As a Registered Nurse (RN) and citizen of Virginia, I strongly oppose the proposed 60-100% increase in license fees for healthcare professionals. This measure disproportionately burdens a workforce already grappling with significant challenges, including staffing shortages, stagnant wages, and increasing job demands.
Key Points of Opposition:
Nursing Shortages and Workforce Strain:
Virginia faces a 32% shortfall in qualified RNs, leaving one in three Virginians without necessary healthcare services6.
The state expects a 10% increase in RN job demand by 2033, yet half of the current nursing workforce plans to retire by 20472. This exacerbates hiring challenges and increases workload for existing nurses.
Burnout and Retention Issues:
Nurses in Virginia report high levels of burnout due to understaffing, with many facilities unable to fill critical positions16.
Nationally, the U.S. is projected to face a shortage of up to 450,000 RNs by 2025, further straining the profession3.
Economic Realities for Nurses:
The average RN salary in Virginia is $76,680 annually2, which must cover rising living costs and professional expenses.
Increasing license fees by up to 100% would impose an undue financial burden on nurses who are already stretched thin.
Impact on Healthcare Access:
Higher fees may deter new entrants into the nursing profession at a time when Virginia desperately needs more nurses to meet growing healthcare demands56.
Programs like "Earn to Learn" aim to address shortages, but fee hikes could counteract these efforts by discouraging participation5.
Conclusion:
Rather than increasing fees, the Board of Nursing should focus on initiatives that support workforce growth and retention. Investments in education, recruitment incentives, and improved working conditions are critical to ensuring the sustainability of Virginia’s healthcare system. A fee hike at this juncture undermines these goals and places an unnecessary burden on an already strained workforce. 

Regards,

Crystal Brown, BSN, RN, RN-BC