical Instructors.
  3. A written report from the Director of Nursing that the student has met all requirements of the program and is recommended by the faculty for licensure.
  4. A letter of explanation from the student detailing the facts involved in the felony conviction. You will also be required to enclose a certified copy of the court record or board action where applicable.
  5. Any convictions of speeding or parking violations need not be reported.
  6. An applicant for a Kansas license by endorsement or exam is required to provide one complete fingerprint card in order to conduct background checks with the Kansas Bureau of Investigations and FBI.