The Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN) is the State of
Kansas'
board of nursing and regulates
registered nurse
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...
s,
licensed practical nurse
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), in much of the United States and Canada, is a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. In the United States, LPNs work under the direction of physicians, mid-level practitio ...
s, and licensed
mental health technicians within the state. Its stated purpose is to "Protect the Public Health, Safety and Welfare of the Citizens of Kansas through the
Licensure and Regulation Process."
The board has 11 seats and is made up of five registered nurses, two licensed practical nurses, two licensed mental health technicians, and two members of the general public. Each board member has to be a resident of Kansas and a citizen of the United States.
History
The Kansas State Board of Nursing was created in 1913 as the Kansas State Board for Examination and Registration of Nurses with the enactment of the Nurse Practice Act. The board was established to ensure the safety of nursing care for Kansas residents and to protect the public from unqualified nurses. The Governor originally selected four graduating nurses to this board, who were chosen from a list of nominees by the Kansas State Association of Nurses, along with the Secretary of the State Board of Medical Registration and Examination, the first of whom was a physician (Dr. Dykes). The first board meeting was conducted on July 1, 1913, and 657 applicants were registered for a fee of $5.00 each. The second board meeting was conducted on October 30, 1913, where the board registered the first male nurse in the state, Chriss Hare, and elected an inspector to report the conditions of each school of nursing.
With the passing of a second Nurse Practice Act in 1949, the board was re-established as the Kansas Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education. Five people made up the new board; they were chosen by the governor from a list of qualified and licensed professional nurses provided by the Kansas State Nurses Association.
References
External links
Official websiteAnnual Reports of the Kansas State Board of Nursing, 1997-presentView Board of Nursing publications at State Library of Kansas' KGI Online Library
State agencies of Kansas
Boards of nursing in the United States
Medical and health organizations based in Kansas
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