The act that defines APRN practice in Delaware
The compact decides whether you may practice in Delaware. What APRN practice actually means here — scope, titles, what you may do and delegate — is set by Delaware’s own nurse practice act, 24 Del. C. ch. 19 (Board of Nursing), and interpreted by the Delaware Board of Nursing. Two states can both recognize your license and still differ on what you may do with it.
Where Delaware stands on the APRN Compact
Delaware has already legislated for it. The APRN Compact is enacted into Delaware’s own code at Del. Code tit. 24, ch. 19B (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact). The chapter heading in Delaware’s own code reads “[Effective upon fulfillment of 83 Del. Laws, c. 110, § 2]” — enacted and conditional in the same line.
The compact does not cover APRN roles
The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses. It does not cover APRN authorization — NPs, CRNAs, CNSs, and CNMs. That has been the case since the compact began and applies in every state.
What that means in Delaware
Delaware is a compact state, so your underlying RN license can be a multistate license. But your APRN authority sits on top of that RN license and is not part of the compact — to practice as an APRN in another state, you generally need that state’s APRN authorization, granted by its board. Confirm specifics with the Delaware Board of Nursing.
The separate APRN Compact
A distinct APRN Compact has been drafted to do for advanced practice what the NLC does for RNs and LPNs/LVNs, but it is not yet operational. Until enough states join and it is implemented, APRN privileges do not cross state lines automatically.