2023 Hawaii Revised Statutes › Title 25. Professions and Occupations › 457. Nurses › 457-7 Registered nurses; qualifications; licenses; fees; title; existing licensed nurses; verification of licenses; eligibility.

§457-7 Registered nurses; qualifications; licenses; fees; title; existing licensed nurses; verification of licenses; eligibility.
(a) An applicant for a license to practice nursing as a registered nurse shall submit:
(1) An application on a form prescribed by the board;
(2) Beginning with the July 1, 2017, licensing biennium, a full set of electronic fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining federal and state criminal history record checks in accordance with section 846-2.7 directly to the Hawaii criminal justice data center for processing with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The applicant shall bear the cost of the fingerprint processing and the application shall not be considered complete until the results of the criminal history record check have been received by the board; and
(3) Written evidence that the applicant has completed a nursing program approved by the board.
(b) Licenses shall be granted either by:
(1) Examination: The applicant shall be required to pass a written examination in nursing subjects as determined by the board. Upon the applicant's passage of the examination and compliance with the applicable requirements of this chapter and the rules of the board, the board shall issue to the applicant a license to practice nursing as a registered nurse; or
(2) Endorsement: The board may issue a license to practice nursing as a registered nurse by endorsement to an applicant who has been licensed as a registered nurse under the laws of another state, territory, or foreign country if the applicant has an unencumbered license and, in the opinion of the board, the applicant meets the qualifications required of registered nurses in this State at the time of graduation. Pending verification of a valid, unencumbered license from another state, territory, or foreign country, a temporary permit may be issued for employment with a Hawaii employer.
(c) The applicant applying for a license to practice as a registered nurse by examination shall pay application, examination, and reexamination fees, if applicable, as prescribed by the board. Each applicant who successfully passes the examination shall pay a license fee. The applicant applying for a license to practice as a registered nurse by endorsement shall pay application and license fees.
(d) Any person who holds a license to practice nursing as a registered nurse in this State shall have the right to use the title "Registered Nurse" and the abbreviation "R.N.". No other person shall assume the title "nurse" or in any manner imply that the person is a nurse except as provided in sections 457-8 and 457-8.5 or use the abbreviation "R.N." or any other words, letters, signs, or devices to indicate that the person using the same is a registered nurse.
(e) Any person who requests verification of a registered nurse license to a nursing board of another state shall pay a license verification fee.
(f) Applicants applying for a license to practice as a registered nurse by examination shall submit to the board proof of eligibility. Applicants shall be eligible to apply for a license by examination if they have:
(1) Graduated from a registered nursing program at an educational institution in the United States or any territory or possession under the jurisdiction of the United States and are qualified as determined by the board through rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91;
(2) Graduated from a registered nursing program at an educational institution in a foreign jurisdiction and have had their transcripts evaluated by professional evaluators designated by the board and are considered qualified as determined by the board through rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91; or
(3) Graduated with a bachelor's degree and satisfactorily completed the pre-licensure portion of a master's entry program in nursing at an accredited school of nursing in the United States or any territory or possession under the jurisdiction of the United States that is recognized by the board or other state boards of nursing and are qualified as determined by the board.
(g) Unless determined to be insufficient or otherwise invalid by the board, all transcripts, diplomas, certificates of graduation, and other credentials submitted by any applicant in compliance with the application procedures for examination and licensure under this section shall be retained by the board for two years and shall suffice as proof of graduation upon subsequent submittals of applications for reexamination within two years by any applicant. [L 1970, c 71, pt of §1; am L 1972, c 43, §1; am L 1974, c 25, §1; am L 1983, c 119, §5; am L 1984, c 7, § §41 to 43; am L 1990, c 105, §2; am L 1992, c 202, §108 and c 234, §2; am L 1995, c 88, §2; am L 1996, c 150, §2; am L 1997, c 39, §2 and c 40, §13; am L 2004, c 88, §2; am L 2008, c 23, §1; am L 2016, c 97, §3; am L 2022, c 203, §2]