Texas Board of Nusing

U.S.A. Texas

Published

Just wondering if anyone has a suggestion that perhaps we can do to "improve channels of communication between the Texas Board and outside world?" What a nightmare! Current license in other states and in process of getting my license via endorsement here. Interviewed and accepted a position in mid-april....my start date was/is set for May 17th. The problem: Could not send in my application, etc until the fingerprint cards arrived from the Board. Reqested this packet in April and as of Monday still was NOT here.

I was to the point of TOTAL FRUSTRATION DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO EVER GET THRU TO BOARD VIA THE PHONE NO. THEY LIST. No e-mail links are given to access anybody there....So what's a person to do? I DECIDED TO GO TO THE BOARD...(only 6 hours from here) Was able to get fingerprint cards and in the end handed them in everything with my application. Here's the good part----I told the receptionist I'd like to speak to supervisor or person in charge....He looks at me like --Why....Told him I had some concerns and would just like to speak with supervisor about them. He told me if it was about the Phone system...EVERYBODY ALREADY KNOWS THIS....Ends up the supervisor was in a meeting...So I ask to speak to a person who processed the claims....You'd have thought I ask to move the Capitol! We went back and fourth and He was determined I was not speaking to anyone....and I was determined that i was! Luckily for me a lady (one of the processor's) happened to walk out of her office --- so i was able to speak with her briefly. Personally, do not think i was asking to much to actually speak to someone who worked on the applications after driving a total of 12 hours---and over 700 miles! Oh, I did find out the person who mails the fingerprint packets was out on vacation some last week and was out this week.....It will be interesting to see When or IF that darn packet ever comes.

Now they say it can take up to 10 working days to process and mail out my temporary permit. Wish I felt more optimistic about receiving it sometime in the near future....but nothing would surprise me at this point. What an adventure this is turning out to be!

email: [email protected] (to confirm GN permits & ATT)

Tiffany Sloan direct # 512/305-6819 or 6818 for licensure and application info

I appreciate your response ....:chuckle

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I agree. We need a support group. The BNE should be staffed by nurses who actually WORK as nurses, and have worked for the last 5-10 years as a nurse, before being allowed to be on the BNE. They should be elected, NOT appointed. After all look who the GOV is doing the appointing.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I do feel for you all. I went through that particular horror when i moved here 12/03. It was an amazingly bad experience. Practiced in Wa. state & Arizona prior without any issues. The finger print person being on vacation is bull. It took me about 30 attempts and 8 weeks to get my cards. The guy who answers the phone...had to go postal when I was within 2 days of not bieng able to practice because no temp. license yet, but finally let me speak to someone who took care of the problem. Called them everyday - thank god for free minutes!

You would think they would be a tad friendlier to us but oh well...bureacracy at work.

Recently I accidentally washed my license and it was illegible. I mailed the ilegible license to them with a letter explaining the problem and asked for a replacement, enclosed the proper fee, etc. A MONTH later I get a letter stating tthey can't issue me a license because I failed to submit proper paperwork. So of course I phoned them and could never get through for days on end. I went to the website and could find no reference to 'proper paperwork'. Frustrating..and what if I had needed to show this license anywhere...I woulda been up a creek. :(

Finally I got through to a snotty kid who talked to me like I was a criminal or something. He finally told me I needed to send them a notorized statement verifying I was who I said I was on the license. I reminded him I had mailed THEM my original license so they have that plus all my other data, my address,SS etc...shouldn't they be fairly certain of who I was already?

Just felt like a big runaround to me...and unecessary. So I do know how you guys feel.

I believe the governor appoints them so that is where our letters should go, I agree.

The BON does not represent nurses. That has never been the intent, although a lot of nurses think so. The BON is there to protect the public from nurses who do not follow the law, are impaired, are not qualified for a license according to the law, etc. I agree they should have an email address. The only one I know is [email protected]. That one is for questions about licensure following NCLEX (new grads) but they may be able to point you in right direction.

I am having a time with the board also. I moved to Texas in July and filled out my application and got my fingerprint cards done in June. My temporary card arrived 1 week after I moved. Well, the temporary card expired in September and I never got a permant card. I called them and at first they didn't know what the problem was. After a second call and waiting on the phone for long lengths of time, they told me a letter was sent to me at the end of the July telling me my fingerprints were no good. I said that I never received that letter because if I did, I would not have waited till my license expired to handle the problem. They said again a letter was sent to me, so I said "What is the problem with the cards". I got a " I don't know and will have to check and will call you back". Well, I never got that phone call, so called back the next day. I had to go through the same process on the phone again and was finally told that my hands were on the wrong cards. I told them that I had them done a police station at home in Louisiana and that they used a computerized system and not the ink. She said that we sometimes have trouble with the police departments, but that is where they are telling us to go to get this done. She went on to say if I wanted some more cards which I thought was a ridicules question because how else do I get a license without the fingerprint cards. I said "yes send me the cards". I had fingerprint cards done in Louisiana 5 years ago and didn't have a problem. Why can't fingerprints in any state apply to other states, so you don't have to do them again. It would be a national database since the fingerprints seem to be the biggest hold up with taking :o 2 to 4 months to process. I don't know if I believe them about the hands on the wrong cards and maybe it was a way to put things off for a while. They definitely need better access on their website and you should be able to call them without waiting forever to talk to someone. So currently, I am not working waiting on a license to appear that may not show up till the beginning of the year.

Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.
It seems the board forgot whom they represent or whom they should help

They dont represent Nurses!!!!!!! That is not their purpose. Their purpose is to protect the public - they have no obligation to nurses whatsoever. Nurses are lucky that there are nurses appointed to the board and not just attorneys and other laypeople.

as my instructor once said "The BNE is not your friend and if you think they are you are sadly mistaken!"

Can anyone tell me if I take my state boards and become a licensed RN in Kansas and I move to Texas, how do I get licensed in Texas?

Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Sure - you go to the Texas BNE website - it's all laid out there.

Specializes in Psychiatric, Home Health, Geriatrics.

WE NURSES UNITE...SPEAK UP ....and get truly organized

I'll second THAT one!!!

Specializes in Psychiatric, Home Health, Geriatrics.
You would think they would be a tad friendlier to us but oh well...bureacracy at work.

I believe the governor appoints them so that is where our letters should go, I agree.

Just another case of ignorant administrators sticking together... what do they call that? the "herd mentality"? Surely fits in this case, doesn't it?

:chuckle

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