Ben Nissley

Review of Virginia Board of Nursing

I am an NP with a job in a rural, underserved area...

I am an NP with a job in a rural, underserved area where there is a significant provider shortage. I come to work every day and watch the patients complain and the providers drown. I cannot help because I am still waiting for my VA license. This is causing thousands of dollars of lost productivity for me and my employer. More importantly, this is causing delays in the provision of care to patients who desperately need it. I would happily pay a higher price for my license if it meant a faster processing time. I have several suggestions for improvement:
1. Hire more staff to answer the phone. Multiple times over the past several weeks I have spent 4+ hours on hold and have not gotten through.
2. Hire more staff to process applications, particularly during peak seasons.
3. Implement an expedited process for the licensing of providers who have jobs in underserved areas with provider shortages.