Nurse Practitioner Licensing Guide for the state of Oregon
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) account for the majority of Advanced Practice Nurses (APRNs) in Oregon. These professionals are expected to deliver at a higher professional level than regular registered nurses (RNs). Hence, they are required to have advanced education and national certification for their chosen specialty area by the time they are applying for a license.
The Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) is the licensing and regulatory agency for nursing practice in the state. They issue licenses to nursing professionals in a bid to monitor the quality of nursing practice in the state. The board recognized three main APRN roles which are certified nurse practitioners (CNPs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). The generally recognized fourth role is certified nurse midwives but these are licensed as nurse practitioners.
A valid RN license to practice in Oregon is required in the licensure application process for prospective APRN-NPs. As Oregon is not a party to the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), only single state licenses issued in Oregon are accepted. Learn about the other requirements for licensure and how prospective NPs can position themselves for a hitch-free licensing process below.
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