Wisconsin’s professional licensure agency, the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), this week issued a release on its ongoing efforts to address the nursing home sector’s concerns about lack of mid-career NHA educational opportunities. See DSPS’s release below.

WHCA/WiCAL has been advocating for new courses and for a streamlined licensure application process with DSPS and the NHA Examining Board, the NHA professional governance board, which approves programs and also processes licensure applications. WHCA/WiCAL looks forward to continuing the work, with a goal of seeing more mid-career educational opportunities approved, as well as creating more certainty and consistency in the application process so new applicants have a clearer understanding of their educational needs to be eligible for licensure.

Wisconsin DSPS Makes Improvements to Nursing Home Administrator Licensing

State agency provides clarity, expands options for those applying for a license

Madison — The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) has taken steps to bring clarity to the credentialing process for future Nursing Home Administrators at a time when the nursing home sector continues to face staffing concerns.

A University of Michigan School of Public Health study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) finds no segment of the healthcare sector has lost as many workers as nursing homes since the start of the pandemic. Employment at nursing homes is 10.5% below pre-pandemic levels compared to 3.3% for hospitals and 1.6% for physician offices, according to the study.

The recent moves by Wisconsin DSPS impact licensing of Nursing Home Administrators.

First, DSPS has added clarity by specifically identifying existing courses that would help fill the department’s requirements for a Nursing Home Administrator license and highlighted those courses on its website.

Secondly, the agency has added pre-approved courses and programs that would help fulfill DSPS requirements for a Nursing Home Administrator license. The biggest addition involved working with the University of Minnesota to have its program and specialized courses pre-approved.

“The work of our Division of Policy Development Administrator, Sarah Barry, was instrumental in making this happen,” said DSPS Secretary-designee Dan Hereth.  “The sector asked for clarity and more options, and Sarah and her team responded, working with the professionals and the universities to create more options and improve our processes in ways that do not compromise our commitment to public safety.”

Other recent steps by Wisconsin DSPS to bring more efficiency to state licensing processes include the streamlining of testing for dental and pharmacy school graduates, as well as an agreement to dramatically increase time and location options for those taking a trades exam.