Executive Officer Loretta Melby summarized staffing pressures, program modernization efforts and technology upgrades during the board’s Nov. 19 session.

Melby said the BRN reported an 8.2% overall vacancy rate as of Oct. 30, 2025, affecting licensing, investigations, continuing education, enforcement and other units. She listed difficult‑to‑fill titles — including public information, licensing evaluator and probation monitor roles — and described ongoing recruitment and reclassification efforts. Melby said the board is working with DCA and CalHR and that some hiring outcomes are constrained by state salary structures.

On program operations, Melby described the BRN’s recent contract transition for the intervention program to Premier and the near‑term steps to stabilize implementation. “We are participating in [HCAI] mapping and…we may be able to partner with that and work through AB 1577,” Melby said. Enforcement Chief Shannon Johnson and intervention management presented that the board expects a participant portal rollout “by the first of the year” and that staff continue frequent oversight as the vendor onboards.

Melby highlighted technology work: a California Nursing Graduate Portal (Breeze integration) that reduced transcript delays and a clinical‑facility authorization platform to record which academic programs use which clinical units. On a related staffing issue, SEIU Local 1000 speaker Bobby Roy urged the board to prioritize NEC salary improvements and submit employee‑compensation requests under CalHR procedures; Melby acknowledged the union’s concerns and noted that salary adjustments require DCA/CalHR action.

As an operational change, the board agreed that the EO will stop routine case‑by‑case reviews of IEC recommendations and reassign that duty to the intervention program manager; Melby will conduct quarterly audits for one year to maintain oversight. The board voted to adopt that change.

Melby closed noting the board’s ongoing rulemaking work on APRN transition‑to‑practice requirements and other regulatory packages underway in 2026.