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’s 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 consumer Together, they meet often to oversee board 4 nursing activities and to take disciplinary action on nurse licenses as necessary.

An educated consumer is an important partner to the board of nursing in making sure that unsafe nursing practice is eliminated. Toward that end, this information is for consumers who want to know how to report a complaint about a licensed nurse to the board of nursing.