Nurse Leaders Advocate for Nursing Practice
Throughout University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, you will find transformational nurse leaders who advocate for change inside and outside of the organization. In July of 2021, Governor DeWine signed Senate Bill 3 and Senate Bill 6 into law. University Hospitals helped lead the effort to get these important pieces of legislation passed by working with the bill sponsors and providing testimony supporting this legislation. Because of our strong work, UH was invited to have representatives on hand for the signing of this bill into law.
SB-3: Enter into the Nurse Licensure Compact
Under the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC), any nurse who holds a license in the 34 member-states can now practice in Ohio. This is an especially important advancement in recruiting new nursing graduates or traveling nurses who are seeking opportunities in Ohio. In addition, nurses from NLC member states do not need to pay a fee to be licensed in Ohio or undergo additional training, as long as they meet their home state license's training and credentialing requirements. Nurses who are spouses of military personnel often struggled to find work when their spouse was transferred to a new state; with the passage of this bill, that barrier has been removed for 2/3 of the country.
SB-6: Enter into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
Like the NLC, this bill enters Ohio into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which enables Physicians to apply for expedited licenses to practice in any 29 member-states. Like SB-3, SB-6 reinforces the need for workplace flexibility of licensed professionals to travel across state lines without facing a barrier to employment.