The Minnesota Senate today approved legislation authored by Sen. Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) that establishes Minnesota as a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Minnesota would join 39 other states and jurisdictions as members of the compact, which has been around for 20 years. Joining the NLC would allow Minnesota nurses to obtain a single license to work in multiple states. The licenses reflect the same high standards and safety of current state licensure but provide a modern system that supports nurses and patients in giving and receiving the best care possible.
“Hospitals and health care facilities across the state are struggling with severe staffing shortages,” Sen. Nelson said. “Joining the NLC will increase access to care, support telehealth, and help Minnesota be better prepared to meet health crises such as the pandemic. It will also increase our service for military individuals, spouses, and families. It will enable us to serve patients and families beyond our state boundaries. Joining the nurse compact is supported by nurses – it will keep them competitive with their peers and keep our state as a health care leader.”
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.
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.