I decided that I am going to take my Licensure Exam in the state of Maine. I grew up in Massachusetts, and plan on relocating to North Carolina after I pass the NCLEX. I chose to take the test in Maine instead of Massachusetts because Maine is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, and my license will be transferred to North Carolina more easily. In the state of Maine, an application for the licensure exam is required by the Maine State Board of Nursing. The application can be filled out online and submitted to the Maine State Board of Nursing website, along with a 2×2 passport-type photo, my signature, and verification sign-off by my Nursing Program Administrator. An official copy of my transcript is not needed because I completed my nursing education in this state. Maine also requires a criminal background check and fingerprinting to apply for licensure. 

After attending the presentations from the Attorney General’s Office and the Medical Professionals Health Program for my Transition to Practice course, I have learned a lot about the legalities related to applying and maintaining my RN Licensure. On the Maine State Board of Nursing website, it states that mandatory reporting of suspected impairment is a general requirement relating to licensure. Disciplinary Actions and Violations of Law is listed as Chapter 4 on the website. There is also many links to resources on the Maine State Board of Nursing website, including Boundaries, Freedom of Information Act, and Social Media guidelines. 

The most commonly occurring legal issues that nurses face involve informed consent and refusing treatment, licensure, the safeguarding of clients’ personal possessions and valuables, malpractice, negligence, mandatory reporting, abuse, and unsafe practices. It is necessary that I acquire insurance to protect me from these legal issues prior to beginning practice as a registered nurse.