Nurse Practitioner Licensing Guide for the state of Arkansas
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who are licensed to carry out tasks that are considered advanced for registered nurses (RN).
To practice as a nurse practitioner in any state, you must be licensed by the nursing board in that state. The Arkansas Board of Nursing (ASBN) is responsible for licensing nurse practitioners in Arkansas. Applicants are expected to satisfy specific requirements including possessing a valid RN license and a national certification.
Arkansas recognizes four kinds of APRNs including Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNPs or just NPs), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), and Certified Nurse Specialists (CNSs). Each of these must be certified to cater to one or more of the following population foci;
- Pediatrics
- Adult/Gerontology
- Neonatal
- Families/Individuals
- Mental Health Patients
- Women’s/Reproductive health
Depending on the state where they are licensed to practice, NPs may get to work without a physician’s supervision. This is the “full practice” standard that is prescribed by the National Academy of Medicine. Arkansas however operates the “reduced practice” standard. This means that NPs are required by the law to have career-long collaborative agreements with other health providers.
Nurses who hold a valid RN from another state might not need to apply for another in Arkansas if the said license is the “multi-state’ variant associated with the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact. Arkansas became a member state in 2017. This compact permits holders of multi-state licenses to practice in member states physically, telephonically, or by any other means without having to apply for a single-state license. There are requirements that one must fulfill to obtain a multi-state license, even from a member state. Nurses who hold multi-state licenses are expected to practice in member states only within the confines of the law as it applies to each state.
See links below to learn specific Arkansas NP licensure requirements: