History
Founded in 1978 as an independent, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) can trace its roots to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Council on State Boards of Nursing. The impetus for its creation arose out of recognition that in order to guard the safety of the public, the regulation of nurses needed to be a separate entity from the organization representing professional nurses. NCSBN’s membership is comprised of boards of nursing (BONs) that are charged with the responsibility of providing regulatory excellence for public health, safety and welfare, and protecting the public by ensuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses. NCSBN is the vehicle through which these BONs act and counsel together on matters of common interest.