As a registered nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia for more than 40 years and as the Chair, Department of Nursing and Allied Health at Norfolk State University, I write in opposition to the request by Excelsior College for an exemption to the mandated 500 clinical hours for RN licensure. Based on the ever increasing competencies required of the professional nurse, it is essential that prospective licensees have the opportunity to develop these competencies while providing direct patient care under the supervision of highly qualified nursing faculty and/or preceptors. Nursing is a profession, of which there is a unique art and science, that requires socialization, indoctrination, practice and perfection in the role of RN. The mandated clinical hours are designed to ensure health, welfare and safety of the public. Registered nurses practice in a dynamic, technologically challenging and emerging health care delivery system that requires highly competent nurses, who like physicians, must have had sufficient direct clinical experience to demonstrate competency for the multidimensional roles and responsibilies.

The 500 hours of direct patient care (clinical hours) should be required of all persons who receive initial licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Protection of the public's health and safety and assurance of the competency of the registered nurse for practice is imperative.

Bennie L. Marshall, Ed.D., RN