Here is a copy of a letter I recently sent to our governor regarding the inefficient mbon. I have been trying to get my cna license for 6 months now and all I am getting is the run around from employees who do not want to take responsibility;
Governor O'Malley,
If you go to the Maryland board of nursing website your name is prominently displayed on every page. I just wanted to let you know what kind of organization your name is attached to.
First some background; I am a 39 year old divorced/single nursing student with two daughters to raise. I am back in school because in this tough economy I really needed a career that offered some measure of both job security and a decent paycheck. This is the reason I have gone back to school after so many years.
After the first semester of school nursing students become eligible to receive a certified nursing assistant (CNA) license. On December 27, 2010, anticipating that I will have to work during the summer, I went for fingerprinting at CJIS and mailed off my completed application. The envelope was signed for January 2, 2011 by the board of nursing. After many phone calls and back and forth I finally received my 90 day temporary license at the end of March (3 months later!!!!!!). Remember, I could not work until I had at least a temporary license. Anyhow, temporary license in hand I was fortunate enough to procure a coveted nursing externship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. This externship will give me not only valuable nursing experience, but the extra money is desperately needed. This job will be a foot in the door at a wonderful hospital!
The issue? I am scheduled to start Monday and my temporary license expires the 8th!!! I have been very proactive trying to get my permanent license. A month ago I contacted the board of nursing trying to get a status. They told me they had no fingerprints or background check on file so they could not issue the license. When I asked why did someone not contact me I was rudely told that it is my job to keep calling to see if there are any problems. Then the woman in charge of new CNA licenses, (name deleted) informed me that I would have to take care of it and I was given the phone number of the nursing liason between CJIS and board of nursing. This woman, (name deleted), was lovely on the phone, sounded very sympathetic, and promised me results. When I called a week and a half later there were still no results. Even as of this date I am not receiving any return phone calls or emails. She told me I have to call CJIS, it was their issue. Well, I called CJIS. The woman there, (name deleted), told me that she saw that the fingerprinting and background checks were completed and that they had emailed and electronic copy to the board of nursing December 28, 2010!!! (I has received my verification from CJIS December 28 as well). I asked them if they could send another copy and they told me that the board of nursing has to request it. So I call the board of nursing who told me they can not do that, that the liason has to. Bottom line, I followed the directions, everything was in order to get my license, but no one is taking responsibility or action on the issue at hand. I can not work without this license so someone's mistake that no one is taking responsibility for may cost me my livelyhood and the potential of getting my dream job at Hopkins!
I was warned that the board of nursing is horrible to deal with. Potential employers, my professors at school, other nurses all warned me. Why should this board be allowed to run in such dysfunction? Why has no one taken steps to correct it when it can effect people's futures, their careers?
I would really appreciate it if someone can investigate the workings of the board of nursing and perhaps help expedite my license so I can work.
Thanks you,
respectfully,
(name deleted)
taxpayer/voter/single mom just trying to make ends
Friday morning I will be making the trek to the office. I am bringing my friend who is a high level manager/trainer at the FAA with me as he has ways of managing uncooperative employees. Anyhow, I just want to let everyone know about my experience with mbon.
Par for the course. I've gotten licenses in NC, NY and MD and MD is by far (by FAR) the most difficult to deal with. Both when I was getting my license and this most recent renewal, I had to drive to Baltimore to deal with them in person because I couldn't get any answers via email or phone. First time I had to drive from New York, second time from 2.5 hours away. The first time I was there someone tried to light the place on fire. I am not joking. FD called for an arson fire.
Just an update. I called again today and held for 16 minutes and someone answered. Was on the line with her for less than 5 minutes and 20 minutes after hanging up, received my ATT. She was very nice and made me feel valued as a caller. However, the amount of time and effort endured to finally get a hold of someone is just ridiculous. Fortunately, I was able to call almost every day but ain't nobody got time for all of that. Thank you God because I was going to take tomorrow off and drive to B-more.
Good for you! Glad to hear it. Make sure you know when you are due to expire because they said they would send out a notice and didn't. Which wouldn't have been a problem if I'd realized that my "two-year license" was actually only for 20 months because your expiration reverts to your birth month, which no one bothered to tell me at the time and wasn't on the web site (I couldn't find it, anyway). So I actually worked past my expiration until I got a phone call from my employer saying I couldn't come to work until I had renewed, hence the trip to Baltimore after two days of no one answering. Good luck!
That sounds torturous and thanks for the advice. My friend went thro something kind of similar and was so stressed about it. Anyone else got any good advice or stories that ended in defeat or better yet, victory?
In 2016 we moved to MD and obtaining my MD RN license by endorsement was pretty straight forward, think it took about 2 weeks from start to finish....All was well until 1 day in August I received a postcard in the mail that my license was suspended!!! Something about I had not paid not $$$$...I had paid what they told me to pay.....Drove to the office and paid in person and it was good to go in a few days....caused me to miss 2 days of work....Not sure why they had to suspend my license..why not give a due date first???
Pretty sad to read this that goes all the way back to 2011. MDBON is still the same. Rude, bad attitude staff and waiting for the license for over 11 weeks now as a new resident of MD. Apparently, the higher up nurses and the politician of MD does not care. What a slap in the face of our profession.
Hello! I know it’s already 2019 but hey MBON is still horrible as it was in 2011. LOL! I am currently applying for endorsement of my license from IL. I just want to ask for nurses graduated outside USA, how did you send the test result? Thank you
I have experienced a similar difficulties in the past with this BON. Many of the requests related to licensing from other states BON can be easily accomplished via their web site or over the phone. One can do merely nothing in the acceptable time with Maryland BON either by phone (phone very very very rarely picked up), on the website and in person. I don't understand why this institution has been this way forever and no one looks concerned. I wonder that this institution functions as one of the institution in the third world countries. Is there any mechanism that evaluates the efficiency of the institution? Do the employees know that they are there because we are paying tax? Does the governor office has any idea how this institution is functioning in such inefficient way? Where shall we go to give a feedback? Why they don't try to see how efficient other BON are?
ccsutton
4 Posts
Par for the course. I've gotten licenses in NC, NY and MD and MD is by far (by FAR) the most difficult to deal with. Both when I was getting my license and this most recent renewal, I had to drive to Baltimore to deal with them in person because I couldn't get any answers via email or phone. First time I had to drive from New York, second time from 2.5 hours away. The first time I was there someone tried to light the place on fire. I am not joking. FD called for an arson fire.