How to Become a Registered Nurse in Florida
Florida ranks as the nation’s fourth-largest employer of registered nurses with over 189,120 professionals in the field. A career as a registered nurse in Florida opens up amazing opportunities for growth and advancement.
The next five years look promising for Florida’s nursing sector, with RN job listings projected to rise by 15%. Nationwide, the nursing field continues to expand as employment numbers are set to climb 6% over the next decade. These growth projections become even more exciting when you consider that more than 25% of current nurses plan to retire within five years. This piece walks you through Florida’s RN requirements, available educational paths, and the quickest routes to becoming an RN based on where you stand today.
Step 1: Meet the Basic Requirements
Starting a career as a registered nurse in Florida requires meeting several key requirements. You must meet these simple qualifications before starting your specialized nursing education to build a successful nursing career.
Earn a high school diploma or GED
A high school diploma or GED equivalent stands as your first step toward becoming a nurse in Florida. Every nursing program in the state needs this credential. Nursing schools use this requirement to ensure you have the academic foundation needed to handle nursing coursework.
Your high school years should include courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and mathematics. These subjects create a strong base for your future nursing studies. Pre-nursing pathway classes or healthcare clubs at your school can give you early exposure to healthcare concepts.
Florida high schools often partner with local colleges through dual enrollment opportunities. These programs let you earn college credits for your nursing degree while finishing high school. This smart approach saves both time and money.
Understand the role of an RN in Florida
Florida’s registered nurses work as licensed medical professionals alongside doctors to provide complete patient care. The role involves direct patient care, health education, and emotional support in many healthcare settings.
Florida RNs work in many places including:
- Hospitals and acute care facilities
- Physicians’ offices and clinics
- Schools and educational institutions
- Long-term care and senior facilities
- Community health centers
Your typical day as a Florida RN involves checking patients’ conditions, giving treatments, teaching health management, and working with healthcare teams. The job includes taking vital signs, reviewing medical histories, doing physical exams, giving treatments or vaccinations, helping during surgeries, and watching over patients during recovery.
The professional nursing curriculum in Florida teaches medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, geriatric, and psychiatric nursing. Students learn to work in acute care, long-term care, and community settings. The program covers personal and family health, nutrition, human growth and development, body structure and function, mental health, pharmacology, legal aspects, and relationship skills.
This role needs someone dedicated to patient care with sharp attention to detail and excellent communication skills. These qualities build the foundation of great nursing practice. Learning about these duties helps you decide if nursing matches your career goals and personal strengths.
Step 2: Choose and Complete a Nursing Program
Your choice of nursing program plays a key role in your journey to become a registered nurse in Florida. The state gives you several educational paths with different time commitments, focus areas, and career paths.
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
ADN programs are the quickest way to become an RN in Florida. You can complete the program in 2-3 years. This path gets you into nursing faster than other options. The programs focus on clinical practice skills and cover the basics like patient care, anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology.
Here’s what you need to get into an ADN program in Florida:
- High school diploma or GED
- GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Some schools want TEAS or HESI Admission Assessment scores
ADN graduates have a solid 85-86% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX, which is a bit lower than BSN graduates. Once you earn your ADN and pass the NCLEX, you can start working as an RN and pursue more education later if you want.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
A BSN is a detailed four-year degree that gives you more nursing knowledge than an ADN. BSN students learn clinical skills plus leadership, research methods, and public health concepts. This extra education opens doors to more nursing roles, including leadership positions.
BSN programs look for:
- High school diploma or GED
- GPA between 2.5-3.0
- Finished prerequisite courses
BSN graduates do better on the NCLEX with a 91-92% first-time pass rate. A BSN could also boost your earning power since many specialty and senior positions need this degree.
RN to BSN Bridge Programs
RN to BSN bridge programs are a great chance for ADN holders with a Florida RN license to level up their education. These programs value your experience and let you earn a BSN in about two years – half the time of regular BSN programs.
Florida’s RN to BSN programs usually need:
- An ADN from an accredited school
- Current Florida RN license or enhanced licensure through the Nurse Licensure Compact
- Nursing coursework GPA of 2.8 or higher
Many Florida schools offer online programs that work around a nurse’s schedule. The University of Florida Online RN to BSN program runs fully online with 90 clinical hours. The University of Central Florida’s online post-licensure RN to BSN program helps cut costs through fee waivers.
Your chosen program should have Florida Board of Nursing approval and proper accreditation. This approval means the program meets legal requirements to prepare you as a Registered Nurse. Take time to get a full picture of several programs by looking at their admission rules, length, cost, and other factors.
Step 3: Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam
The NCLEX-RN exam stands between you and your registered nurse license in Florida. This standardized test will assess if you have the right knowledge and skills to start your nursing career.
Register with the Florida Board of Nursing
Getting started with NCLEX-RN means submitting your application to the Florida Board of Nursing. Here’s what you need to do:
- Complete the online application through the Florida Board of Nursing
- Pay all required application fees
- Schedule an appointment with a Livescan service provider to get your electronic fingerprints
An application specialist will look through your documents and might ask for more information. You should apply about two months before you want to take the test. This gives enough time to process everything.
The Florida Board of Nursing needs to approve you before you can schedule your exam. Once they do, they’ll send your approval to Pearson VUE, the company that runs the test.
Schedule and prepare for the exam
After getting approved, you’ll need to register with Pearson VUE. Here’s how:
- Create an account on the Pearson VUE website
- Complete the registration form
- Pay the examination fee
You’ll get an Authorization to Test (ATT) email once everything checks out. This vital document has:
- Your authorization number
- Candidate ID number
- Validity dates (usually good for 90 days)
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) gives you great ways to prepare with sample questions, exam previews, and tutorials. Test-takers who do well often:
- Take timed practice exams
- Study steadily over months instead of last-minute cramming
- Learn concepts rather than memorizing facts
What to expect on test day
Get to the testing center 30 minutes early on exam day. Make sure you bring:
- Your ATT email (electronic or printed)
- Valid government ID with photo and signature
The NCLEX-RN adapts to how well you’re doing as you take it. You’ll answer between 75 and 145 questions, and you get six hours to finish, including breaks.
Before starting, you’ll need to:
- Sign in
- Get your photo taken
- Do a palm vein scan
- Put your electronic devices in sealed bags
You’ll get an erasable board and marker for your calculations, plus access to an on-screen calculator. The test stops when:
- You’ve answered enough questions to pass or fail
- You hit the maximum number of questions
- Time runs out
The Florida Board of Nursing gets your results in a few days. If you pass, you’ll have your license in 7-10 days.
Step 4: Apply for RN Licensure in Florida
The next significant step after passing the NCLEX-RN examination involves applying for your Florida RN license. This step completes your trip to becoming a registered nurse in Florida. The Florida Board of Nursing’s specific requirements need careful attention.
Submit your application and fees
Nursing license applicants must submit their application through the online portal at www.flhealthsource.gov. The process requires you to pay fees and upload necessary documentation. RNs need to pay a standard application and licensing fee of $110.00. Applicants seeking a multistate license upgrade should pay an extra $100.00.
The board typically takes 10 business days to review your application. Applications get reviewed based on their arrival order. Quick submission of required materials will help speed up the process. Qualified candidates receive their license within 7 days after meeting all requirements.
Complete fingerprinting and background check
A Level 2 background screening is mandatory for all nursing license applicants. The process includes:
- Making an appointment with a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) approved Livescan service provider
- Using the correct Originating Agency Identification (ORI) number for proper result routing
- Submitting fingerprints electronically since the board doesn’t accept hard fingerprint cards
Your Livescan provider sends fingerprints and photograph electronically to the FDLE. The Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse stores these fingerprints for five years. Your chosen Livescan provider charges a separate fee on top of your application fees.
Licensure by endorsement for out-of-state nurses
Nurses with valid licenses from other states can apply for licensure by endorsement without retaking the NCLEX-RN. The requirements include:
- Having an active, unencumbered license from another U.S. state or territory
- Previous completion of a national licensure examination
- Getting license verification sent from your original state board(s) to Florida
- Moving your National Examination scores from NCSBN
Many states use Nursys, an online verification system for license verification. States not participating in Nursys require direct contact with their Board of Nursing for verification.
The endorsement application costs $110.00, similar to the examination pathway fee. Applicants must report any disciplinary actions and should not have faced disciplinary proceedings in any jurisdiction in the last five years.
Step 5: Start Your Career and Maintain Your License
Your Florida RN license opens doors to a rewarding healthcare career. The nursing field in Florida gives you plenty of opportunities but comes with specific requirements to keep your professional credentials current.
Find RN jobs in Florida
Florida’s job market for registered nurses remains exceptionally strong. The Florida Chamber Foundation projects a shortage of approximately 463,000 healthcare workers by the end of 2024. This major shortage creates many job opportunities in healthcare settings of all types.
New RN graduates should think over programs like the New Graduate Transition to Practice program. It builds confidence as you move from classroom to bedside. These year-long nurse residencies combine classroom learning with mentoring and hands-on experience through clinical rotations.
Healthcare employers in Florida support professional development. They offer clinical certification programs that pay back expenses for new skills or nationally recognized certifications.
Continuing education requirements
Florida RNs need continuing education (CE) to keep their license active. The standard requirement has:
- 16 hours of elective continuing education each 2-year renewal period
- 2-hour course on Prevention of Medical Errors
- 2-hour course on Nursing Laws and Rules
- 2-hour course on Human Trafficking
Additional requirements include:
- A 2-hour course on Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace (every other renewal)
- A 2-hour course on Domestic Violence (every third renewal)
- A one-time 1-hour course on HIV/AIDS (first renewal only)
License renewal every two years
Florida splits nurse license renewals into three groups with different expiration dates. You can complete the renewal online through Florida Health Medical Quality Assurance portal for $75.
The Department of Health checks your continuing education records in CEBroker during renewal. Complete records let you renew without delays. Missing CE hours must be added before you can continue.
Nurses who cannot practice have options. They can retire their license for a one-time $55 fee, voluntarily give it up, or let it become null and void after expiration.
Start Your Career as a Florida RN Today
A career as a registered nurse in Florida leads to a rewarding profession with great growth potential. This piece outlines five most important steps to get your Florida RN license – from simple requirements to the work needed as a practicing nurse.
Your trip to becoming a nurse starts with the right education. You can choose between a two-year ADN program or a four-year BSN degree. The next step is passing the NCLEX-RN examination to prove your skills as a nursing professional. After that, you’ll complete the application process with the Florida Board of Nursing to become a licensed healthcare provider.
Florida’s nursing field offers plenty of opportunities because of expected healthcare worker shortages. Your choice to pursue nursing lines up perfectly with job market needs. On top of that, healthcare settings of all types offer different specialization paths so you can find your ideal nursing niche.
Note that your nursing education doesn’t stop after getting licensed. Of course, continuing education helps you stay up-to-date with new healthcare practices while you renew your license every two years. These requirements might just need some effort, but they protect professional standards and patient care quality.
Your nursing career will touch countless lives. The path can be challenging at times, but each step brings you closer to joining dedicated healthcare professionals who serve Florida’s communities. Take your first step today toward achieving this career, and soon you’ll provide vital care as a registered nurse in the Sunshine State.