Today more people are speaking out about the Maryland Board of Nursing and the issues with renewing the licenses of many healthcare workers in the state.
Dozens of healthcare workers across the state are pointing the finger at the board after their online system or lack thereof has caused challenges for many people in healthcare who are trying to work.
Some staffers and workers said this is not only threatening their livelihood, but more importantly the patients who need proper care.
Some people like Karen Felton are out of work even after filling out paper work and paying to renew their license. And, some people are saying these issues were happening even before the cyber-attack on the Department of health’s website in December.
“They ask you to get a verification letter I have that, I saw you to get a money order I have that, they say go get fingerprinted I’ve done that, you know standing in the long line in the cold I have done that, but I’m seeing no results on their end and it’s not fair,” Felton said.
Wednesday Governor Hogan responded to this stating he knows the Board of Nursing had some issues and they’re trying to do a lot by hand. He said his state of emergency waived peoples licenses from expiring through February 3rd , however many people said this still impacts them.
Sanchez Ward is another healthcare worker who said even after filling out paperwork and paying to renew her license, it still hasn’t been updated in the system so she can’t get hired for work.
“For as long as I had my license, for it to be snatched after you done did all that you needed to do it’s like wow what can you do? Big inconvenience,” Ward said.
Lovetta Houston owns an agency who staffs healthcare workers she said she’s written more than 50 letters for proof of employment for workers who still cant get staffed because their license read inactive in the system.
“They have went online followed the procedures to the renewal received an email stating that her license will be renewed within 48 to 72 hours, this was back in November it’s January and it’s still saying it’s not renewed,” Houston said.
And what’s even more unfair is the people who need to receive proper care can’t because of an overwhelmed understaffed work environment.
“I would like to see consistency and progression,” Houston said.
The Maryland Board of Nursing sent out a statement and said its working as quickly as possible to process all license applications.
Meanwhile healthcare workers who have to visit the facility are hoping their websites are soon updated so everything gets processed a lot faster.
