Inflation is one thing but this is over the top!  Especially for those of us who have not only maintained our license over the years (26), but have also maintained employment in the nursing field and stayed current with all other certifications and with all evidence based practices in our specialties.  We all worked hard to get through school, pass our boards, and continue to do so every day. For what?  What does the 64% increase cover?  How does it benefit those of us who keep our license current in Virginia?

We certainly don't receive increases in pay to match the cost increases you have been and are still trying to invoke just for us to maintain our licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  As a tenured nurse who has maintained employment for over 25 years on the same unit, I would have to work 4+ hours just to cover the proposed increase in the license renewal fee.  It's bad enough to feel under appreciated by your employer, even worse by the state where you hold your license.  It also seems like this price tag would be a huge deterrent for new graduates of Virginia nursing schools to seek employment and maintain their licensure within the Commonwealth. In a world where we are currently in the midst of a nursing shortage, which will only continue to get worse as remaining Baby Boomers move towards retirement, why would you do anything to encourage nurses to question maintaining their license here?  Because an inexplicable 64% fee increase is definitely a good way to drive people away!  Do better Virginia!