Across Pennsylvania, nursing school graduates face persistent delays and unresponsiveness from the State Board of Nursing when seeking approval to take their state licensure exam. These delays, which have worsened over time, cause undue stress and frustration for our constituents, many of whom are eager to join the healthcare workforce during a time of unprecedented shortages, increased demand, and provider burnout.

To address this, I plan to reintroduce legislation I previously championed in the House to amend the Professional Nursing Law and eliminate the State Board of Nursing’s redundant process of reviewing and approving exam applications.  Pennsylvania’s accredited nursing programs already provide verified documentation confirming students’ successful completion of required coursework, making the State Board’s additional review both inefficient and burdensome to an already overstretched licensing process.

This change will relieve the State Board of unnecessary tasks, enabling faster administration of board exams and license processing. By streamlining this process, we can help prospective nurses enter the workforce sooner, support employers facing critical staffing shortages, and ensure patients have access to the care they need. Our constituents, who have invested significant time, effort, and resources in their education, should not face months-long delays due to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this critical legislation to strengthen our healthcare workforce and address the needs of our communities.