Nurse Practitioner Licensing Guide for the state of Hawaii
As is common in most healthcare-related professions, professionals are encouraged to be lifelong learners and explore specialization options. Through advanced education, nurses can become Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who are certified and licensed to carry out tasks that are considered advanced for registered nurses (RNs). They are equipped with knowledge and skills to attend to one or more specific population foci as a result of postgraduate training and experience.
The Hawaiian Board of Nursing is an arm under the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. This board is responsible for issuing licenses to nurses and APRNs based on certain requirements as are discussed in detail by clicking links listed below. The board recognizes four main APRN classes including;
- Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
- Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs)
- Nurse Anesthetists (NAs)
NPs and CNSs are allowed to have more than one population foci based on their postgraduate education and national certification. Nurse practitioners can make complex decisions on the clinical management of their patients and depending on where they are licensed to practice, they may be allowed to run a clinic on their own. Learn of the detailed licensing requirements below: