The Nursing Licensing Cartel

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I just need to rant about the absurdity of the nurse licensing system in this country. The amount of money one has to waste in addition to the expense of the education is really criminal.

A happy little tally:

1. $200 for the privilege of taking my NCLEX from Pearson. (third party #1 who administer every test from NCLEX to 3rd grade Common Core) quite a nice little monopoly they've got going. http://www.phillyvoice.com/concerns-rising-over-pearson/ [8 hours of work]

2. $100 and change for a nursing license from Wisconsin (where I graduated) [4 hours of work]

***job offer and acceptance from hospital in Texas (a compact state)***

2. $40.79 for a set of ****** fingerprints in Texas to send to BON. (third party #2 indentogo.com) because the state of Texas surely couldn't use my FBI fingerprints that were already on file for my previous health care work. can't cut out the company working out of a flippin' H&R Block who take about 10 seconds to stick my inked fingers on a piece of white paper. [1.75 hours of work]

3. $30 to nursys.com to "verify" my license. apparently the fact that I have THE ACTUAL LICENSE is not enough. I must have it "verified" by another private company that someone got a contract with the state. (oh wait, this is Texas. of course a private company got a big contract with the state under the auspices of saving taxpayer money while skewering the individuals who actually need the service.) [1.10 hours of work]

4. $186 for Texas to "endorse" my Wisconsin license. [7.29 hours of work]

5. $25 for Texas' licensing test (because the NCLEX just wasn't thorough enough presumably.) [1 hour of work]

And there you have it. $581.79, or 23.4 hours of work for the privilege of working. Good times. Looking forward to that first loan payment.

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4. $186 for Texas to "endorse" my Wisconsin license. [7.29 hours of work]

Congrats on your new job! You clearly have an aptitude for documentation - I'm sure your new employer will appreciate that about you. I mean, 7.29 hours! Your attention to detail is impressive to say the least.

Will you be following up with a detailed account of relocation expenses and the moving industry cartel?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

If your job offer is in TX, why didn't you just apply to TX in the first place? . You don't need to apply for a license in the state you attended school.

I think TX is pretty smart to require the nursing jurisprudence exam as it demonstrates that you have a basic knowledge of TX nursing law as NPA vary from state to state

Nursys is a part of the NCSBN (national council of the state boards of nursing) not a third party vendor and maintains a database of licenses throughout the country. It's NOT a third party vendor contracted with only TX. This is a necessary evil as looking and your paper license isn't proof enough that you have no restrictions. Google Charles Cullen and you see what happens when states didn't check a national licensing database that now exists.

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The Texas BON is easy to deal with. At least they put their fee money into creating a functional office. I'd love to see what you have to say about endorsing to California (if you're ever unlucky enough to have to do it). :wacky:

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I simply wish the Maryland BON would answer their phones. I have lost hours of my life over the years on hold.

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If your job offer is in TX, why didn't you just apply to TX in the first place? . You don't need to apply for a license in the state you attended school.

I think TX is pretty smart to require the nursing jurisprudence exam as it demonstrates that you have a basic knowledge of TX nursing law as NPA vary from state to state

Nursys is a part of the NCSBN (national council of the state boards of nursing) not a third party vendor and maintains a database of licenses throughout the country. It's NOT a third party vendor contracted with only TX. This is a necessary evil as looking and your paper license isn't proof enough that you have no restrictions. Google Charles Cullen and you see what happens when states didn't check a national licensing database that now exists.

I have never heard of Charles Cullen before, so I googled him. Wow! I have heard many stories about nurses like this, and it always scares the crap out of me.

(Sorry to go off topic just wanted to share)

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I simply wish the Maryland BON would answer their phones. I have lost hours of my life over the years on hold.

Same here, Jules! I would pay anyone and in any amount of money just so they would answer my phone calls, give me direct answers, and prioritize my needs. I guess California BRN is not alone, ugh! I also wasted 8 to 10 weeks by worrying and getting mad. I lost wages along the way too (because I couldn't work without my license). I also lost 2 jobs because of the wait. Glad that's over for now!

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OP,

I really admire your attention to details and excellent documentation skills! I'm sorry for all of this mess you are going through with licensing. But i definitely get it! You probably shouldn't know how many hours it took to worry about my license from California BRN.. And how much money I paid for ALL of the review courses, licensing, DEA, etc. hang in there! And congratulations ;)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Sheesh - another thread initiated by someone who seems pretty resentful that the only available nursing jobs are here in Texas. Ungrateful much?

Texas nursing practice is unique in many ways. We have had mandated peer review for a long time. We have Safe Harbor. We have a legally defined "nurse patient duty" that cannot be subsumed by the physician patient duty. Our scopes of practice are very well differentiated. So, is it so unreasonable to expect new nurses to learn a bit about practicing in Texas as part of the licensure process? BTW, we require our own grads to take the state jurisprudence course also.

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Specializes in ER.

Welcome to modern life. Try opening up a business to sell hotdogs on the beach. That might take 26.30 hours navigate through the bureaucracy and their red tape. Or, try getting a building permit if you want grief...

;)

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Yeah, I don't get why you didn't just apply to Texas for your license to begin with. Were you originally thinking that you were going to work in Wisconsin and the Texas thing came up later?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I think the OP has a point...a national licensing exam, but no national license? The fact that compact states exist point to the absurdity of separate licensing boards. I can see state-by-state regulatory bodies due to difference in state laws, but separate licensing bodies? Just stupid.

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