Washington State: which Liberty nursing tracks can still do practicum here

Three answers for one state

Liberty's state licensure lookup sorts its programs into three groups for Washington. Every Washington page was updated on June 29, 2026.

The RN-to-BSN-to-MSN versions follow their concentration: Educator and Administration are open, the other three are closed. For the closed non-NP programs, Liberty's page says it will support practicum placement in an approved state. Its pages don't explain why Community Health is closed while Nurse Educator is open.

What Washington asks of out-of-state programs

WAC 246-840-571 says a distance nursing program based outside Washington can't put students into clinical or practice experiences in the state until WABON, the Washington State Board of Nursing, has approved it. The program must show equivalency to Washington standards, supervise students in the state, stay accredited and report every year.

For NP education the bar is higher. Faculty from out of state who teach ARNP practice in Washington must be licensed there as ARNPs. An ARNP student's preceptor needs an active, unencumbered license as an MD, DO or ARNP, and may not be the student's relative or personal friend. Liberty's NP pages tie the closure to Washington's educational and license regulations for nurse practitioners.

WABON opened rulemaking on these rules in December 2025, so they may shift. Liberty's lookup, not the rulemaking, decides what you can do.

Licensing: a compact state since 2024

Washington put the Nurse Licensure Compact into practice on January 31, 2024. Liberty's Washington page for the open MSN tracks still asks for an active Washington RN license. If your license is a multistate one from another compact state, ask the practicum team whether it satisfies that page before you plan hours. The RN license guide covers the compact in general.

In a closed track and living in Washington

1. Look south or eastThe Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metro spans both states, which puts Oregon close for Vancouver-area students. Liberty's Oregon NP page asks for an Oregon RN license and direct supervision by an appropriately licensed Oregon preceptor. Idaho is also approved for Liberty practicum.
2. Write to the practicum team earlyNP students reach the team at APRN.DNPPracticum@liberty.edu. Ask about Washington residents before you start contacting clinics yourself.
3. Plan RN-to-BSN hours outside the stateLiberty's Washington page closes RN-to-BSN practicum and observation, which covers the two 8-hour community shifts in NURS 440. See the RN-to-BSN page and hold a license valid where you go.
4. File the State Change Notification form if you moveAn address change in myLU doesn't count as an official move for licensure purposes.

The state preceptor grant doesn't reach Liberty

The legislature created Washington's Student Nurse Preceptorship Grant, and WABON administers it. LPN, RN and ARNP preceptors who have one or more years of experience are paid per student precepted for 80 hours or more, with a limit of two students a term. The grant runs in quarterly cycles.

RN-BSN programs are excluded, and WABON states that programs based outside Washington aren't eligible even if the precepting takes place inside the state. A preceptor for a Liberty Nurse Educator or Administration student can't claim it.

Full practice, systems and metros

AANP rates Washington as full practice. For the open MSN tracks, start with the big systems: UW Medicine, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, MultiCare, PeaceHealth and Providence (including Providence Swedish, based in Renton). Kennewick-Richland, Spokane, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue and the Washington side of Portland-Vancouver are the main metros. Educator students need an approved MSN or doctorally prepared preceptor; see the Nurse Educator practicum page.

How we help Washington students plan

For Washington students in open MSN tracks, we look for sites and preceptors that fit the course and help with the affiliation paperwork. For everyone else, we search in the approved state you choose. Liberty approves every site and preceptor, and we work alongside the practicum team.