APRN Compact Act in Wyoming Supported by WCAPN Board

At the WCAPN Board Meeting on June 20, 2023, the attending Board voted unanimously to support the forward movement of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) APRN Compact for the Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBON). Notice of our support was emailed to the Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBON) on Monday, June 23, 2024.

The rationale which changed our previous stance was based on the interstate borders of Wyoming, to allow ease of movement of Wyoming APRNs, and to reduce overall costs associated with multi-state licenses that many of us require for work.

It is equally important to note that there is a similar compact movement within the Physician Associate (PA) colleagues albeit not yet introduced in Wyoming. In order to remain marketable in the locums tenems and virtual workplace environment, it seems reasonable to position our support in this multi-state licensure platform.

We recognize this is a reversal of our previous position as well as our support to other APRN communities that do not like the verbiage of the current Compact.  The APRN Compact holds a 2080 hour practice requirement in a single state prior to allowing application for a multi-state license. Please note this is NOT a supervised requirement, but is in place to match many state's requirements for an effective transition to practice from the RN role to an APRN role.  If you have been in practice for a year already, you will be able to license as of day 1. If you are a new graduate applying for your first license you will be restricted to a single state license for one year prior to making application for a multi-state license. In our consideration of the compact, we considered the first year of practice as a retention strategy to keep APRNs working within our state borders and supporting healthcare to our Wyoming citizens.

Equally, the previous objection to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing language that appoints only the Executive Director of the State Board of Nursing as a delegate for the Commission of APRN Compact Administrators has been discussed and plans for a APRN Advisory Committee consisting of the APRN groups is being worked out.  The APRN Compact requires seven (7) states to become enacted, there are currently four (4) states who have passed legislation (South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah and Delaware).  The NCSBN is not planning changes to the current Act based on the adoption by four states to date and the impact of their rules and regulations.

We also recognize this opens the Wyoming Nurse Practice Act and Rules and Regulations.  If the WSBON is able to draft rules, regulations and get such into the next legislative session, we ask for your attentiveness to help inform our legislators of the purpose and need for this action.  Information about the APRN Compact may be found at https://www.aprncompact.com/about.page.

If you have questions or concerns... please reach out and email WyomingAPRN@gmail.com or contact Alicia Le Pard, WCAPN President at alepard@vcn.com