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There are many ways to work in the healthcare field in Montana.
If you want to be involved in this field but not as a doctor, you can easily become a nurse.
For that, you will first need a license, which is issued by the Nursing Board in this state.
Read on in order to know what the board can do for you.
Table of Contents
What Does the Board Do?
The Montana Board of Examiners for Nursing is the organization that oversees nurses and their certifications.
The Board needs to:
- Issue licenses to future nurses
- Renew the credentials of already licensed personnel
- Ensure the candidates meet the requirements by analyzing the submitted documents
- Issue disciplinary actions
- Maintain the rules and regulations up-to-date
- Maintain accurate records
Getting Approval to Take the NCLEX
To get hired as a nurse in Montana, candidates have to take the NCLEX exam.
The NCLEX exam is recognized in the US, but also in Canada and Australia.
The exam is provided by The National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
You can schedule your exam at any Pearson Vue testing center in your area.
Pearson Vue testing centers are available all over the nation.
First, you have to fulfill the requirements needed to sit for the exam.
These requirements include:
- Completing a training course for nurses
- Complete the CGFNS International Certification Program – if you’re a foreigner
- Fill out the online application
- Pay the fee – 180 USD
- Have a clean criminal record
You should send in your test registration at the same time as the nursing license application.
In Montana, you can have your nurse certification issued online.
So, you have to fill in the needed paperwork and submit them.
The documents should be sent to the following address:
- 301 South Park, Suite 401, PO BOX 200513 Helena, MT, 59620-0513
The Council and the Board have to accept the application before you can take your exam.
After that, you can take the test needed for licensing.
Those who fail will have to wait 45 days until they can re-attempt taking the exam.
These individuals can reset the exam up to 8 times a year, after which they’ll have to start the process all over again.
The test’s results are official after being posted on the official site of the Montana Nursing Board.
If you are an active nurse in another state, you will not have to take the exam again in Montana.
Renewing Your License
You should also have some information about how to renew your nursing license.
In Montana, you will have to renew your nursing license every other year.
If your birth date falls in an odd year, you should renew your license until December 31st of odd-numbered years
If you are born in an even year, your certification should be renewed by December 31st of even-numbered years.
Keep in mind that you will still have to pay some fees, even if you choose to renew your license online.
How To Do A License Lookup
You may have to see your license before starting the renewal process.
Montana is one of the states that uses the NURSYS system to do license lookups.
In order to see your nursing certification, license, you should go to this page:
- https://www.nursys.com/LQC/LQCTerms.aspx
You can also just visit the Nursys website and follow the process described there.
If you choose to, you can also view another nurses’ license, but you need to have their info.
Montana’s Board of Examiners for Nursing Contact Information
You should also have some info about the board in Montana and how they can be reached.
The Board of Nursing in Montana is located at 301 South Park, Suite 401, P.O. Box 200513. Helena, MT 59620-0513.
The mailing address of the Montana Board of Nursing is the same.
You can also send electronic mail to this address:
- DLIBSDWEBHELP@MT.GOV
The phone number of the institution is 406.841.2300.
The fax number you can reach the Board at is 406.841.2305.
If you want to visit the Board’s website, you’ll have to access https://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article provides some insight into the steps to take in order to become a nurse in Montana.
Once you have enough knowledge about how the Board works, you will be able to get your nursing certification easier.
This means that you will be able to enjoy a new career in the healthcare field faster.