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In Virginia, the Committee of the Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine (phone: 1-804-367-4515, [email protected]) administers the regulations governing the licensure of nurse practitioners (NP), certified nurse midwives (CNM), certified nurse anesthetist (CNA), and the registration of clinical nurse specialists (CNS).
To be eligible for a NP, CNM, or CNA license, or registration as a CNS, you must hold a valid, unencumbered Virginia RN license:
- If you are already licensed as an RN in another state or are scheduled for your NCLEX in another state, you can apply for the Licensure by Endorsement
Virginia Job Statistics
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- As a Canadian nurse, you may also be eligible for Licensure by Endorsement if you hold an unrestricted license in Canada, if your training in Canada was primarily in English, and if you passed the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) or other Canadian nurse licensing examination after 1970
- If you received your nursing education in a foreign country or in Puerto Rico, you must contact the Board at 804-367-4555 for additional information
- If you are a recent graduate from a state-approved nursing program, you can apply for Licensure by Examination.
- If you once held an RN license in Virginia, you can apply for Licensure by Reinstatement
Applications for RN licensure by Endorsement and Examination can be completed online at the Virginia Department of Health Professions, Initial Applications.
Nurse Licensure Compact
Virginia is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. The Compact offers practice privileges for registered nurses in all compact states. If your primary state of residence is in a compact state, you must apply for licensure by examination there: Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, or South Carolina.
If your primary state of residence is in Virginia or in a non-compact state, you must apply for licensure by examination in Virginia.
With an active RN license, you may review the steps required to enter advanced practice in Virginia as follows.
Step 1. Get your Graduate Degree
To work toward your NP, CNM, or CRNA license or your CNS registration, you must complete a graduate program approved by the Joint Boards.
The Joint Boards approve any nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist program that is accredited by
- The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs/Schools
- The American Midwifery Certification Board
- The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
Course Requirements
The Virginia Board of Nursing and the Virginia Board of Medicine requires the following core courses for NPs, CNMs, CRNAs, and CNSs:
- Pathophysiology (all general principles applicable across the human lifespan)
- Advanced pharmacology (includes pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics of broad categories of agents)
- Physical evaluation/assessment (includes assessment of all systems of the body, advanced assessment methods, techniques and concepts)
Specialization
The Virginia Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine may license NPs and CNS in a specialty or patient population focus. As an NP or CNS pursuing specialization in a specific patient population focus, you’ll be expected to complete a graduate program specific to that area of expertise.
Nurse Practitioner:
- Adult nurse practitioner
- Family nurse practitioner
- Pediatric nurse practitioner
- Geriatric nurse practitioner
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist
- Certified nurse midwife
- Neonatal nurse practitioner
- Women’s health nurse practitioner
- Acute care nurse practitioner
- Psychiatric nurse practitioner
Clinical Nurse Specialist:
- Adult Health CNS
- Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health CNS
- Child and Adolescent Psych & Mental Health CNS
- Diabetes Management
- Home Health CNS
- Gerontological CNS
- Pediatric CNS
- Public/Community Health CNS
Prescriptive Authority Requirements
To be granted prescriptive authority in Virginia, you must hold an unrestricted license as an NP in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, you must also provide one of the following:
- Show continued professional certification as required for initial licensure as an NP
- Complete a graduate level course in pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics within five years of applying for prescriptive authority
- Practice as an NP for a minimum of 1000 hours and complete 15 continuing education units related to your nursing specialty within the last two years before applying for prescriptive authority
- Complete 30 contact hours of education in pharmacology or pharmacotherapeutics approved by the Boards within five years of applying for prescriptive authority
- Practice as a nurse practitioner for no less than 1000 hours and 15 continuing education units related to the area of practice for each of the two years prior to applying for prescriptive authority
Step 2. Earn your National Certification
After you complete your graduate education, you are then eligible to take an exam to become nationally certified in your nursing specialty. The Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine recognizes three clinical specialties:
- Certified Nurse Anesthetists (CNA)
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
- Nurse practitioners (NP)
If you were licensed on or after May 8, 2002 as an NP, you must be certified in your nursing specialty through a national certifying body. A national certifying body is recognized by the Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine as a national organization that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or accepted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, and certifies either nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives or nurse practitioners.
The following national certifying bodies are recognized by the Virginia Joint Boards of Nursing and Medicine:
- AMCB (American Midwifery Certification Board):
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
- NBCRNA (National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists):
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
- ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center):
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP)
- Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP)
- Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
- Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (GNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
- Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
- Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACNS)
- Adult Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PMHCNS)
- Child/Adolescent Psychiatric & Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (PMHCNS)
- Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist (GCNS)
- Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (PCNS)
- AANP (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners):
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP
- Adult Nurse Practitioner
- AACN (Certification Corporation (American Association of Critical Care Nurses):
- Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNPC)
- Adult, Neonatal and Pediatric Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CCNS)
- NCC (National Certification Corporation):
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)
- Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)
- PNCB (Pediatric Nurse Certification Board):
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care (ACPNP)
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (PCPNP)
Step 3. Apply for your License/Registration
NP Licensure
Applications for Licensure for NPs, CNMs, and CRNAs can be completed online at the Virginia Department of Health Professions Initial Applications page. If you want to add additional specialties, including CRNA or CNM, you must contact the Board of Nursing at 1-804-367-4515 to have a paper application mailed to you.
Before you can apply for your NP license online through the Department of Health Professions, you must create a user name and password that is linked to your records. You can begin the process by entering your last name and social security number in the appropriate fields.
In addition to completing the online application, you must pay the application fee of $125 (payable online using a Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card) and submit evidence of a professional certification from a national certifying body recognized by the Joint Boards. You may also use the online application system to update your address, provide emergency contact information or request duplicate licenses.
If you awaiting your national certification, you may apply for a provisional NP license, which lasts for six months from the date of issuance or until your application has been accepted or denied, whichever comes first. To be eligible for a provisional license, the Board of Nursing must receive verification from the national certifying body of your eligibility.
You may also apply for NP licensure by endorsement if you:
- Provide verification of your current NP license or advanced practice license in another U.S. jurisdiction (or, if the license has lapsed, verification of your eligibility for reinstatement)
- Submit evidence of a Board-approved professional certification in your specialty area
Prescriptive Authority
Applications for Authorization to Prescribe (Prescriptive Authority) can be completed online on the Virginia Department of Health Professions Initial Applications. To apply for prescriptive authority, you must also either submit an application for a NP license or already hold an NP license.
In addition to your online application, you must also pay a fee of $75 (payable online using a Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card) and submit a Practice Agreement form found here. It must be completed, signed and mailed to the: Department of Health Professions Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463. The Practice Agreement form must also be submitted if you have any changes to an existing practice agreement form on file with the Board of Nursing.
CNS Registration
To apply for registration as a clinical nurse specialist, you must complete the Application for Registration as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS registration cannot be completed online), sign it and have it notarized. In addition to completing the application form and sending in the required fee of $130, in a check or money order may payable to “Treasurer of Virginia,” you must also:
- Contact the college or university where you received your master’s degree and request that they send your transcript directly to the: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
- Contact the national certifying body where you received your national certification and request that they send verification of your specialty certification as a CNS (a copy of your card or certificate will not be accepted) to the: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
Your application for CNS registration cannot be faxed. Your application and fee must be sent directly to the Board at: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463. Any incomplete applications will be kept by the Board for one year. After one year, you must submit a new application and fee.
Step 4. Renew your License/Registration
NP License Renewal
You must renew your NP license biennially at the same time you renew your RN license. If you are licensed as an NP with RN multi-state license privileges to practice in Virginia you must renew your licenses as follows:
- If you were born in even-numbered year you must renew your license by the last day of your birth month in an even-numbered year
- If you were born in an odd-numbered year, you must renew your licenses by the last day of your birth month in an odd-numbered year
All renewal notices will be sent to your last known address, so it is important to make sure the Joint Boards has your current address information so you can receive renewal notices in a timely manner. Failure to receive your renewal notices before the expiration of your licenses does not relieve you of your responsibility for renewing your licenses before the expiration date.
Applications for Renewal of NPs can be completed online at the Virginia Department of Health Professions Online Licensing page.
In addition to completing the online application, you must pay the renewal fee of $80 (payable online using a Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card). You may also use the online application system to update your address, provide emergency contact information or request duplicate licenses.
Prescriptive Authority Renewal
You must renew your prescriptive authority biennially at the same time you renew your RN and NP license.
You can renew your prescriptive authority online at the Virginia Department of Health Professions Online Licensing page.
In addition to completing the online application, you must pay the renewal fee of $35 (payable online using a Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card). You may also use the online application system to update your address, provide emergency contact information or request duplicate licenses.
NP License Reinstatement
If you need to reinstate your NP license in Virginia because it has lapsed for more than one renewal period, you cannot use the online system. Instead, you must fill out an Application for Reinstatement of License as a Nurse Practitioner found here.
In addition to completing your reinstatement application, you must include a reinstatement fee of $150 in a check or money order may payable to “Treasurer of Virginia.” Your application and fee must be sent directly to the Board at: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
If you are reinstating a license that was suspended or revoked, you must complete the reinstatement application and mail it, along with a $200 check or money order may payable to “Treasurer of Virginia,” to the Board at: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
CNS Registration Renewal
You must renew your CNS registration biennially at the same time you renew your RN license. The biennial license renewals are as follows:
- If you were born in even-numbered year you must renew your license by the last day of your birth month in an even-numbered year.
- If you were born in an odd-numbered year, you must renew your licenses by the last day of your birth month in an odd-numbered year.
The renewal for a CNS registration is not available online. However, you will receive a renewal application in the mail from the Board about 45 to 60 days before the expiration of your registration.
All renewal notices will be sent to your last known address, so it is important to make sure the Board has your current address information so you can receive renewal notices in a timely manner. Failure to receive your renewal notices before the expiration of your licenses does not relieve you of your responsibility for renewing your licenses before the expiration date.
The application must be filled out and sent in to the Board, along with a copy of your current professional certification and check or money order in the amount of $125 payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia,” to: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
CNS Registration Reinstatement
If you need to reinstate your CNS registration in Virginia because it has lapsed for more than one renewal period, you must fill out an Application for Reinstatement of Registration as a Clinical Nurse Specialist found here.
The application must be filled out and sent in to the Board, along with a copy of your current professional certification and check or money order in the amount of $125 payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia,” to: Department of Health Professions, Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463.
Reinstatement of Prescriptive Authority
If you need to reinstate your prescriptive authority because it has lapsed for more than one renewal period or if it has been suspended or revoked, you must fill out an Application for Reinstatement of Prescriptive Authority found here.
In addition, you must already hold an NP license and you must submit a Practice Agreement form found here.
Both forms, along with a check or money order for $90.00 made payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia” must be mailed to: Department of Health Professions Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463. The Practice Agreement form must also be submitted if you have any changes to an existing practice agreement form on file with the Board of Nursing. If you are applying for prescriptive authority because it has been suspended or revoked, the fee is $85.
Advanced Practice Nurse Associations in Pennsylvania
Consider joining one of the professional associations that support advanced practice nurses in your state:
- Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners
- Virginia Partnership for Nursing
- Virginia Organization of Nurse Executives and Leaders
- Virginia Nurses Association
- Commonwealth Midwives Alliance
- Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Virginia Nurse Practitioner Salary
You’ll easily make six figures as an NP in Virginia. On average, NPs in this state make $109,660 per year. The highest-paid NPs report earning sat or better than $141,340.
Registered Nurse Salary
RNs in Virginia can maintain a comfortable standard of living. RNs make an average of$74,380 a year in this state, just above the median household. The top RNs in the state make a minimum $102,300 annually. So, your ambition and dedication will pay off in the long run.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers Salary
See yourself in an educational role? Nursing instructors in Virginia make $73,060 per year, on average.
Nurse Administrator Salary
(Includes Nurse Managers, Directors, and Chief Nursing Officers)
Are you good at managing and leading others? Nurse administrators in Virginia report an average salary of $118,530 a year. The top 10 percent of admins report making $176,240 annually.
Nurse Anesthetists Salary
Nurse anesthetists command an excellent living in Virginia. On average, anesthetists gross $178,180 per year. In addition, the top 25 percent make at least $206,510 per year. So, if you work your way into the top 10 percent, you’ll earn above what the Bureau of Labor Statistics includes in its reports.
Nurse Midwives Salary
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for 1) Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives; 2) Medical and Health Services Managers (Nurse Administrators); 3) Registered Nurses; and 4) Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. 2019 US Census Bureau figures for state median household income provided for comparison. Data Accessed December 2021.