Frequently Asked Questions

Licensees employed or seeking employment with a health care facility licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration may find more information regarding exemptions, and the exemption applications at https://floridasnursing.gov/resources/exemptions/.

Declaratory statements can be found at: http://www.floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation/declaratory/declaratory-statements.html

Information  on the requirements and how to file a Declaratory Statement can be found online on the Declaratory Statements page. Please note, a variance or waiver can only be granted for a Board Rule, not a Florida Statute.

A list of all the approved and accredited pre-licensure nursing education programs in Florida are available on website entitled “Compare Florida Prelicensure Nursing Education Programs”.

An “approved” nursing education program is a program for the prelicensure education of professional or practical nurses that is conducted in Florida at an educational institution that is approved and regulated under s. 464.019, Florida Statutes. Approved RN nursing education programs are required to obtain accreditation within five years after enrolling the program’s first students, pursuant to S. 464.019(11), Florida Statute.

An “accredited” nursing education program, as defined by s. 464.003, Florida Statutes, is a program for the prelicensure education of professional or practical nurses that is conducted in the United States at an educational institution, whether in Florida, another state, or the District of Columbia, and that is accredited by a specialized nursing accrediting agency that is nationally recognized by the United States Secretary of Education to accredit nursing education programs Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)) or National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA).

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0400-0499/0464/Sections/0464.019.html

Graduates of both approved and accredited nursing education programs are eligible to apply to the Florida Board of Nursing for licensure by examination.

Accredited programs included on the Florida Board of Nursing’s comparative website are programs that have a physical presence in the state of Florida. Program status of out-of-state nursing education programs may be verified through the specific Board of Nursing that issued approval or through a national nursing accrediting body (ACEN, CCNE, or NLN CNEA).

Yes. Graduates of nursing education programs with Approved/probationary status are eligible to apply to the Florida Board Nursing for licensure by examination.

The comparison search data is refreshed nightly and may not reflect information for newly approved or accredited programs. The program may also not be an approved or accredited nursing education program based in Florida. Please contact the Florida Board of Nursing at MQA.NursingEducationCorrespondence@flhealth.gov to confirm the nursing education program status.

The “Accrediting Body” category identifies the specific accrediting agency. The “Accreditation” category indicates the status applied to each nursing education program by the Florida Board of Nursing to indicate whether the program has specialized nursing accreditation, other national or regional educational accreditation, or no accreditation. Nursing education programs may have multiple listings under both categories.

The percentage of the number of students tracked from program entry to graduation.

Both types of these professional nursing educational programs prepare the graduate for eligibility for licensure as a Registered Nurse. A.D.N. or Associate Degree in Nursing programs are usually two year programs. B.S.N. or Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree programs are usually four year programs.

To view an application for an approved nursing education program submitted after July 1, 2009 please visit http://ww10.doh.state.fl.us/pub/bon/