LETTER: Nurse licensing bill a step forward
April 16, 2023 - 9:01 pm
In response to your recent story, “Nursing shortage: Labor opposes bill to recognize licenses from other states”:
My “Battle Born” daughter graduated from a nursing university here in Las Vegas with a bachelors degree. In part due to the lack of Nevada being a member of the multistate compact, she accepted employment elsewhere.
She left her home state of Nevada after 30-plus years, packed up her husband (a local fire department also lost a well regarded firefighter/paramedic in this transition) and child and has committed to a career in the East where her license as a nurse will be recognized in 37 states, along with the 10 states also considering joining the compact.
I must disagree with my Nevada State AFL-CIO and SEIU members on this question. Yes, it is more difficult to organize and negotiate contracts, but you cannot keep Nevada’s homegrown nurses hostage to an antiquated system of licensing that is out of step with modern life.
Compliments to Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui for introducing this commonsense bill and showing leadership where needed.