Maryland has streamlined its nursing licensure process to address a critical nursing shortage, thanks to the efforts of Montgomery County’s Welcome Back Center of Suburban Maryland and World Education Services (WES).
Together, these organizations successfully advocated for new regulations that help internationally educated nurses meet language competency requirements more easily, allowing them to work in the state.
The new regulations, effective June 24, expedited the licensing process and immediately benefited approximately 80 nurses working with the Welcome Back Center. This change addresses a significant barrier for many highly educated and experienced health professionals living in Maryland who hold degrees from outside the U.S. but have been underemployed due to previous licensure obstacles.
County Executive Marc Elrich commended the advocacy efforts that led to this regulatory change, highlighting that the adjustment removed a significant barrier for qualified individuals and created a more inclusive pathway for licensing procedures.
Before the change, the Maryland Board of Nursing standards for language assessment did not adequately address the occupation-specific English skills required for nursing. This made it difficult for nurses at the Welcome Back Center to meet the required scores for the accepted English competency exams.
“World Education Services applauds the Maryland Board of Nursing and the Welcome Back Center of Suburban Maryland for their leadership and perseverance in driving impactful reform to nursing licensure requirements in the State,” said Esther Benjamin, WES CEO and executive director.
The Welcome Back Center, part of the County’s Latino Health Initiative, has assisted internationally educated health professionals since 2005. The center provides extensive resources such as one-on-one guidance, English courses, board exam preparation, orientation to the U.S. healthcare system, pre-employment services, and financial aid assistance.
Additional details about the Welcome Back Center of Suburban Maryland can be found on the Latino Health Initiative’s website.
Click here for more information about the new regulations.
