The mission of the State Board of Nursing for South Carolina is the protection of public health, safety and welfare by assuring the safe and competent practice of nursing.
This mission is accomplished by assuring safe initial practice as well as continuing competency in the practice of nursing and by promoting nursing excellence in the areas of education and practice. The Board licenses qualified individuals as licensed practical nurses, registered nurses or advanced practice registered nurses. Complaints against nurses are investigated and disciplinary action taken when necessary. Schools of nursing (pre-licensure programs) are surveyed and approved to ensure quality education for future nurses.
The South Carolina (SC) Board of Nursing oversees licensure renewal for all active LPN, RN and APRN licenses across SC every other year in even years. Prior to launching the 2024 renewal cycle in February 2024, SC had over 96,500 active licensees. Since the renewal period has closed, the total number of active licensees dropped to 90,375, fewer than those lost in prior renewal cycles.
The number of APRNs, particularly, Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) are the fastest growing segment of our total licensees with almost 11,000 active licensees across the state at present. Note that five (5) years ago, we had 6262 APRNs permanently licensed in SC.
Registered Nurses are also growing in numbers, though not as quickly as APRNs. Over the past ten (10) years, analysis of workforce data collected during the renewal cycle has shown that registered nurses initially licensed in SC tend to stay in SC, whereas those who endorsed from another state often leave SC after less than 5 years.
The Nurse licensure Compact (NLC) supports the movement of LPNs and RNs across forty-two (42) states /US Territories. While we are aware that nearly one-third of our licensees are working in another state using their SC multistate license, we do not have a mechanism to track how many nurses from other states are coming into SC to work.
Despite the number of active licensees in SC, there continues to be a workforce shortage. The key question is do we have the supply we need to satisfy the demand as nurses retire and/or leave the profession. Federal projections (HRSA) suggest that SC does not have the nursing resources that they need, but there are many questions to be answered. The South Carolina Office for Healthcare Workforce (SCOHW) has been asked to further study workforce shortages in SC with a particular focus on nursing. The SC Board of Nursing has been invited to join the Advisory Committee to study workforce issues across the state. The research and statistical data collected in prior renewal cycles, as well as the one we just completed, will be utilized for this meaningful work.
