Arkansas Administrative Code

17 CAR § 121-204. Passing score. The passing score on the licensure examination shall be determined by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.

17 CAR § 121-205. Failing score and eligibility to retake the examination. (a) Any applicant whose score falls below the passing score shall fail the examination. (b) Persons failing the examination will be responsible for preparing to retake the examination. (c) The frequency an…

17 CAR § 121-206. Results. (a) Examination results shall not be released until the applicant's official transcript is received from the school. (b) Examination results shall be made available to: (1) All applicants; and (2) Their respective schools.…

17 CAR § 121-207. Internationally educated nurses. (a) The applicant must present evidence of: (1) Graduation from an approved or accredited school of nursing as a registered nurse or first-level nurse; (2) Licensure or proof of eligibility for licensure in the country of graduat…

17 CAR § 121-208. Equivalencies. (a) LPTN to LPN. Candidates holding LPTN licensure who completed Arkansas State Board of Nursing-approved LPTN programs after March 18, 1980, may be admitted to the LPN licensure examination provided they are otherwise qualified. (b) RN examinatio…

17 CAR § 121-209. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing may grant a license to an individual who, in addition to fulfilling the requirements to practice nursing in this state, satisfies the following requirements: (1) The United States De…

17 CAR § 121-301. Text of final rules of Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators.SECTION 100. DEFINITIONS 1. "Commission" is the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (ICNLCA). 2. “Compact” is the Nurse Licensure Compact that beca…

17 CAR § 121-401. Eligibility. (a) An applicant for licensure by endorsement must meet the requirements of the Arkansas State Board of Nursing at the time of graduation. (b) An applicant licensed in another state after January 1950 must have taken a state board licensing examinat…

17 CAR § 121-402. Equivalencies. (a) RN examination failures. Graduates of Arkansas State Board of Nursing-approved RN programs, holding LPN licensure by examination in other jurisdictions, may be endorsed provided they are otherwise qualified. (b)(1) Canadian registered nurses l…

17 CAR § 121-403. Application. (a) Applications must be completed and filed with the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. (b) Endorsement certification will be accepted from the state of original licensure only. (c) Applicants for licensure by endorsement shall not be issued a perman…

17 CAR § 121-404. Fee. (a) The endorsement fee must accompany the application. (b) The fees for the state and federal criminal background checks are the responsibility of the applicant and shall be submitted to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing with the application for same. (c…

17 CAR § 121-501. Criminal background checks. (a) No application for issuance of an initial license will be considered without state and federal criminal background checks by the Division of Arkansas State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (b) Federal background che…

17 CAR § 121-601. Endorsement and examination applicants. (a)(1) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing shall be authorized to issue a nonrenewable temporary permit for a period not exceeding six (6) months. (2) This temporary permit shall be issued only to those applicants who meet…

17 CAR § 121-602. Fees and applications. (a) The temporary permit fee shall be submitted with the application. (b) The fee is not refundable.

17 CAR § 121-701. Continuing education generally. Each person holding an active license or applying for reinstatement of a license under the provisions of the Nurse Practice Act shall be required to complete certain continuing education requirements prior to licensure renewal or …

17 CAR § 121-702. Declaration of compliance. (a) Each nurse shall declare his or her compliance with the requirements for continuing education at the time of license renewal or reinstatement. (b) The declaration shall be made at the time of renewal.

17 CAR § 121-703. Audits of licensees. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing shall perform random audits of licensees for compliance with the continuing education requirement. (b) If audited, the licensee shall prove participation in the required continuing education during the…

17 CAR § 121-704. Continuing education requirement standards. (a)(1) Standards for renewal of active licensure status. Licensees who hold an active nursing license shall: (A) Document completion of one (1) of the following during each renewal period: (i) Fifteen (15) practice-foc…

17 CAR § 121-705. Responsibilities of the individual licensee. (a) It shall be the responsibility of each licensee to select and participate in those continuing activities that will meet the criteria for acceptable continuing education as specified in Arkansas Code § 17-87-207 an…

17 CAR § 121-706. Recognition of providers. (a)(1) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing shall identify organizations, agencies, and groups that shall be recognized as valid approval bodies/providers of nursing continuing education. (2) The recognition may include providers approve…

17 CAR § 121-707. Activities acceptable for continuing education. (a) Activities presented by recognized providers that may be acceptable include: (1) National/regional educational conferences; (2) Classroom instruction; (3) Individualized instruction (home study/programmed instr…

17 CAR § 121-708. Activities that are not acceptable as continuing education. Activities that are not acceptable as continuing education: (1)(A) In-service programs. (B) Activities intended to assist the nurse to acquire, maintain, and/or increase the competence in fulfilling the…

17 CAR § 121-709. Individual review of a continuing education activity provided by a nonrecognized agency/organization. (a) A licensee may request an individual review by: (1) Submitting an “Application for Individual Review”; and (2) Paying a fee. (b) Approval of a nonrecognized…

17 CAR § 121-710. Failure to comply. (a) Any licensee who fails to complete continuing education or who falsely certifies completion of continuing education shall be subject to disciplinary action, nonrenewal of the nurse’s license, or both, pursuant to Arkansas Code § 17-87-207 …

17 CAR § 121-801. Renewals generally. (a) Each person licensed under the provisions of the Nurse Practice Act shall renew biennially. (b) Sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date, the Arkansas State Board of Nursing shall mail a renewal notice to the last known address of eac…

17 CAR § 121-802. Lapsed license. (a) The license is lapsed if not renewed or placed in inactive status by the expiration date. (b) Failure to receive the renewal notice at the last address of record in the Arkansas State Board of Nursing office shall not relieve the licensee of …

17 CAR § 121-803. Inactive status. (a) Any licensee who desires to temporarily inactivate their nursing license in this state shall submit a request, and the current license shall be placed on inactive status. (b) While inactive, the licensee shall not practice nursing nor be sub…

17 CAR § 121-804. Retired nurse. (a) Any licensee in good standing who desires to retire for any length of time from the practice of nursing in this state shall submit a request, and the current license shall be placed on retired status. (b) While retired, the licensee shall not …

17 CAR § 121-805. Background checks. (a) The licensee may be required to submit to a state and federal criminal background check if the Arkansas State Board of Nursing deems it necessary. (b) A waiver is not required for renewal of a license for an individual convicted of a crime…

17 CAR § 121-901. Certification/verification to another jurisdiction. Upon payment of a certification/verification fee, a nurse seeking licensure in another state may have a certified statement of Arkansas licensure issued to the board of nursing in that state.

17 CAR § 121-902. Name or address change. (a) A licensee whose name is legally changed shall submit: (1) A name change request; (2) A copy of marriage license or court action; and (3) The required fee. (b) A licensee whose address changes from the address on file with the Arkansa…

17 CAR § 121-903. Licensure for uniformed service members, veterans, and spouses. (a) Automatic licensure. (1) Temporary permits for individuals listed in subdivision (a)(2) of this section shall be issued within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of all required documents. (2) Th…

17 CAR § 122-101. Registered nurse practitioner. (a) A registered nurse practitioner is a licensed professional nurse prepared in the manner stated herein who provides direct care to individuals, families, and other groups in a variety of settings, including: (1) Homes; (2) Hospi…

17 CAR § 122-102. Acts proper to be performed by a registered nurse practitioner. (a) The Arkansas State Board of Nursing authorizes the registered nurse practitioner, in collaboration with and under the direction of a licensed physician, to perform particular acts at the advance…

17 CAR § 122-103. Protocols. (a) Any nurse practicing as a registered nurse practitioner shall practice in accordance with protocols developed in collaboration with and signed by a licensed physician. (b) Protocols shall address: (1) Established procedures for the management of c…

17 CAR § 122-104. Services and responsibilities. The RNP shall, upon request of the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, provide documentation outlining the: (1) Extent of services, responsibilities, and required supervision of nurse practitioners; and (2) Accompanying responsibiliti…

17 CAR § 122-105. Delegated acts. The registered nurse practitioner shall demonstrate competence in any act or procedure delegated by the collaborating physician.

17 CAR § 122-201. Licensure generally. Initial licensing of registered nurse practitioners terminated on November 30, 2000.

17 CAR § 122-202. Renewal. (a) The date for renewal of licensure to practice as a registered nurse practitioner shall coincide with the renewal of the applicant's registered nurse license. (b) An application for renewal of a registered nurse practitioner license shall submit to t…

17 CAR § 122-203. Lapsed license. (a) The license is lapsed if not renewed or placed in an inactive status by the expiration date. (b) Failure to receive the renewal notice at the last address of record at the Arkansas State Board of Nursing office shall not relieve the licensee …

17 CAR § 122-204. Inactive status. (a) Any licensee who desires to temporarily inactivate their registered nurse practitioner license shall submit a request to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. (b) The current license shall be placed on inactive status. (c) While the license i…

17 CAR § 122-301. Name change. A licensee whose name is legally changed shall submit: (1) A name change request; (2) A copy of marriage license or court action; and (3) The required fee.

17 CAR § 122-302. Address change. A licensee whose address changes from the address on file with the Arkansas State Board of Nursing shall immediately notify the board in writing of the change.

17 CAR § 122-401. Extension of licensure expiration date. (a) Upon written request and submission of appropriate documentation, a deployed uniformed service member or spouse shall be allowed an extension of the expiration date without penalty or assessment of a late fee for renew…

17 CAR § 122-402. Waiver of continuing education. (a) Upon written request and submission of appropriate documentation the continuing education requirements for license renewal shall be waived for: (1) A uniformed service member who is deployed; or (2) The spouse of a deployed un…

17 CAR § 123-1001. New APRN program leading to licensure — Prerequisite approval. (a)(1) An institution seeking to establish a new APRN nursing education program leading to licensure shall submit a letter of intent to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. (2) An applicant for an a…

17 CAR § 123-1002. Established program that prepares graduates for licensure — Continued full approval. (a) An established graduate program in advanced practice registered nursing shall submit to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing documentation of the program’s continued nationa…

17 CAR § 123-1003. Education program. (a) The education program for advanced practice nursing shall meet the nursing accrediting body standards for advanced practice registered nursing. (b) The curriculum plan for advanced practice registered nursing shall include: (1) Preparatio…

17 CAR § 123-101. Scope of practice. (a) The advanced practice registered nurse shall practice in a manner consistent with the definition of the practice of advanced practice registered nursing set forth in Arkansas Code § 17-87-102(4) – (8) and in accordance with the scope of pr…

17 CAR § 123-1101. Chronic nonmalignant pain defined. Chronic nonmalignant pain is defined as pain requiring more than three (3) consecutive months of prescriptions for: (1) An opioid that is written for more than the equivalent of ninety (90) tablets, each containing five millig…