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Arizona RN Certification and Schools - AZ

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: February 12th, 2010

The Arizona State Board of Nursing reports there are currently 67,645 active registered nurses practicing in the state of Arizona.  There is a huge need for registered nurses in Arizona and throughout the United States, and the need is only expected to rise in the next ten years.  Registered nurses are in extremely high demand due to the fact that people are living longer than ever before, the median age of registered nurses is on the rise in Arizona and nationally, there are more nursing positions open than registered nurses to fill the positions both in Arizona and across the country, and due to technological advancements more procedures can be done on an outpatient basis causing more procedures to be done in general and more nurses needed to assist with such procedures.  Arizona RN schools are ramping up enrollment to meet this projected demand for RNs.

In 2005, the state of Arizona was forced to wait list nearly 1,500 qualified nursing applicants due to shortages in classroom instructors and classroom space.  Later that year, the Arizona Legislature appropriated $20 million over a five year span in an attempt to double the capacity of Arizona’s college and university nursing education programs.  By 2008, Arizona increased the state’s nursing graduates by 1,000.  The state of Arizona offers up to a $20K sign-on bonus to new nurses.   Nursing is a challenging profession.  Most nurses work 12 hour shifts and have to maintain the ability to think clearly, quickly, and concisely.  The majority of the 12 hours is spent on their feet, so the job is physically demanding as well as mentally.   However, beyond the toughness of the job, nursing is a very rewarding profession.  At the end of the day you can go home knowing that you have helped someone. 

 Continuing Education Requirements for Nursing in Arizona

Registered nurses in the state of Arizona must renew their nursing license every four years.  A renewal application must be submitted by July 1st of the year it expires, along with a $160 renewal fee.  Nurses who have submitted their application by the July 1st deadline may continue to practice nursing while awaiting the issuance of their new license.  Processing of a renewal application and the issuance of a new license takes approximately 30 days.  An Arizona registered nurse has until November 1st of the year his or her license expires to submit a renewal application.  If no application is received by this date, the nursing license will expire and they will no longer be able to legally practice nursing.  No additional courses or clinic time are required in order to renew a nursing license in with the State Board of Nursing in Arizona.  Individual hospitals and medical facilities may have set their own continuing education requirements.  These are often mandatory in order to receive a satisfactory evaluation and may often dictate raise percentages.

Nurse Licensure Compact
Arizona is one of the current twenty-three states participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).  The NLC allows for a registered nurse to be licensed in their home state but also practice nursing in a participating party compact state without seeking additional licensing.  The goal of the Congress induced program is for all states to eventually participate in an effort to grant nursing privileges nationwide. 

Through campus or online programs, aspiring Registered Nurses in Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa and Glendale, Arizona may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Arizona Heart Hospital, Arizona Regional Hospital, Banner Desert Medical Center and St. Joseph's Hospital.