West Virginia
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COVID-19 Information



Pandemic Model for Clinical Staffing Assistance​

At the Emergency Board Meeting on September 17, 2021, the Board of Registered ​Nurses approved to support this model for the Pandemic Model for Clinical Staffing Assistance.

To help address nurse staffing/patient care challenges around the COVID-19 pandemic, the following options are suggested as agreements between clinical site organizations and BSN/ADN nursing programs in West Virginia:

  1. Clinical site organizations employment of nursing faculty to take a patient assignment within the unit of specified need and in return for the worked hours, the nursing program employer would provide comp time or workload release.  Also, the faculty may choose to be paid directly by the organization as a per diem employee.

  2. Junior and Senior level nursing students may volunteer outside of school hours to be employed by a clinical site organization to work under supervision of one or two licensed RN’s employed by the clinical site organization to assist within the scope of mutually identified competencies based on their level of progression in the nursing program.

  3. Faculty teaching a clinical group in a clinical site may be paid by the organization to teach half of a clinical group (no more than 4) to provide patient care in unit assigned by the clinical site based on need. This would count as clinical hours programmatically. The other half of the clinical group will be individually assigned to clinical site organizational RN employees in a preceptor model, again working within the scope of mutually identified competencies based on their level of progression in the nursing program. 

*A list of approved tasks for students at each level of education will be in writing and agreed upon by the nursing program and hospital.

*Clinical site employed “preceptors” may be either ADN or BSN prepared Registered Nurses.

Click here for an example of a clinical skills list​.  Please note this is only an example and the skills permitted are to be mutually agreed upon by the Nursing Education Program and the Clinical Site employer.



Licensees who are in Disciplinary Agreements/Monitoring Agreements/ OR Have a suspended license:

The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (Board) joins with our local and national leaders in efforts to keep us all healthy during the crisis caused by COVID-19.
Therefore, the Board implements the following, effective Immediately:
  • Licensees in Consent Agreements or Monitoring Agreements with the Board who are required to attend 12 step meetings, group counseling sessions and/or individual counseling sessions will be permitted to do so online or by utilizing any other form of technology not requiring a face-to-face, in person meeting.
  • During this State of Emergency communications from the Board will be through the nursing portal on ORBS. Please contact the Board through your portal if you have any questions regarding compliance with your agreement.
Please Note: This is only effective until the State of Emergency has been lifted.
  • All licensees who have been suspended will be required to complete a reinstatement application and comply with regular requirements of reinstatement. There will be no special processes or relaxed processes implemented to accomplish reinstatement if the license was suspended for disciplinary reasons.
  • Please see the linked announcement from Affinity about drug screening.

    Click Here for Affinity Announcement


The Governor, by Executive Order, and the West Virginia RN Board by vote, has suspended some rules to expedite licensure. These rule suspensions are TEMPORARY in nature and all suspended requirements will have to be fulfilled after the emergency order is lifted.

Please Note: This is only effective until the State of Emergency has been lifted. All licensees who have been suspended will be required to complete a reinstatement application and comply with regular requirements of reinstatement. There will be no special processes or relaxed processes implemented to accomplish reinstatement if the license was suspended for disciplinary reasons.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.  Please be assured that our offices will continue to meet the needs of the public while being responsive to the current health concerns created by this pandemic. We encourage you to follow the guidance issued by the CDC and our state health officials. 




Telemedicine/Telenursing information


Contact DHHR for any questions regarding teleconferencing software regulations.

Please know the Board provides the following definition of telehealth/telenursing:

Telehealth/telenursing (alternatively termed telemedicine) is the practice of healthcare within a professionally designated scope of practice using electronic communication, information technology, or other means between a licensee in one location and a client in another location with or without an intervening healthcare provider.

The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses at a meeting on April 23, 2021 reviewed and reinstated most of the previous changes for Dialysis Training Programs and Dialysis Technician’s practice that were waived in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reinstates pre-pandemic language regarding fingerprinting, certification examinations and training programs.

​​Dialysis Tech Training Program changes April 23, 2021
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These changes shall become effective July 1, 2021.​​



APRN Practice Changes
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Approved changes for APRN nursing practice in response to COVID-19

The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses, at the emergency meeting on April 3, 2020, reviewed, considered and approved changes for RN and APRN practice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 17-20 permitting the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses, in their discretion, to suspend  or modify the requirements for the administration of anesthesia, the Board suspends and modifies the requirement contained in W. Va. Code §30-7-15 as follows:
 
Requirements for supervision or presence of any other healthcare provider when anesthesia is administered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNAs) (WV Code §30-7-15) is suspended.
 
Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 17-20 permitting the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses, in their discretion, to temporarily suspend or modify the requirements for the authorization for prescriptive authority, collaborative requirements for prescriptive authority, prescriptive formulary limitations, prescriptive refill and supply limitations, and other prescriptive limitations including continuing education and renewal requirements, contained in  W. Va. Code §30-7-15a, §30-7-15b, §30-7-15c), the Board suspends and modifies the requirements as follows:

  1. The advanced practice registered nurse shall practice in conformity with the advanced practice registered nurse’s education, training, and certification and in accord with the delineation of privileges granted to the advanced practice registered nurse by the hospital/facility to use the advanced practice registered nurse to the fullest extent possible. 

  2. For West Virginia APRNs, who have been approved to practice in West Virginia during the State of Emergency, the requirement for collaborative agreements with physicians for the prescribing of medications is suspended and automatically reinstated when the declared emergency is lifted.

  3. The fee for initial prescriptive authority shall be waived until 30 days after the state of emergency is lifted by the Governor. 

  4. The APRN certifications renewal extension is based on certifying body policy.

  5. The APRN and Prescriptive Authority renewal by June 30, 2021, will continue as usual and the renewal links will be available beginning May 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021.  The CE requirements are not effective at this time.

  • Continuing education requirements for advance practice registered nurses has been reinstated for APRN license renewal as well as prescriptive authority renewal period beginning July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023.

  • For limited prescriptive authority contained in W. Va. Code of Legislative Rules 19 CSR 8-3.1.b., the applicant will provide documentation of the use of pharmacotherapy in clinical practice in the education program.​

  • The ability for an Advanced​ Practice Registered Nurses licensed in another state to practice in West Virginia has been terminated by the Board.  As of April 26, 2021, no further applications will be accepted. Therefore, out of state licensees will NOT be permitted to practice in WV without an active WV license as of that date.

  • The renewal period requirement for advance practice registered nurses has been reinstated by the Board. 

RN Practice Changes

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order 12-21 permitting the Board, in their discretion, to suspend or modify the requirements for the following:
  • Registered Nurses licensed in another state to practice in West Virginia has been terminated by the Board.  As of April 26, 2021, no further applications will be accepted. ​Therefore, out of state licensees will NOT be permitted to practice in WV without an active WV license as of that date.
  • The renewal period requirement for registered nurses and advance practice registered nurses has been reinstated by the Board. 
  • Any RN who has not completed the October 30, 2020, renewal must complete this by August 1, 2021 at 11:59pm.  The CE requirements are not effective at this time.
  • The RN renewal by October 31, 2021, will proceed as usual and the renewal link will be available September 1, 2021 through October 31, 2021.  The CE requirements are not effective at this time.
  • Continuing education requirements for registered nurses has been reinstated for RN renewal period beginning November 1, 2021 through October 31, 2022​

In addition, Board approved and reinstated the following:
  • A Criminal Background Check (CBC) is required as outlined in W. Va. Code of Legislative Rules 19 CSR 3-3.1.a.4.
  • The temporary permit is valid for no more than 90 days as outlined in W. Va. Code 19  of Legislative Rules  CSR 3-4.2 and 19 CSR 3-7.2.c.   Therefore, all applicants with a temporary permit will be notified of the termination date of their permit via your Nurse Portal email account.  This termination date ​will be August 31, 2021, unless you have an expiration date after this date.   
  • All reinstatement applicants are required to provide continuing education for applications submitted on June 1, 2021 and thereafter.
  • Endorsement verifications are reinstated per WV Code of Legislative Rule 19 CSR 3-7.1.d.  
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Nurse Administrators of a West Virginia Prelicensure Nursing Education Program
The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (Board) in session on April 23, 2021 took the following actions, effective June 1, 2021. Pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order 12-21 permitting the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses, in their discretion, to suspend or modify the requirements for policies, standards and criteria for the evaluation, approval, and national nursing accreditation of prelicensure nursing education programs, the Board reinstates the requirements contained in W. Va. Code of Legislative Rules 19-1-8 Curriculum by reinserting “, not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of its clinical hours”. Additionally, the Board deleted the language “Clinical requirements can be met utilizing any available mechanism including, simulation, telecommunications or by any other acceptable form as determined by the school. Board approved schools shall file a report with the Board at least​ thirty days prior to its October Board meeting outlining how the clinical requirements were met during the declared state of emergency.”​


Nurse Health Program Resources
During this unprecedented and challenging time, we would like to connect you with some resources through our Nurse Health Program. It is vital to develop, utilize, and maintain healthy coping mechanisms to ensure good health and safe practice.
We have partnered with GRACE (Greater Recovery and Community Empowerment), who has been our trainer for the Nurse Health Coach classes, to offer our nurses life/health/recovery coach assistance.
Please follow the link :  https://www.strengthingrace.com/requst-a-free-recovery-life-coach to request a free coach today. ​
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RN Renewal: Because of COVID-19 and the State of Emergency declared by the Governor, the continuing education requirements for RN license renewal were waived for the 2020 and 2021 RN renewal periods. Continuing education requirements for registered nurses has been reinstated for RN renewal period beginning November 1, 2021 through October 30, 2022.

​APRN Renewal: For APRN licenses that expire on 6/30/2021, APRN renewals begin on 5/1/2021. The continuing education requirements for APRNs have been waived fo​r this renewal period. Continuing education requirements for advanced practice registered nurses has been reinstated for APRN license renewal as well as prescriptive authority renewal period beginning July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023.
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West Virginia RN Board
5001 MacCorkle Ave, SW, South Charleston, WV 25309 (304) 744-0900