Nurse Practitioner Licensing Guide for the state of Vermont
Getting a nurse practitioner (NP) license in Vermont will enable you to practice legally as a nurse practitioner. However, the NP license isn’t the only nursing license available.
The NP or Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) is one of the four nursing categories under the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). The other categories are;
- Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNW)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CNA)
There are significant differences between the RN and the NP that go beyond the name. The NP is an advanced version of the RN. The NP license attracts higher responsibility, requiring more rigorous eligibility requirements. The NP needs to acquire higher training and education than the RN. When you meet the requirements and gain an NP license, you will receive higher pay than an RN and perform more roles. These additional roles include;
- Prescription of medication
- Ordering and conducting medical examinations of patients
- Analyzing results of medical examinations
- Collecting samples from patients
- Collecting information from patients
- Educating patients on complicated medical and treatment plans
You will need to apply to the Vermont Board of Nursing (VBON) to get a license. The VBON is the regulatory body granting nurses the NP license. The board is responsible for setting the eligibility requirements to qualify nurses to get licensed. The board also sanctions erring nurses and administers disciplinary action against professional misconduct. These sanctions include the suspension and revocation of licenses.
Unlike some other states’ NP licenses, the Vermont NP license is a multi-state license. Therefore, you can practice in several other states without applying for additional approval with a multi-state license. The platform for this multi-state license is the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The VBON is a member of the NLC. Consequently, a Vermont NP license authorizes the holder to practice in other member states.