Which statement about licensure is true?

• A. It guarantees national practice authorization.
• B. It determines the scope of practice.
• C. It is not required in any state.
• D. It is issued by ACOTE.

Answer: (B)

Licensure is the legal permission to practice a profession in a given jurisdiction, and it defines the scope of what you are allowed to do—the activities, procedures, and settings that are within legally recognized practice. It is issued by state licensing boards after you meet education and examination requirements, and it is typically state-specific rather than national, so there isn’t a single nationwide license. This is why the idea of national practice authorization is not correct, and why saying licensure isn’t required in any state is also incorrect. ACOTE, on the other hand, accredits educational programs, not licensure. Therefore, licensure determines the scope of practice.