Ok, just had to vent a bit with peeps who know how frustrating the CA BON can be. Here's the timeline:
APRIL - application submitted
JUNE - bon finally cashes check
JULY - fingerprints redone first time
AUGUST - 2nd fingerprints still no good, name check only completed
So a couple of weeks ago I call the BON. I am told all is good with my app, just waiting for the name check to come back as my fingerprints are always unreadable by FBI. Then I get a letter yesterday that they require ALL of my college transcripts. I completed my BSN as a second degree so on the transcript it shows that requirements like micro, organic chem, English were all done somewhere else satisfactorily.
I mean sure it's a bit irritating that I have to now request transcripts from 5 more schools (my first degree was a BA so I took the sciences at multiple schools). But what irks me the most is that no one told me this two weeks ago when I called. It was marked as completed in my file. Thank goodness I don't need that license until next year.
Just venting. The CA BON is so disorganized and silly. I didn't have any of this trouble with my other licenses.
I never got my hard copy either and I've heard the same from others recently. I see no need for physical licenses, but if they're discontinuing their issue, they need to let people know (my assignment in Kaiser is requesting a copy!).
They should accept a printout of the online license verification. If everyone is doing their own QA properly, the agency, the vendor manager (American Mobile), and the hospital should all be checking for a valid license online too.
They should accept a printout of the online license verification. If everyone is doing their own QA properly, the agency, the vendor manager (American Mobile), and the hospital should all be checking for a valid license online too.
Ned, they're accepting the online verification for now, but Kaiser (or this specific location) has a policy that RNs should have their license cards with them, and they want proof of that. So I'm waiting on the board to send me one. Any bets on how long it will take?? :-)
Physical cards are outdated, and so are hospital policies about carrying them on you - how many nurses do you think would be sent home at Kaiser if audited?! I didn't carry mine when I did assignments at Kaiser. But California hasn't announced to my knowledge that cards are being discontinued. I'm not sure why you are not getting a hard copy within days after your license goes up online. My first guess would be look at the address the BON has on file for you to see if it is there.
Anyway, it sounds like you passed the threshold and are now free to practice at Kaiser. They may or may not follow up on a card, but I seriously doubt that this is specified in the contract and they can bounce you - you do have a valid license.
Imagine being a permanent resident of Cali and always having to put up with this!
I am a permanent resident of California. Born and bred here.
And y'all are scaring me.
I waited until one day before my license was due for renewal to actually go online and renew. This is the very first time in 16 years that I've had to prove I received 30 CEU's. They were all scattered hither and yon . . . . due to having two jobs and 3 filing systems.
Now, I'm afraid the computer will say I renewed late. Although it did take my money.
As a Californian, I can say I agree with the folks who are saying it is very tough here in many ways.
Ned, this was clearly labeled a vent, no stepping on the vent
That is not a real question, but one that states an opinion. California job growth is the strongest in the country. Businesses are starting up madly in Silicon Valley, which is part of the reason why property values in the Bay area are among the highest in the country.
On top of that, the finances of the state of California have done a complete reversal. It is by far the most desirable state for nurses to work in professionally with strong unions and a state staffing ratio law.
The California BON issue has several facets. A few years ago, ProPublica did a hatchet job on the BON about a few nurses with licensure problems from other states (not travelers interestingly) who were able to get a license to practice in California. Their issues with safe practice, diversion, and even euthanasia continued in California. The resulting PR storm resulted in ending walkthrough licensure, Schwarzenegger cleaning house at the BON, and stronger information sharing between the states, and stronger background checks. At the same time, California finances were grim, leading to less money available to all California agencies, and a big slowdown in approving licenses.
Over several years, the new leadership dramatically improved licensure approval, to the point where if you did the Livescan in state and followed up per PanTravelers board resource, it was possible to get a temp in less than 48 hours if the stars aligned.
Around the beginning of this year, the California BON undertook a major computer software change. This, as often seems to be the case with governments and technology, did not go well. In fact, the change required manual inputting of applications into the new system. This is not only travelers, but all the new grads in California that need licenses. This appears to be taking quite some time to resolve.
These issues are unfortunate, but I hardly see them as a reason to bash California in general. In fact, the problems are raising pay for travelers in California as it is harder to fill positions quickly. Travelers who can delay gratification without losing it can easily do an assignment in another state while their application is being processed.
The real question is why do you appear to hate California so blindly?
I didn't have any problems getting my CA license and did get a hard copy upon renewal this year. It clearly says on the app to send in transcripts from all college course work, so to me that would be your fault. You have to read these apps over and over again to make sure you are sending them everything.
I didn't have any problems getting my CA license and did get a hard copy upon renewal this year. It clearly says on the app to send in transcripts from all college course work, so to me that would be your fault. You have to read these apps over and over again to make sure you are sending them everything.
My problem was not that I needed to send in the transcripts even though it will be an added cost. If they really want to see that I completed speech communications class in 1993, that's fine. My issue was being told my transcripts were initially fine then suddenly, oh hey, no they are not after two months of waiting for my check to be cashed to even start the process and then this two months after that. No one should need to wait 4 months or more for a nursing license. That is why my title says vent.
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NedRN
1 Article; 5,785 Posts
They should accept a printout of the online license verification. If everyone is doing their own QA properly, the agency, the vendor manager (American Mobile), and the hospital should all be checking for a valid license online too.