Nursing Schools and Licensing Requirements in Kentucky
| Staff Writers
With nearly 44,000 RNs and an additional 3,500 advanced practice nurses, Kentucky has one of the highest concentrations of nurses per worker of any state. Nonetheless, according to a 2015 report by the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, the state has suffered from a shortage of healthcare staff since the early 2000s. The problem was exacerbated when the Affordable Care Act passed and more residents gained access to healthcare. Before the ACA passed, the state needed 5,635 registered nurses to meet patient need, and today the nursing shortage is significantly higher. That applies equally to advanced practice nurses, some of whom are taking on primary care roles. To explore how you can help Kentucky meet its nursing needs, compare nursing schools and programs and find out what it takes to start practicing.
Top 10 Nursing Schools and Licensing Requirements in Kentucky
Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.
Methodology
To be considered for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria:
Accredited at the institutional level
Private nonprofit or public school
Minimum of 1 bachelor’s or master’s degree in subject area for 4-year schools
Minimum of 1 associate degree or certificate program in subject area for 2-year schools
Schools were then scored on factors such as:
Cost & Financial Aid
Number and variety of program offerings
Student-teacher ratios
Graduation rates (4-year schools only)
Placement and support services offered
Academic/Career counseling services
Employment services
Loan default rates
These factors were assembled for each school and rated using a peer-based-value (PBV) calculation. PBV compares the cost of a program to the cost of other programs with the same (or similar) qualitative score and cost. PBV denotes the overall value or “bang for your buck” of a college or degree program.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing provides licenses for nurses in the state. It is charged with enforcing state laws that govern the nursing profession, so the board imposes stringent rules when issuing licenses for practice. The agency also oversees Kentucky’s nursing education programs.
Steps to Licensure in KY
Graduates of a board-approved nursing degree program can apply for initial licensure by examination. In Kentucky, this process includes:
Submitting an application and paying the required $125 fee to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
Completing a criminal background check
Filling out a fingerprint card after paying a $14.75 fee to the Kentucky State Police
Paying $9 to take and pass a 35-question state jurisprudence exam covering Kentucky’s nursing regulations
Arranging for their college to submit a certified list of graduates to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
Registering to take the NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE testing center and paying $200
After receiving an authorization to test (ATT) from Pearson VUE, applicants must schedule the exam within 90 days. Applicants who pass the test will be issued a license by the state. Those who do not pass will have to start the process over, except the jurisprudence exam. Background reports remain valid for six months from the date they were run.
Applicants who graduated from an out-of-state program have an additional requirement: Within three years of their initial licensure, they must complete three hours of continuing education in domestic violence and one and a half hours in pediatric head abuse trauma.
Nurses who have practiced out of state and who are transitioning to Kentucky have a slightly different set of licensure steps to follow:
Submitting an application and paying a $165 fee to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
Completing a criminal background check
Filling out a fingerprint card after paying a $14.75 fee to the Kentucky State Police
Paying $9 to take and pass a 35-question state jurisprudence exam
Verifying their original license
Sending an official transcript from the nursing program to the Kentucky Board of Nursing (if they graduated from a school in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Pennsylvania or Washington)
Steps to Renewing a KY License
Kentucky licenses must be renewed annually for $65. In the year leading up to renewal, RNs must have completed one of the following to keep up-to-date in the field:
Fourteen contact hours of continuing education
Seven contact hours and a nursing employment evaluation
National certification
Research project
Publication of a nursing article
Nursing presentation
Preceptor service
Specified college coursework
Steps to Advanced Practice Licensure in Kentucky
Advanced practice licensure in Kentucky is applicable to four groups: nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists.
Nurses licensed in Kentucky or a compact state who are nationally certified by a board-approved body can become licensed as both an RN and an APRN by submitting a $330 fee for the upgrade. Additionally, they must:
Complete post-basic nursing education
Complete state and federal criminal background checks
Fill out a fingerprint card
Arrange for their official transcripts to be sent to the Kentucky Board of Nursing
Show proof that they are nationally certified
Verify their original RN license
Pass the state jurisprudence exam
In order to renew an APRN license, advanced practice registered nurses need five hours of continuing education contact hours in pharmacology. In addition to paying the $65 to renew their RN license, they must pay $55 for each APRN specialty they are renewing.
It pays to be a registered nurse in Kentucky, but salary and employment opportunities can vary from city to city. For a closer look at how nurses across Kentucky fare, as well as how they compare to nurses across the nation, review the tables below:
Top-Paying Areas for RNs in Kentucky
Area
Hourly Median Wage
Annual Median Wage
Louisville-Jefferson County KY-IN
$29.18
$60,690
Elizabethtown
$28.67
$59,640
Lexington-Fayette
$28.23
$58,720
Bowling Green
$26.89
$55,930
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area
$26.70
$55,540
West Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area
$26.26
$54,630
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area
$25.30
$52,620
Owensboro
$25.21
$52,430
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area
$23.35
$48,570
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014
Kentucky vs. National Numbers
Year
Annual salary(25th percentile)
Annual salary(median)
Annual salary(75th percentile)
Annual salary(25th percentile)
Annual salary(median)
Annual salary(75th percentile)
Registered Nurse
$48,310
$57,120
$67,490
$0
$54,620
$66,640
$81,080
Certified Nurse Midwife
$78,660
$89,320
$103,000
$0
$82,580
$96,970
$114,090
Nurse Anesthetist
$119,200
$142,870
$168,680
$0
$132,380
$153,780
$181,860
Nurse Practitioner
$78,720
$89,510
$102,340
$0
$82,720
$95,350
$113,470
Annual Salary (25th percentile)
Annual Salary (median)
Annual Salary (75th percentile)
Type
Kentucky
National
Registered Nurse
43,740
2,687,310
Certified Nurse Midwife
190
5,110
Nurse Anesthetist
1,100
36,590
Nurse Practitioner
2,190
122,050
Type
Kentucky
National
Registered Nurse
59,620
3,238,400
Certified Nurse Midwife
0
7,700
Nurse Anesthetist
0
43,900
Nurse Practitioner
0
147,300
Type
Kentucky
National
Registered Nurse
2,150
105,260
Certified Nurse Midwife
0
290
Nurse Anesthetist
0
1,560
Nurse Practitioner
0
5,850
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014 and Projections Central
Nurses interested in the mind-body approach to wellness can join the Kentuckiana Holistic Nurses Association. This regional branch of the American Holistic Nurses Association has RN members who are also reiki masters, BodyTalk practitioners, aroma therapists and experts in multiple other holistic health practices.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing provides licenses for nurses in the state. The website is designed to facilitate the licensure process for new and veteran nurses alike.
KCNPNM provides continuing education, professional publications and a career center to its members. It is also heavily involved in legislative advocacy, pushing for advanced practice nurses to play a stronger role in providing healthcare services to citizens.
The Kentucky Emergency Nurses Association represents the needs of emergency nurses around the state. KYENA’s national body is the Emergency Nurses Association.
The Kentucky Nurses Association is a full-service professional nursing organization that has existed since 1906, offering credentials, career services and continuing education to members. Its national body, the American Nurses Association, plays a strong role in advocating for healthcare policy; the Kentucky Nurses Association does the same on the state level.
Nurses who work in schools can become members of the Kentucky School Nurses Association. Scholarships and continuing education courses are available to members.
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