In Indiana, the nursing profession is regulated by the State Board of Nursing, a division of the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. Indiana is similar to the majority of states in maintaining education requirements and the completion of the NCLEX to achieve licensure. However, there are certain key differences, and Indiana recently changed its laws to mandate a new application and procedure. In this guide, we’ll guide you through the process of getting and maintaining your Indiana Practical Nurse license.

Obtaining a License

Here are the general steps to take:

• Enroll in a program of study at a State Board-approved nursing educational facility. Indiana requires LPNs to have either a high school diploma or GED, and to successfully complete a program in nursing. Note that Indiana does not require LPNs to have either an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, provided they have taken a practical nursing program. A useful guide to some state-accredited programs can be found here.
• Indiana is fairly strict as states go in terms of application processes. You may not send in your Indiana state application until you have finished the education requirement, and you may not sit for the NCLEX until you have submitted both the state and NCLEX applications.
• In essence, then, you will be submitting two applications prior to the exam. The state application cost is 50 dollars, it must be mailed in, and it must include a passport-type photograph. You can download a printable application and see the details of this process here.
• Indiana has a fairly strict requirement for verifying educational credentials – a certification of completion form must be mailed directly to the State Board of Nursing directly from a program’s Dean, Director, or other specified designee.
• At the same time you submit this application, you should also submit the application to sit for the NCLEX, which you can do here. The fee for this is 200 dollars.
• Take and pass the NCLEX. This is the “big one” so to speak – the test required in all 50 states to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (there is also a version for registered nurses).
• Once you pass, and your application has been processed, you’re in! Allow some time for processing after you receive your exam results, but because the application has been approved prior to the exam, you should receive a license relatively quickly.

Unfortunately enough, Indiana is not a Nurse Licensure Compact state, nor is there pending legislation to make it one. As such, any out-of-state nurses must complete a full application “by endorsement,” and this basically entails all the steps required for licensure by application, with the exception of taking the NCLEX. You can get the application for licensure by endorsement at this link. The important thing to note here is that Indiana will require verification from every state in which you hold a license, and that verification can only be provided through the NURSYS system or, if your licensing state is not a NURSYS member, through having your home state send a Verification of License form, also available for download at the above link.

Maintaining a License

Indiana LPN licenses expire on October 31 of every even-number year. Beginning in the 2014 renewal cycle, all renewals must be completed online, which can be done here. There is no fee for regular renewal. Conveniently enough, Indiana generally has no continuing education requirements for either registered or licensed practical nurses. However, if your license has been expired for over three years, you must demonstrate competency through education – find out more here.

Discipline of the nursing profession can be handled in two possible ways, either directly by the State Attorney General’s office, or by the State Board of Nursing. The latter occurs when the Board itself takes action against a nurse, while the former occurs when a member of the public makes a complaint about a nurse. Nurses must adhere to specific statutory guidelines, and if they do not and are later found guilty of not doing so, may have their license revoked or suspended. Indiana helpfully provides a detailed guide to the disciplinary process here.

Indiana is unique in that it has a state agency specifically dedicated to assisting nurses suffering from substance abuse. You can more about this program, called ISNAP, here.