By: Lori POE, MS, RD Licensure and Legislative
Chair PADA
Posted 8/2006
Once your application is received by the
licensure board it will take a minimum of 8 weeks to process before
you will hear anything. Only contact the licensure board if you have
not heard anything after 8-10 weeks of waiting. Applications are processed
in the order they are received. After everything is processed it takes
7-10 business days before you get word through the mail. You will either
receive your license, a temporary license, a discrepancy letter or
a denial of license letter. If you receive your license you can now
use the credentials LDN (Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist), congates
you are now licensed. If you receive a temporary license it means the
same thing as a license, it will have your license number on it and
you can use the credentials LDN, congrats you are also licensed. The
Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs is experiencing some
production problems so they are issuing temporary licenses. The temporary
license is good for 120 days. Following 120 days you will receive your
actual license. This production problem does not have anything to do
with the Licensure Board, once they approve your application it moves
to the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs to issue the
license.
Want to hear quicker? Upon approval of licensure
your information is in the state web site www.dos.state.pa.us.
Therefore, you can go on-line and check if you have been approved for
licensure before you will actually get the letter in the mail, this
is posted first and usually on a weekly basis, if you can't get in
you are not approved yet. In the web site you have to go to the section/link
where you can verify a license, you will have to enter your name, if
you are in the right screen. If you can get in, your license number
will appear if you are approved. This is the only other way to check
on the status of your application.
DISCREPANCY LETTER, many people may receive
this letter, due to problems with your application, which could not
be predicted. The letter will identify the problem with the application
and what needs to be done to correct the problem(s). This may be as
simple as you forgot to sign your name or forgot to date your signature,
or you did not answer a question(s) on the application. If you get
a discrepancy letter do not get upset, it will not hurt your chances
for licensure, you just have to correct the mistake, follow the instructions
in the letter and send back what they are asking for. If anything this
just delays the process. You had to answer every single question (nothing
can be left blank), even if it did not apply to you, and all two pages
if an RD (all three pages if non RD) had to be returned. You also had
to send an original, not a fax, which it stated on the application.
The biggest problems are with question #8 and #10.
DENIAL OF LICENSE LETTER. If you receive
a letter saying you are being denied a license it is your right to
ask why. In the letter they DO specify the reason for denial, but you
can ask for more clarification if you don't understand or don't agree.
I suggest calling the licensure board 717-783-7142, ask to speak with
Board Staff or sending the licensure board an e-mail: ST-NURSE@STATE.PA.US with
your questions. |
