If you love football and cheese, there is no better place to live and work in the US than Wisconsin. Considering that several towns in the state are ranked as a few of the top 100 American cities to live in, Wisconsin offers more reasons for people to move there. With the average registered nurse in Wisconsin earning 42% above the national average, it is also a fantastic place for healthcare professionals to call home.
Despite offering a much more lucrative career path for registered nurses, Wisconsin’s staffing shortage among nurses has reached a tipping point. Vacancy rates for registered nurse positions increased more than twofold between 2020 and 2021. Several reasons have contributed to Wisconsin’s staffing shortage among nurses, but the situation is indeed dire. The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) Board of Nursing is encouraging more people to join its healthcare workforce. At the same time, currently registered nurses in the state must also play a part in upholding Wisconsin’s healthcare system.
Nursing boards throughout the country issue licenses that expire every two to three years. If you are a registered nurse in Wisconsin, you must renew your credentials before they lapse. By renewing on time, you can ensure that you are able to continue working without facing legal issues for practicing with an expired license. Understanding the nursing board requirements for license renewal in Wisconsin is critical. Fast CE For Less has created this guide to familiarize you with the process, ensuring you can streamline your renewal when the time comes.
How to Renew Your Registered Nurse License in Wisconsin
With the average base salary of a registered nurse in Wisconsin over $131,000 per year, there is plenty of incentives in keeping your license current. However, renewing your license involves more than simply filing an application.
Nursing boards nationwide outline the requirements registered nurses must fulfill to qualify for license renewal. With each state setting its own requirements, understanding the registered nurse license renewal requirements in Wisconsin is your responsibility. This section of the guide will explore the steps involved in renewing your license, including identifying the application deadline and how to file it with the board.
Step 1: Identify the Application Deadline
Nursing boards in the U.S. issue licenses that expire every two to three years. In Wisconsin, the DSPS Board of Nursing issues licenses with a two-year renewal period. While many states tie the application deadline to a license holder’s birthday, the Wisconsin DSPS Board of Nursing has set a fixed date.
Regardless of what day of the year the board issued your registered nurse license, you must renew it on February 28 of every even-numbered year. Meaning, if you receive your license in 2023, your license will expire on February 28, 2024, even though it is technically a shorter time than two years.
You must not forget to ensure you fulfill your nurse continuing education requirements and file your application before the deadline. Otherwise, you risk your license lapsing. If your license lapses, you must file for a reinstatement of it with the Wisconsin DSPS Board of Nursing. Since reinstating your license costs more than a timely renewal, we highly recommend you prepare your application for filing well before the deadline.
Step 2: Fulfill the Nurse Continuing Education Requirements
The nursing boards in most states lay out several requirements that a license holder must fulfill during the renewal period to qualify for renewed credentials. As a crucial part of the renewal process, the boards specify the number of nursing continuing education hours that registered nurses must complete. However, Wisconsin is one of the rare states that does not require nurses to take these courses.
Instead of completing a required number of contact hours through nursing continuing education courses, license holders in Wisconsin must complete the Nursing Workforce Survey regularly. After the open renewal period, the board shortens the survey for license holders, incorporating it into questions asked in the renewal application.
Step 3: File the Registered Nurse License Renewal Application with the Wisconsin DSPS Board of Nursing
If you already hold a license as a registered nurse in Wisconsin, you must be aware that the board has an online portal where you can apply for your license. However, renewing your registered nurse license requires accessing a different portal dedicated to renewals. The fee for a registered nurse license renewal application is $57, and you can pay it online when you submit your application with the Wisconsin DSPS Board of Nursing.
To begin the process, you must access LicenseE Wisconsin DSPS Health & Business Renewal Application portal here. The portal will require you to enter your license number as the username, along with a pin given to you when you initially register with the board. If you have forgotten your pin or are facing any other issues in the application process, you can contact the DSPS by emailing your application ID and profession to dsps@wisconsin.gov for support.
The Importance of Continuing Competency for a Registered Nurse in Wisconsin
Nursing boards in most states require registered nurses to complete a board-specified number of contact hours via nursing continuing education courses to qualify for license renewal. While Wisconsin does not require its registered nurses to fulfill such continuing competency requirements, it does not mean they are completely unnecessary.
The healthcare sector is constantly going through developments. As a professional looking to maintain the highest standards of care delivery and to expand your expertise for career growth, taking nursing continuing education courses can help you expand your skills and knowledge. To learn more about Wisconsin’s continuing competency requirements, visit www.fastceforless.com.nursing-ce-wisconsin.
To explore convenient, affordable, and flexible nursing continuing education courses in your area of interest, online nursing CEUs like those offered by Fast CE For Less offer the perfect solution at www.fastceforless.com.
