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A new link has been added to the Nurse Licensure Compact . In February 2022, Vermont will become the 35th state to allow nurses from other states to practice and treat patients without re-licensure. State legislators are also seeking other ways to reduce Vermont’s nursing shortage, and other measures under consideration include nursing school loan forgiveness and allowing nursing students to perform more clinical duties.

Vermont nurses are not universally applauding the law’s passage. The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals expressed concern that the Licensure Compact will increase the flow of nurses departing from Vermont to seek higher-paying positions in states with a lower cost of living. However, this is a universal issue in states with substantial rural areas, and states like Oregon and Montana have been setting the pace with retention programs offering NPs and other healthcare providers tax credits and insurance incentives as well as school loan repayment and forgiveness, and Vermont appears to be pursuing a similar game plan.

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos praised the new law, commenting that the Nurse Licensure Compact bill “will ensure that qualified nurses from other states in the compact do not have to jump through hoops to practice in Vermont. COVID-19 showed how important it is to be able to quickly and efficiently license those qualified to care for Vermont patients in times of need.”

Office of Professional Regulation Director Lauren Hibbert chimed in, saying, that the bill “ensures quality care for Vermonters while providing mobility to Vermont nurses and nurses across the nation who wish to practice in the Green Mountain State. Our mission at the Office of Professional Regulation is to ensure the public’s safety and protect Vermonters from professional misconduct while making sure that qualified professionals who want to practice in Vermont do not face burdensome barriers to licensure.”

See also
VA Grants Advanced Practice Nurses Direct Access to Patients Within Scope of VA Employment

Other state legislatures considering the compact include Washington, Oregon, California, and Ohio.

Koren Thomas
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