Nurse licensure is the process by which various regulatory bodies, usually a
Board of Nursing
A board of nursing is a regulatory body that oversees the practice of nursing within a defined jurisdiction, typically a state or province. The board typically approves and oversees schools of nursing within its jurisdiction. The board also handl ...
, regulate the practice of
nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
within its jurisdiction. The primary purpose of nurse licensure is to grant permission to practice as a nurse after verifying the applicant has met minimal competencies to safely perform nursing activities within nursing's scope of practice. Licensure is necessary when the regulated activities are complex, require specialized knowledge and skill and independent decision making.
Nurse licensure also provides:
*Nursing activities may only be legally performed by individuals holding a nursing license issued by the regulatory body
*Title protection: only the persons issued a license are legally permitted to use certain titles, such as
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 ...
,
advanced practice registered nurse, etc.
*In order to assure that the public is protected, authority is granted to the regulatory body to take disciplinary action in the event the licensee violate the law or any rules promulgated by the regulatory body
Nurse licensure also establishes a registry of licensed nurses, hence the term "
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 ...
".
The first nurse licensure and registration program was initiated in 1901 in New Zealand when the
Nurses Registration Act 1901
The Nurses Registration Act was passed on 12 September 1901 in New Zealand, providing for the registration of trained nurses.
The legislation came into effect on 1 January 1902, leading New Zealand to become the first country in the world to re ...
was enacted into law. The first licensure laws in the United States came in 1903. In the US, applicants must successfully pass the
NCLEX
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a nationwide examination for the nurse licensure, licensing of nurses in the United States, Canada and Australia since 1982, 2015 and 2020 respectively. There are two types, the NCLEX-RN and t ...
exam prior to being granted a license.
References
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Nursing