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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1 ALBANY, NY 12234

Division 01 Prof essional Edueetion Bureau of Comparative Education 89 Washington Avenue Education Bfdg., 2d Fioor, West Wing Aibany, NY 12234 Email: comped@nysedy

May 14, 2025

Ministry ofSocial Affairs of the Republic ofEstonia Suur-Ameerika 1 Tallinn 10122 Republic of Estonia

Dear Ministry ofSocial Affairs:

1 am reaching out to you from the Bureau of Comparative Education within the Division of Professional Licensing Services at the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in Aibany, New York, United States. We license individuals in many professions to practice in New York State, including Registered Professional Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). These are both general nursing licenses, with RN being a higher-level qualification than LPN.

Part 64.1 of The Rules of the Regents and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education reads:

‘a. Registered professional nursing. To meet the professional education requirement for Iicensure, the applicant shall have graduated from:

1. a program in nursing registered by the department as preparation for practice as a registered professional nurse;

2. a program in nursing approved by the licensing authority in another state, territory, or possession of the United States as preparation for practice as registered professional nurse unless such program or any part thereof has been determined not to be satisfactory to the department; or

3. a general nursing course of at least two academic years in a country outside the United State and its territories or possessions that is satisfactory to the department and that the licensing authority of appropriate governmental agency of said country certifies to the department as being preparation for practice as a registered professional nurse. For issuance of a limited permit, an applicant shall obtain a score satisfactory to the department on a proficiency examination selected by the department as evidence of equivalent training, if the applicant’s nursing education was obtained in a school of nursing outside the United States and its territories and has not been determined by the department to be equivalent in quality and scope to a program of nursing education registered by the department

b. Licensed practical nursing. To meet the education requirements for licensure, the applicant shall have graduated from high school or its equivalent, and shall have:

1. graduated from a program in nursing registered by the department or approved by the licensing authority in another state, territory, or possession of the United States as preparation for practice as a licensed practical nurse unless such program or any part thereof has been determined not to be satisfactory to the department;

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2. completed preparation in a program determined to be equivalent to the programs described in paragraph (1) ofthis subdivision; 3. graduated from a program in practical nursing of at least nine months in a country outside the United States and its territories or possessions, which program is satisfactory to the department and which program the licensing authority of said country certifies to the department as being preparation for practice as a licensed practical nurse; or 4. graduated from a general nursing course in a country outside the United States and its territories that is satisfactory to the department and that the licensing authority of said country certifies to the department as being preparation for practice as a professional nurse.”

The Bureau of Comparative Education reviews education for applicants applying for RN and LPN licenses, per Part 64.1(a)(3), 64.1(b)(3), and 64.1(b)(4). In other words, we review the education of applicants for RN and LPN licenses who were educated outside of the United States. Due to the regulations specifying that programs must be certified by the licensing authority or appropriate government agency in the country of study, it is important that we have a firm understanding ofnursing licensure requirements in any Country from which we may see applicants.

Currently, our records indicate that formal nursing licenses are not issued in Estonia. As our role is to ensure nursing applicants have fulfilled those requirements, we are seeking to understand what steps exist to ensure that individuals working as nurses in Estonia have met the requirements to do so. To assist us with this process, please assist by providing us with answers to the following questions:

1. Are there different leveis ofNurses in Estonia? For example, in the U.S. there are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Professional Nurses (RN), Certified Nurse Specialists (CNS), and Nurse Practitioners (NP), which ail require specific education.

2. Do specific, nationally uniform requirements exist for one to praCtice as a Nurse? 3. Ifdifferent leveis ofnurses do exist, how do these requirements vary by nursing level? 4. Can you provide us with a list of schools authorized to train nurses in Estonia?

Ifyou have any questions, please feel free to contact this office.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jamie Davis Education Credentials Specialist 2