Advocacy Correspondence: Pennsylvania General Assembly, Appreciation for Voting Yes on House Bill 889

 

May 26, 2022

TO: The Honorable Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly

FROM: Heather Tyler, Vice President, State Legislative Advocacy

SUBJECT: House Bill 889 – Thank You!

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) thanks you for demonstrating your continued support of Pennsylvania’s nurses and hospital teams across the commonwealth by voting yes on House Bill 889.

House Bill 889 removes a significant and unnecessary licensing barrier that required graduates of high-quality international nursing programs to have been licensed in their home country or to have engaged in another state’s regulatory process prior to being eligible to sit for Pennsylvania’s RN exam. As a result of your intervention, international graduates will be able to test for Pennsylvania licensure so long as they have already completed a program equivalent to the state’s requirements.

As you know, there is a nationwide crisis in nursing. Pennsylvania hospitals have recently reported a 29 percent increase in nurse vacancy rates and a 37 percent increase in turnover between 2019 and 2021. And while hospitals are working hard to recruit and retain nurses, the fact is that the health care workforce shortage is complex and will require a number of interventions to solve. It is an issue that can only be meaningfully addressed through key partnerships—such as the one that the health care community values with the honorable members of Pennsylvania’s legislature.

It is critical to the health of all Pennsylvanians and the well-being of our current nurses that the commonwealth work to get as many additional, highly qualified nurses into the workforce as quickly as possible. HB 889 is one step to do just that. The hospital community looks forward to working with you as we continue to address this issue.

On behalf of the 235 member hospitals statewide, thank you for your leadership and your ongoing support.

 

 

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Topics: Licensure, Workforce

Revision Date: 5/26/2022

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