Laura M Fontaine

What they do

Registered Nurses (RNs) in Florida deliver direct patient care across hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, schools, home health agencies, and public health departments. Their work includes assessing patients, administering medications and treatments ordered by a physician, monitoring vital signs and recovery, coordinating care plans, and educating patients and families about conditions, recovery, and prevention.

RNs in Florida often specialize in areas such as critical care, oncology, pediatrics, labor and delivery, emergency medicine, or surgical nursing. They work as part of multidisciplinary teams alongside physicians, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, and therapists. Beyond bedside care, many RNs in Florida serve in case management, infection control, quality improvement, and informatics roles. The profession is heavily regulated to protect public safety because nurses operate at the front line of clinical decision-making and patient advocacy.

Licensing in Florida

To become an RN in Florida, candidates must complete an approved associate or bachelor's nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN national examination. Florida also recognizes nurses licensed in other compact states through the Nurse Licensure Compact. Applicants submit fingerprints for a background check and pay application fees through the Florida Department of Health. Licenses are renewed every two years and require completion of state-mandated continuing education in topics such as medical error prevention, recognizing impairment, and human trafficking awareness. The Florida Board of Nursing oversees licensure, discipline, and standards of practice for the profession statewide.

How to verify or report

Patients and employers can verify any RN license through the Florida MQA license search. To file a complaint about unsafe practice, fraud, or impairment, use the Florida Department of Health complaint form or call 850-488-0796.