Michigan License and Renewal Information – Michigan Nurses Association (2023)

For specific questions about your Michigan nursing license, contact theProfessional Licensing OfficeHere.

For general information on Michigan licenses, seeVisit the Licensing and Regulatory Matters website.

The following is a customized list of Michigan Nursing License Questions and Answers adapted to the Frequently asked questions about nursing licenses and regulatory matters(Revision date 6/2021)

What Nursing Licenses Are Available in Michigan?

• Registered Nurse (RN)
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• Specialty certifications (LPNs are not eligible to receive specialty certification)
• Clinical Nurse (CNS)*
• Nurse Midwife (NM)*
• Nurse (NP)*
• Nurse Anesthetist (NA) **Denotes an Advanced Practice RN (APRN).

How long are RN and LPN licenses valid? Can I renew my license early?

• Your initial RN/LPN license is valid for 2 years. All subsequent extensions are also valid for 2 years.
• Approximately 90 days prior to the expiration date of your license, a renewal notification postcard will be mailed and emailed to your registered postal and email address.
• It is your responsibility as a licensed healthcare professional to renew your license in a timely manner.
• If you do not receive the renewal postcard or email notification, or do not notify the Department of a change of address, you are not exempt from renewing your license in a timely manner.
• You can renew online and pay by credit card by logging into your MiPLUS account athttps://www.michigan.gov/lara

How Do I Apply or Renew a Michigan Nursing License?

• All Michigan nursing license applications and renewals are completed and paid for online.
• For first-time maintenance licenses,Click here to create a new application online.
• For Nursing License Renewal use theMichigan Professional Licensing User System (MiPLUS) website and portal.

Is there a grace period for my extension?

• Yes, there is a 60 day grace period in which you can renew your license without having to go through the license renewal process.
• There is an additional $20.00 fee if you renew your license within the 60-day grace period.

Is there a continuing education requirement to renew my license in Michigan?

If heMichigan Public Health Codeand Board Regulations require that every nurse complete a minimum of 25 hours of continuing education during the 2-year period prior to license renewal.

How many Continuing Education (CE) hours are required?

• Michigan nurses must earn 25 hours of continuing education within 2 years prior to the renewal date.
• At least 2 of these hours should be devoted to pain management and pain symptoms.
• A single continuing education module on human trafficking is required.Learn more about Michigan's human trafficking education requirements here.
• The MNA Trafficking in Persons CE module meets this CE requirement and can be found here.
• Beginning in 2022, all Michigan health professionals must complete implicit bias training to renew and maintain their license.Learn more about what is required here.

I'm a new nurse getting my first license. Do I need to complete a Continuing Education (CE)?

You do not need to start earning CE until after your first renewal.

How do I know if a CE course is eligible for my Michigan license's CE requirements?

Michigan Nurses Association (MNA)esAccredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Center for Nurse Credentialing as a Nursing Continuing Education Provider.You can findMNA's current CE offerings can be found here.

The Michigan Board of Nursing will accept any continuing education program or activity if approved or offered for CE credit by one of the following organizations:

• American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
• Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)
• American College of Nursing Hebammen (ACNM)
• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
• American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
• National Association of Clinical Nursing Specialists
• National Association for Practical Nursing Education and Ministry, Inc (NAPNES)
• National League of Nursing (NLN)
• Other state or provincial nursing agency
• A Nursing Continuing Education program provided by a Board approved Nursing Education Scheme in accordance with Administrative Regulation R 338.10303a

What is the difference between a CEU and a contact hour?

• A contact hour lasts 50-60 minutes. A continuing education credit and a contact hour are the same. A Continuing Education Unit (CEU) consists of ten (10) contact hours/credits.
• You must earn 25 continuing education credits/contact hours or 2.5 CEUs in each 2-year license cycle.

What is required for human trafficking requirements?

Beginning with the renewal cycle on March 31, 2018 and all subsequent renewal cycles, licensees must have completed training to identify victims of human trafficking who meet the standards set forth inAdministrative Regulation 338.10105.

The training on human trafficking is a one-time training and is not part of the further training obligation, but can be fulfilled through a further training measure.The MNA CE Module on Human Trafficking meets this requirement and can be found here.

Human trafficking training content must include all of the following:

• Familiarize yourself with the types and locations of human trafficking in this state or in the United States.
• Identifying Victims of Trafficking in Healthcare.
• Identify the warning signs of human trafficking in adult and child health care facilities.
• Identify resources to report suspected victims of human trafficking.

Acceptable human trafficking content providers include:

• Training provided by a nationally or state-recognized healthcare organization.
• Training provided by or in cooperation with any state or federal agency.
• Education in an educational program approved by the board for initial admission or by a college or university.
• Read an article related to identifying victims of human trafficking that meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this subrule and has been published in a peer-reviewed journal, health journal, or professional or academic journal.

Acceptable training modalities include any of the following:

• conference call or webinar.
• online presentation.
• live presentation.
• Printed or electronic media.

Does my trafficking victim identification training count?my WAS hours?

No. However, if the training also meets the Board's CE requirement, the training may count towards your CE requirement.

What is the implied bias requirement for Michigan healthcare workers?

To understand the implied bias requirements for Michigan healthcare providers,Click here.

MNA's current Implicit Bias CE module partially meets this requirement and can be found here.

What is the Pain CE Requirement for Michigan Nursing License Renewal?

Michigan nurses are required to complete at least 2 hours of continuing education in pain management and pain symptoms within the 2 years immediately prior to their license expiration date.

MNA has CE modules that meet Michigan Pain's CE requirement and you can find them here.

I understand Michigan has different rules for CE due to COVID-19. Are they still valid?

Although previous executive orders allowed the Bureau to waive the continuing education (CE) requirements for licensed healthcare professionals under the Public Health Act effective October 2, 2020, BPL no longer has that statutory authority. . Therefore, health license holders who renew after 11:59 p.m. M. on October 1, 2020 must have completed all required CEs or apply for an exemption under the Michigan Public Health Code. Licensees who are struggling to complete continuing education courses that have been canceled due to emerging issues with COVID-19 should endeavor to schedule alternative courses to meet required continuing education requirements.

I heard I can use COVID-19 work hours for my Michigan Nursing CE requirement. Is it still valid?

Under previous Michigan Executive Order 2020-82, HCPs may use hours worked in response to the pandemic prior to June 9, 2020 to meet CE requirements on their next license renewal through June 2022.

Healthcare licensees claiming a CE for COVID-related healthcare services and activities must provide sufficient evidence to show that the hours worked during the relevant period were hours worked in response to the COVID19 emergency. Examples of reasonably sufficient evidence include, but are not limited to, written certification from Licensee, the human resources manager, or the direct supervisor at the workplace stating the time frame, such as date and time, including hours worked.Contact the Office of Professional Licensing with questions.

Can I complete all my continuing education hours at once?

For electronic or online media, no more than 12 credit hours of the 25 required hours may be earned in any 24-hour period.

I would like an exemption from the obligation to undergo further training. it is possible?

MCL 333.16205 of the Michigan Public Health Code also offers health license holders the opportunity to apply to their professional board for an exemption from continuing education. Please note that applications must be received prior to the license expiration date. However, approval of a waiver is not guaranteed and the final decision rests with the Board. If an exemption is requested, Licensee is encouraged to provide documentation to support its written request.

Examples of exceptions may include military service, disability, absence from the United States, or other circumstances beyond Licensee's control.

If the Board determines that any of the conditions for the waiver of the requirements are met, the number of hours waived will be proportional to the period that the licensee was temporarily incapacitated, on active military duty, outside of the continental United States or on which he involved circumstances beyond Licensee's control. For questions,Contact the Office of Professional Licensing here.

Do I need to provide proof of my continuing education if I renew my license?

You must retain your own records and have documentation available for at least 4 years. You are not required to submit continuing education information when renewing your license. The board conducts a random audit after each renewal period. At this point, a percentage of all renewing licensees will be randomly selected and notified by mail that they must provide proof of having acquired the required education. If you are selected for the audit, you will be asked to submit copies of the CE certificates you have received. (Keep your originals.)

I have some specialty certifications. Do I have to present my nursing disciplines when extending my license to practice medicine?

You must maintain certification from each national certification body for which you are certified. The board conducts a random audit after each renewal period. At this point, a percentage of all renewing licensees will be randomly selected and notified via email that they must provide proof of current certification. If you are selected for the audit, you will be asked to submit copies of the certificates you have received. (Keep your originals.)

Can I earn Continuing Education (CE) credits for taking college courses?

A licensee may earn 5 continuing education hours for each semester credit hour earned for the completion of academic courses related to nursing practice offered in a board-approved nursing education program. (Three continuing education hours can be purchased for every quarter of an hour purchased.)

In the event of an examination, the licensee must provide an official transcript reflecting the completion of the academic year and the number of semesters or quarters earned.

Can I earn Continuing Education (CE) credits for specialty certifications?

• A licensee may complete 25 hours of continuing education toward residency certification or maintain certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Midwife, Nurse Anesthetist, or Nurse Practitioner. In the event of an audit, the licensee must provide evidence of certification or recertification.
• A licensee may earn 10 hours of continuing education for the successful completion of a national nursing examination in the year the licensee achieves a passing score.
• A maximum of 20 hours can be purchased during the extension period. No points will be awarded for repeating the same exam in an overtime period.

Can I earn Continuing Education (CE) credit for publishing an article or presenting at a conference?

• A licensee may earn 10 continuing education hours for the initial publication of a chapter or article relating to the practice of nursing or allied health in any of the following books: A Nursing or Health Care Textbook; a peer-reviewed textbook; a peer-reviewed nursing or health care journal.
• A maximum of 10 hours can be purchased in each renewal period.
• A licensee may earn 3 hours of continuing education for every 60 minutes of presentation in an academic or continuing education program that is not part of the applicant's regular job description. A maximum of 6 hours can be accumulated in each renewal period.

Can I earn Continuing Education (CE) credits for teaching at my workplace?

A licensee may continue their education by instructing at least 1 nursing student or new hire in orientation. A teaching position lasts a minimum of 120 hours and has a ratio of 1 student/staff to 1 teacher. This may affect more than 1 student or staff. A maximum of 5 hours can be accumulated in each renewal period.

I recently completed a nursing program in the United States. When can I take the NCLEX exam?

You must register to take the test with Pearson Vue Professional Testing and pay the NCLEX exam fees. However, please note that the Ministry decides on the eligibility to take the test. Pearson Vue will notify the department if you have applied to take the test. The department will notify Pearson Vue when your application is complete and you are accepted for the exam.

You will receive a Trial Authorization (ATT) from Pearson Vue, which you can use to schedule your test appointment. You will also get a list of available test locations. The test is administered daily at various Pearson Vue Professional Center locations in each state. You can take the test at any listed location in any state, regardless of where you applied for your license.

Where can I find more information about attending the NCLEX?

Visithttp://pearsonvue.com/nclex/

How do I apply to the NCLEX?

You can submit your application online or by phone:

• Website: Register atwww.pearsonvue.com/nclex
• Phone: (866) 496-2539 (toll-free) Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. M. to 7:00 p.m. M., center

Standard Time or (952) 905-7403 (toll free number)

I am a Canadian registered nurse looking to work in Michigan. Do I have to take the NCLEX?

If you are a Canadian registered nurse who did not earn a license by passing the NCLEX, you may apply for a temporary license until you pass the NCLEX. A temporary license is valid for up to one year, allowing enough time to take the NCLEX once and submit your scores to that bureau as part of your application. Click here to register for theCommission of Graduates from Foreign Nursing Schools.

I am a graduate of a foreign nursing school. How can I become a nurse in Michigan?

• Click here to register for theCommission of Graduates from Foreign Nursing Schools.
• Check whether the CGFNS certifies your foreign degreeHere.
• Request and approveCGFNS Qualification Exam.

I am a graduate of a foreign nursing school. What are the English language proficiency requirements?

• CGFNS International requires proof of English proficiencyfor spoken and written English, as evidenced by passing one of the recognized ELP exams:
• Test English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based Test (TOEFL® iBT)
• Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC®)
• International English Language Test System (IELTS)
• *CGFNS does NOT currently accept home versions of the English language exams.

Where can I find a copy of the Care Administration Ordinance?

You can view the Michigan Board of Nursing's current administrative regulations on the Office of Professional Licensing website atwww.michigan.gov/bplrules.