If you’ve spent any time in a Nevada hospital lately, you already know the truth: we’re short on nurses. Real short.
In fact, Nevada is missing over 1,000 nurses needed to properly staff our hospitals and clinics.
But when given the chance to help fix the problem, State Senator Julie Pazina said no — and didn’t even bother to explain why.
Let’s break it down…
There’s a thing called the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
It’s a pretty simple idea: nurses who get licensed in one participating state can work in any other state that’s part of the compact without having to jump through a ton of extra paperwork and red tape.
Forty-one states have already signed on, including Arizona, Utah, and Idaho. Even California — a state famous for its heavy-handed regulations — is looking into joining.
For Nevada, joining the compact could mean hundreds of new nurses ready to work here almost immediately.
It would also make it easier for Nevada nurses to travel out of state if needed, like during emergencies or big national shortages, without losing their licenses.
Sounds like a win-win, right?
Well, not if you’re Senator Pazina.
Earlier this month, according to a report from The Nevada Independent, a bill to join the Nurse Licensure Compact came up in Carson City.
NEW: @pazina_julie blocked an effort to allow Nevada to join a licensing compact that allows nurses to work more easily across state lines and refused to explain why to @TheNVIndy.
Nevada has over 1,000 vacant nursing positions, but Pazina chose her union boss friends over…
— Nevada War Room – Better NV PAC (@BetterNevadaPAC) April 28, 2025
And Senator Pazina — who chairs the committee it had to pass through — simply refused to give it a hearing.
No debate. No vote. No explanation. She killed the bill without even giving Nevada patients, nurses, or families a say.
When asked why she blocked it, Pazina wouldn’t answer. That silence speaks volumes.
So what’s really going on?
It’s not hard to figure out. Union leaders — the ones who bankroll a lot of Democrat campaigns — are fighting tooth and nail to keep Nevada out of the compact.
They say it could weaken their grip on local hiring rules and union membership requirements. In other words, it’s all about protecting their power, not helping patients get care.
And Senator Pazina chose them over us.
Nevada already ranks 45th out of 50 states when it comes to nurses per capita, according to the latest numbers from the Nevada Hospital Association.
One hospital executive, quoted by The Nevada Independent, said bluntly: “We have the highest need for nurses per capita in the nation.”
Hospitals in Reno, Las Vegas, and rural areas are constantly advertising for help — and still coming up short.
Meanwhile, other states that joined the compact are seeing good results.
In Arizona, officials report that joining the NLC helped them quickly get more nurses into rural and underserved areas. In Texas, it helped during natural disasters when out-of-state nurses could easily come in and assist.
But here in Nevada, thanks to politicians like Senator Pazina, we’re stuck in the slow lane.
Patients wait longer for care. Nurses work grueling overtime shifts. Families pay higher bills because hospitals have to hire expensive traveling nurses just to cover basic needs.
It’s common sense: when you have a shortage, you find ways to bring more people in to help. You make it easier, not harder, to fill the gap.
But the union bosses didn’t want competition from out-of-state nurses — and Senator Pazina made sure they got their way.
Now, in fairness, a few critics say the compact isn’t perfect. Some worry it might make it easier for “bad apples” to move from state to state without enough oversight.
But states that are part of the compact still have the right to punish, suspend, or revoke licenses. There are safeguards in place.
And let’s be honest: our real problem isn’t bad nurses — it’s not enough nurses.
At the end of the day, this is about priorities. Nevada families deserve better than political games that put special interests ahead of their health and safety.
Next time you hear a politician talking about “caring for Nevadans,” remember this: when Senator Pazina had the chance to actually do something to help, she turned her back on the people and protected the unions instead.
And Nevadans are the ones paying the price.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
