The move would protect patients by rapidly getting more high-quality nurses on the job
National map of state progress toward adopting NLC
(St. Paul) – Sen. Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) was joined by a group of legislators and health care professionals today to spotlight legislation (SF 2302) that would have Minnesota join 39 other states as members of the Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
The NLC is a national agreement that allows nurses in participating states to obtain one license that is valid across all member states. Nurses with an NLC license are able to practice quickly and easily in other NLC states, improving access to care, alleviating staff shortages, reducing costs, and eliminating unnecessary red tape.
A coalition of 60 organizations representing nurses, providers, telehealth supporters, and military family advocates supports Minnesota joining the NLC. Minnesota nurses overwhelmingly support joining the compact. A 2022 survey by the Minnesota Board of Nursing shows nurses favor Minnesota’s joining the compact by a ratio of nearly 10 to 1.
“Hospitals and health care facilities across the state are struggling with severe staffing shortages, and patients are the ones bearing the brunt,” Sen. Nelson said. “Everyone is doing their best, but red tape slows the process down considerably. By joining the Nurse Licensure Compact, Minnesota can cut through the bureaucracy and get more high-quality nurses on the job faster, so they can keep providing high-quality care to our loved ones.”
“Joining the compact is also important for patients,” said Dennis Stacy, M.A.N., R.N., Mayo Clinic. “Our patients live across state lines, travel south for the winter, or—for military families—must move wherever duty calls. They should still be able to work with their care teams without forcing Minnesota nurses to hold licenses in dozens of states.”
“I agree. Patients deserve continuity of care and maintaining the trusting relationships they have with their nurses to provide seamless, quality care, no matter where they are,” added Carolyn Hughes, RN, Clinical Education and Patient Education Manager, Essentia Health.
“Minnesotans need new ways to access care more than ever,” said Tony Narr, Policy and Advocacy Chair for Minnesota Organization for Leaders in Nursing. “Nurses are practicing in new and exciting ways to support the health of Minnesotans including; telehealth, chronic case management, and in-home care. Enacting the NLC encourages nurses to reside in Minnesota to provide care and build their businesses. Now is the time to remove barriers that might prevent bringing more RNs to Minnesota.”
“Minnesota has always been a leader in health care,” said Kelly Hagen, Vice President of Nursing & Clinical Services at Sanford Health’s Bemidji Medical Center and Clinics. “But it takes work to stay on top. Joining the compact will ensure we continue to lead across states in care delivery. Our nurses and patients deserve to have the same opportunities as their peers in other states.”
The NLC has been operational and successful for more than 18 years and continues to grow each year with the addition of new states. The NLC’s licensing requirements are the same as Minnesota’s, and applicants are required to pass a federal criminal background check, so patients in every compact state – including Minnesota – can be assured the same high quality of care.
- Access to Care: Expands access to nursing services across the country quickly and efficiently, which is essential for the health of many rural and underserved communities.
- Telehealth: Enables nurses to practice in person or provide telehealth nursing services to patients located across the country without having to obtain additional licenses.
- Disaster Relief: Allows nurses to immediately cross state borders and provide vital services in the event of a natural disaster or other emergencies, without the need to wait for a declaration of emergency.
- Military Families: Allows military spouse nurses to seamlessly continue working without having to obtain a new license each time they relocate.
- Online Education: Facilitates online nursing education by reducing educators’ need for multiple licenses.
- Cost-Effective:
- For Nurses: Nurses do not have to obtain additional nursing licenses, making practicing across state borders affordable and convenient.
- For Employers: The NLC also removes a burdensome expense for organizations that employ nurses and may share the expenditure of multiple licenses.
- Greater Efficiency: Eliminates redundancy, duplicative regulatory processes, and unnecessary fees.
- Flexible Licensure: Allows nurses who are ineligible for a multistate license to still obtain a single state license based on their state’s requirements and statutes.
How does the NLC keep patients safe?
- All nurses practicing under a multistate license must meet a minimum set of licensure requirements, including a fingerprint federal criminal background check. These requirements are based on the highest regulatory standards for licensed health care professionals. Nurses who fail to meet these requirements will not be eligible for a multistate license.