HJBR Nov/Dec 2023

52 NOV / DEC 2023 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE NURSING COLUMN NURSING THE e-Notify NURSYS system, original- ly launched in 1999, is the only national nurse licensure and disciplinary database that provides primary source equivalent information to participating boards of nursing, including all jurisdictions that are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). 1 Accuracy of this information is as- sured because the information comes di- rectly from the nursing boards. The system is the repository of license and discipline information that allows state jurisdictions to participate in online verification for endorsement to any nurse who desires to practice in another state. Not only is it available to employees of nursing boards, but healthcare organizations and the pub- lic can verify any nursing license and any discipline that may encumber the license. The NURSYS system is trademarked by the National Council of State Boards of Nurs- ing (NCSBN). Here is how the system works: 1. Changes to nurse licenses are submit- ted to primary source state boards of nursing. 2. Primary source state boards of nurs- ing submit license status updates to NURSYS. 3. Publicly available license status up- dates are posted to NURSYS. E-notify is free of charge to all nursing board jurisdictions and provides real- time licensure and discipline information about nurses employed at each Louisiana institution or individual nurse who uses the service. As this information is entered into the database, it becomes immediately available in real time. Additionally, the system provides the only unique nurse identifier (UNI) for all nurses upon their first licensure with a nursing board. The UNI facilitates communication between nursing boards while protecting a nurse’s personal information. The number is free to obtain and only available through NURSYS. The information provided through the e-Notify system is pulled directly from NURSYS and is considered primary source equivalent for licensure, discipline, and practice privileges for RNs and LPNs. Additionally, some jurisdictions provide APRN information to NURSYS. E-NOTIFY: Tracking Nurse Licensure and Discipline Through the National NURSYS Database