PNA Indiana celebrates the passing of House Bill 1003

Great news from PNA-IN! Gov. Holcomb signed HB 1003 into law on March 10, 2022. This bill includes additional pathways such as the Credentials Evaluation Services (CES) Professional Report and Visa Screen for RN licensure of foreign educated nurses (FENs) in the state of Indiana! Finally! Legislative success after working on it thru Rule Promulgation since 2008. This law modernizes Indiana’s license requirement and enhances Indiana’s ability to recruit qualified nursing professionals.

By Mattie Upano, MSN-FNP, RN, President, PNA Indiana

Blayne Miley, JD, Director for Advocacy & Policy of the Indiana State Nurses Association (ISNA), and PNA-Indiana President, Mattie Upano, worked together on this advocacy since 2012. Ms. Upano started this effort with Ernest Klein ISNA Executive Director in 2008 until he retired, then Blayne took over. ISNA suggested the FEN language of this bill to the hospital association who worked directly with Rep. Ethan Manning on the original content of the bill. Dr. Hannah Maxey & Courtney Medlock did research for PNA-IN on FENs licensure issue and included this in their report to the newly created Governor’s Public Health Commission which contributed to the formulation of this bill as well. Sharron Crowder, PhD, RN, ATSF, Clinical Associate Professor, Special Assistant to the Dean for Health Policy Initiatives, Indiana University School of Nursing was Mattie’s beloved mentor in this legislative advocacy. And Jason Gilbert, Indiana University Health Executive Vice President & Chief Nurse Executive worked tirelessly with PNA-IN in support of the bill. We owe them and Rep. Ethan Manning, author of HB 1003 a debt of gratitude!

The Indiana House Bill 1003 establishes certain requirements for the temporary licensure of retired or inactive emergency medical services personnel, retired or inactive health care professionals, out-of-state health care professionals, or recently graduated students who have applied for certain licenses. Allows a health care provider or an officer, agent, or employee of a health care provider who has a temporary license to qualify for coverage under the Medical Malpractice Act. Provides that the state board of nursing shall issue by endorsement a license to practice as a registered nurse or practical nurse to an applicant who is a graduate of a foreign nursing school and provides certain documentation. Allows:

(1) an eligible associate degree or bachelor's degree registered nursing program to increase enrollment at any rate deemed appropriate by the program; and

(2) a nursing program that is not an eligible program but meets specified requirements to increase enrollment by not more than 100%. Allows a nursing program to substitute a certain number of simulation hours for clinical hours in certain circumstances. Establishes requirements for clinical preceptors. Provides that a majority of the faculty is not required to be full-time employees of a state educational institution that operates a nursing program that predominantly issues associate degrees.

Picture taken outside the Professional Licensing Agency Office after PNA-IN’s FENs’ licensure presentation in 2012. Front row L – R: Nenita Delacruz & Redd Knotts; 2nd row: Bong Dayon, Emma Tolentino, Josie Jimenez, Mattie Upano, & Lena deJesus; Last row: Ernest Klein, ISNA Executive Director