In keeping with Governor Josh Shapiro’s commitment to expanding Pennsylvania’s workforce and serving Pennsylvanians more efficiently, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt announced today Pennsylvania is taking the first step to implement the Nurse Licensure Compact by allowing nurses with multistate licenses issued by 40 other states and territories to practice in Pennsylvania. This key step will help address Pennsylvania’s severe nursing shortage and increase healthcare access for patients across the Commonwealth. Starting Sept. 5, registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who hold a multistate license through the interstate Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) will be permitted to practice in the Commonwealth. Administered by the National Council for State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the NLC is an agreement among 41 states and territories to recognize nurses licensed by compact members. Act 68 of 2021 authorized Pennsylvania to join the NLC, which increases patients’ access to in-person and telehealth care.
