Independent Licensure for Nurse Practitioners in Maine: Lessons in Passion, Patience, and Persistence

•A grassroots over effort over 8 years culminated 20 years ago in the passage of legislation independently licensing NPs in Maine.•A process of patience, persistence, and passion, the process began with rule making through the Board of Nursing and proceeded to passage of legislation, veto by the governor, and passage of new legislation in the following session.•The story consists of highlights from interviews from nurses actively involved as well as quotes from the congressional record of testimony.•The process gave birth to Maine’s state NP organization and many more changes that advanced NP practice in Maine.•Key strategies and lessons learned include building relationships, patience, persistence, and correct semantics/language use.