Board of Registration Board of Registration

in Nursingin Nursing

Module: Module: Preparing for Licensed Nursing Preparing for Licensed Nursing

Practice Practice

Becoming a Licensed NurseBecoming a Licensed Nurse

In order to become licensed as a In order to become licensed as a nurse in Massachusetts, you need to:nurse in Massachusetts, you need to:

• Provide proof satisfactory to the Board Provide proof satisfactory to the Board of compliance with the of compliance with the Good Moral Good Moral CharacterCharacter requirement as stated in requirement as stated in Massachusetts law;Massachusetts law;

• Graduate from a Board-approved Graduate from a Board-approved nursing education program;nursing education program;

• Pay all required fees; andPay all required fees; and• Pass the National Council Licensure Pass the National Council Licensure

Exam (NCLEX®) exam.Exam (NCLEX®) exam.

TrustTrust• The citizens of The citizens of

Massachusetts and the Massachusetts and the United States have a great United States have a great deal of trust in nurses.deal of trust in nurses.

• In Gallup’s annual survey on In Gallup’s annual survey on the honesty and ethical the honesty and ethical standards of various standards of various professions, nurses have professions, nurses have received top marks as the received top marks as the most trusted profession in most trusted profession in the US since 1999, rating #1 the US since 1999, rating #1 in 2004.in 2004.

IntegrityIntegrity

The Massachusetts Board The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing of Registration in Nursing has determined that it is in has determined that it is in the best interest of the the best interest of the public to ensure the public to ensure the applicant meets the applicant meets the Good Good Moral CharacterMoral Character requirement prior to initial requirement prior to initial nursing licensure.nursing licensure.

Legal RequirementLegal Requirement

Massachusetts General Law Massachusetts General Law

chapter 112, sections 74, 74A, chapter 112, sections 74, 74A,

and 76 specifies all applicants and 76 specifies all applicants

for initial nursing licensure in for initial nursing licensure in

Massachusetts must Massachusetts must

demonstrate compliance with the demonstrate compliance with the

GoodGood Moral Character Moral Character

requirement.requirement.

Application ProcessApplication Process

The Board of Registration in The Board of Registration in

Nursing requires all nursing Nursing requires all nursing

license applicants to answer license applicants to answer

five (5) questions related to five (5) questions related to

criminal convictions and/or criminal convictions and/or

disciplinary actions by a disciplinary actions by a

licensure or certification body.licensure or certification body.

Definition of Criminal ConvictionDefinition of Criminal Conviction

• A verdict or finding of guilty.A verdict or finding of guilty.• A plea of guilty.A plea of guilty.• A plea of nolo contendere (no contest).A plea of nolo contendere (no contest).• Any other plea treated by the court as a guilty Any other plea treated by the court as a guilty

plea regardless of the jurisdiction in which the plea regardless of the jurisdiction in which the conviction was entered.conviction was entered.

Criminal Offender Record InformationCriminal Offender Record Information

www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rnClick on “Licensing”, then “Good Moral Character Licensure”,

then “Good Moral Character Information Sheet”

The applicant may be required to The applicant may be required to

complete a Criminal Offender complete a Criminal Offender

Record Information (CORI) form, Record Information (CORI) form,

which is a criminal background which is a criminal background

check, based on the responses to check, based on the responses to

the five (5) the five (5) Good Moral CharacterGood Moral Character

questions on the licensure questions on the licensure

application. application.

All Criminal Cases and Disciplinary All Criminal Cases and Disciplinary Actions Must be ClosedActions Must be Closed

• The applicant provides documentation The applicant provides documentation satisfactory to the Board that:satisfactory to the Board that:• all court-ordered requirements and that all all court-ordered requirements and that all

criminal matters involving the applicant criminal matters involving the applicant have been closed; andhave been closed; and

• All requirements imposed by a All requirements imposed by a licensure/certification body in connection licensure/certification body in connection with the disciplinary action involving the with the disciplinary action involving the applicant have been met. applicant have been met.

Truthfulness on the ApplicationTruthfulness on the Application

• It is extremely important to answer It is extremely important to answer

truthfully to all questions on the truthfully to all questions on the

application for licensure and the application for licensure and the

CORI form. CORI form.

• Failure to be truthful will result in Failure to be truthful will result in

exclusion from licensure for five exclusion from licensure for five

(5) years.(5) years.

Criminal ConvictionsCriminal Convictions

• Conviction for certain crimes will result in mandatory Conviction for certain crimes will result in mandatory permanent exclusion from becoming licensed as a nurse in permanent exclusion from becoming licensed as a nurse in Massachusetts. Massachusetts.

• In general, conduct underlying any violent crime against any In general, conduct underlying any violent crime against any person or persons that exhibits intentional or deliberate person or persons that exhibits intentional or deliberate disregard of human life is considered grounds for exclusion disregard of human life is considered grounds for exclusion from licensure. from licensure.

• In addition, if you have been convicted of a crime within the In addition, if you have been convicted of a crime within the last 5 years (excluding those that result in permanent last 5 years (excluding those that result in permanent exclusion), you may be subject to mandatory exclusion), you may be subject to mandatory temporary temporary exclusion from licensure.exclusion from licensure.

Nursing Board’s WebsiteNursing Board’s Website

A complete list of

specific crimes requiring

mandatory permanent

exclusion from licensure

is available at the Board

of Registration website

http://www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rn Click on “Licensing”, then “Good Moral Character”

Right to ReviewRight to Review• If you are denied license based If you are denied license based

on the Good Moral Character on the Good Moral Character

requirement, you have the right requirement, you have the right

to review your denial.to review your denial.

• You will be required to provide You will be required to provide

documentation which can documentation which can

reasonably substantiate the reasonably substantiate the

existence of specific areas of existence of specific areas of

factual dispute relevant to the factual dispute relevant to the

issue. issue.

Good Moral CharacterGood Moral Character

Licensed nurses in Massachusetts who Licensed nurses in Massachusetts who fulfill the fulfill the Good Moral Character Good Moral Character requirement are honest, trustworthy, requirement are honest, trustworthy, accountable, reliable, have integrity, accountable, reliable, have integrity, and are able to distinguish between and are able to distinguish between right and wrong. They also avoid right and wrong. They also avoid aggression to self and others, and avoid aggression to self and others, and avoid injustice and deceit.injustice and deceit.

National Council Licensure National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)Examination (NCLEX)

• Tests Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Tests Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities essential to safe, competent, entry-level essential to safe, competent, entry-level practicepractice

• Linkage to current practice requiredLinkage to current practice required• NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN®NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN®

National Council Licensure National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEXExamination (NCLEX))

• Administered daily via Computer Administered daily via Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)Adaptive Testing (CAT)

• Pass/fail status only Pass/fail status only

• Administered at NCS Pearson Administered at NCS Pearson

centers centers