Nearly 100 years ago, boards of nursing were established by state government to protect the public’s health by overseeing and ensuring the safe practice of nursing. Boards of nursing achieve this mission by establishing the standards for safe nursing care and issuing licenses to practice nursing.

Once a license is issued, the board’s job continues by monitoring licensees’ compliance to state laws and taking action against the licenses of those nurses who have exhibited unsafe nursing practice.

Individuals who serve on a board of nursing are appointed to their position. Your state law dictates the membership of the board of nursing, which usually includes a mix of registered nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, and consumers.

Together, they meet often to oversee board of nursing activities and to take disciplinary action on nurse licenses as necessary.

The boards of nursing in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five United States territories--Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands--comprise the membership of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Four states have two boards of nursing, one for registered nurses and one for licensed practical/vocational nurses: California, Georgia, Louisiana, and West Virginia.

Reference for Nursing Article

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing