Communications Library

The Journal of Nursing Regulation (JNR) is a peer-reviewed, academic/professional journal published quarterly in January, April, July and October. It provides a worldwide forum for sharing research, evidence-based practice, and innovative strategies and solutions related to nursing regulation and practice. 

The Journal of Nursing Regulation is available online. Questions or comments may be directed to jnr@ncsbn.org.

Offered as a free gift to newly licensed nurses in honor of its 40th anniversary, NCSBN created this 50-page booklet as a resource to help nurses better understand nursing regulation and their board of nursing (BON).

With a wealth of helpful guidelines and assessment tools, Nursing Pathways for Patient Safety makes it easy to identify the causes of practice breakdowns and to reduce health care errors.

This resource provides boards of nursing with practical guidelines in making decisions about sexual misconduct cases in their mission of public protection.

This book explores the NCSBN organization's origins and its work from 1978-2003, as well as the historical role of nursing regulation.

This brochure offers nurses an explanation of what boards of nursing (BONs) do for the profession and those who work in it. This brochure provides information regarding:

• A BON's investigation into violations of a state's nurse practice act (NPA)
• The process for filing a complaint against a nurse who has exhibited unsafe, negligent or incompetent behavior
• What a nurse can expect while their complaint is being investigated 

This brochure explains how a board of nursing protects the public and

• Serves as a guide for consumers who have experienced or witnessed a nurse exhibiting unsafe, negligent or incompetent behavior
• Explains what consumers can expect when a complaint is being investigated
• Defines various nursing roles and responsibilities 

Substance use disorder (SUD) is rarely discussed on nursing units. It is the responsibility of a nurse manager, however, to provide education, dispel myths and take action when needed. This brochure outlines the roles and responsibilities of the nurse manager in situations involving SUD. 

This poster is designed to help both new and experienced nurses understand how social media can be properly used in the profession without breaking patient privacy and confidentiality laws. This is a companion piece to A Nurse's Guide to the Use of Social Media. 

This poster is designed to bring awareness about SUD to nursing leaders, as they have an important responsibility — to keep patients and staff safe, while maintaining high standards of care on your nursing unit. This is a companion piece to the brochure A Nurse Manager’s Guide to Substance Use Disorder in Nursing.

This poster is designed to help nurses educate themselves about SUD changes, physical signs and signals will help not only their colleagues with SUD, but also protect patients. This is a companion piece to What You Need to Know About Substance Use Disorder in Nursing.

This brochure explains how substance use disorder (SUD) affects the nursing profession. Nurses have a legal ethical responsibility to report a colleague’s suspected drug use; learn how to recognize the warning signs and what to do to get a colleague help. Nurses that educate themselves about SUD help not only their colleagues, but they also protect patients. 

This poster is designed to help both new and experienced nurses understand how social media can be properly used in the profession without breaking patient privacy and confidentiality laws. This is a companion piece to A Nurse's Guide to the Use of Social Media.

This brochure is designed to help both new and experienced nurses understand how social media can be properly used in the profession without breaking patient privacy and confidentiality laws. It outlines:

• Potential consequences for violating patient confidentiality by using various scenarios and situations
• Uncovers common myths and misunderstandings about social media
• Provides tips for how nurses can use social media appropriately while avoiding disclosing confidential patient information 

This brochure helps nursing students, educators, health care organizations and the public understand and apply the concepts of professional boundaries between a nurse and a client.  

This brochure explains the importance of advanced practiced registered nurses (APRNs) in health care, and how access to care could be increased if APRNs are allowed to practice to the full extent of their education and training in all states. This brochure also explains the APRN Consensus Model, which if adopted, would reduce barriers to care in all jurisdictions.

This brochure explains the importance of nurse licensure, including:

• Why nurses are required to be licensed
• How BONs safeguard the public by evaluating, issuing and renewing nurse licenses
• How the nurse practice act (NPA) is implemented
• Why disciplinary actions are taken against nurses who violate the NPA

This resource serves as your guide from before to after the NCLEX, including important contact information, details on how to register, the NCLEX Candidate Rules and results processing. 

The NCLEX-RN test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with new details about administration of the exam as well as clinical judgment.

*Dans cette publication, le masculin est employé sans préjudice afin d’alléger le texte.

The NCLEX-PN test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with new details about administration of the exam as well as clinical judgment.

Join hundreds of educators across the country who subscribe to NCLEX Program Reports. These reports are the only source for detailed information about your graduates' performance on the NCLEX examinations. 

NCSBN depends on nurses to assist in the NCLEX and REx-PN item development process.

This flyer is for candidates who have just completed the NCLEX. Here, candidates can find information on how their results are processed, what happens if they don’t pass the exam, the NCLEX Quick Results Service, and who they can contact if they have a problem with the NCLEX or its administration.

The 2021 NCSBN Environmental Scan represents a systematic and continuous effort to search for information about how nursing is evolving, and what that means for the future of nursing regulation. A variety of sources have been used to compile this document. Of course, this publication represents a mere snapshot in time of the world around us - both inside and outside of nursing regulation. It was distributed as a supplement to the Journal of Nursing Regulation in January 2021.

The NCLEX-PN examination test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam as well as NCLEX-style item writing exercises and case scenario examples.

The REx-PN test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories, details about the administration of the exam and REx-PN style item writing exercises.

An online publication that provides an overview of the regulatory environment in which the 59 nursing regulatory bodies function. Visit the National Nursing Database to download various reports. Updated annually.

The periodic performance of practice analysis (i.e., job analysis) studies assists BCCNM and CNO in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination for Licensed Practical/Registered Practical Nurses (LPN/RPNs). Because the Canadian health care industry is rapidly changing, practice analysis studies will be conducted by BCCNM and CNO on a five-year cycle. This practice analysis was conducted with the assistance of National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). 

The NCLEX-RN examination test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam as well as NCLEX-style item writing exercises and case scenario examples.

*Dans cette publication, le masculin est employé sans préjudice afin d’alléger le texte.

The educator version of the 2016 NCLEX-RN Test Plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam.

The candidate version of the NCLEX-RN examination test plan includes an in-depth overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam. 

*Dans cette publication, le masculin est employé sans préjudice afin d’alléger le texte. 

The basic NCLEX-RN test plan includes an overview of the content categories along with details about the administration of the exam.

The NCLEX examination test plan provides a concise summary of the content and scope of the examination. The test plan also serves as a guide for both examination development and candidate preparation.

The 2014 NCLEX-PN Test Plan is effective April 1, 2014.

The NCSBN Public Policy Agenda delineates the organization's policy goals, highlights the organization's policy activities and outlines what you need to know about NCSBN.

The NCLEX examination test plan provides a concise summary of the content and scope of the examination. The test plan also serves as a guide for both examination development and candidate preparation. 

The NCSBN Public Policy Agenda delineates the organization's policy goals, highlights the organization's policy activities and outlines what you need to know about NCSBN.

These emergency operations guidelines for boards of nursing are designed to assist boards of nursing in developing a rapid-response approach that allows for fluid continuity of core business operations in the event of a catastrophe. This guide outlines how information is gathered, channeled and assessed, when decisions are made and communicated, and what essential operations are to be maintained.

To provide guidance to boards of nursing and nursing education programs that are receiving requests from students for alternate clinical experiences when the program’s clinical sites require the COVID-19 vaccine.

To address the misinformation being disseminated about COVID-19 by nurses.For the purposes of this statement, misinformation is defined as distorted facts, inaccurate or misleading information not grounded in the peer-reviewed scientific literature and counter to information being disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Model Act & Rules provides an evidence-based framework of nursing statutes and regulations for nursing regulatory bodies to utilize during policy and advocacy discussions. The current Model Act & Rules were updated by a NCSBN committee under a charge to perform ongoing review, revision, and development of Model Act & Rules to reflect the current regulatory environment and to remove any other language that does not support public safety. This work began in 2018 and was approved by the Delegate Assembly in 2021.

The Model Act & Rules provides an evidence-based framework of nursing statutes and regulations for nursing regulatory bodies to utilize during policy and advocacy discussions. The current Model Act & Rules were updated by a NCSBN committee under a charge to perform ongoing review, revision, and development of Model Act & Rules to reflect the current regulatory environment and to remove any other language that does not support public safety. This work began in 2018 and was approved by the Delegate Assembly in 2021.

This opportunity will not only provide much needed clinical education to assist in meeting program requirements, it is an unparalleled opportunity for nursing students to assist the nation in a time of crisis and learn the principles of population health and emergency management. This academic-practice model demonstrates that in the midst of a periling disruption in the environment, such as COVID-19, continuous innovation can occur

The Global Profile of Nursing Regulation, Education, and Practice is an in-depth analysis of the nursing regulation data collected in NCSBN’s Global Regulatory Atlas. Information on nursing governance, licensure and registration, education, discipline, and practice has been compiled from 320 jurisdictions representing more than 21 million nurses worldwide. This profile presents an analysis of these data at both a global and regional level.

A survey was disseminated to the BON, inquiring about their approval processes. The attached, contains the weighted average of Questions 1 & 2 along with a summary report.

The Tri-Regulator Collaborative is urging that steps be taken by all stakeholders to bring uniformity and interoperability to EHRs across all practice settings.

Practitioner wellness is a patient safety issue impacting an increasing number of practitioners each year. It is a complex problem that demands a comprehensive and transparent approach in identifying, treating, and preventing burnout and other stress-related conditions.

NCSBN’s 2015-16 Nursing Education Trends Committee was charged by the Board of Directors to explore and identify trends and issues in the regulatory oversight of nursing education programs. This report summarizes the committee findings and includes the literature review that was developed as a foundation for this work.

This document presents a comprehensive standard curriculum that is representative of the minimum didactic and clinical requirements necessary for practical/vocational nursing education in the U.S. Some nursing regulatory bodies might have additional requirements in order to take the NCLEX and be licensed in their jurisdiction.

Preceptor support in hospital transition to practice (TTP) programs.

The Tri-Regulator Collaborative affirms that in a consumer protection model, health care practice occurs where the recipient of health care services is located.

Tri-Regulator Collaborative express its support for interprofessional collaboration and a team-based approach to patient care.

In the 1990s the increasing use of telecommunication technology to provide nursing services raised the question whether nursing services delivered through broadband and electronic channels constituted the practice of nursing. NCSBN recognizes nursing practice provided through broadband and electronic channels as the practice of nursing and thus asserts that the regulation of telehealth nursing is appropriately done by boards of nursing.

This is the resolution describing the commitment of NCSBN in facilitating interstate practice which was adopted by the NCSBN Delegate Assembly on Aug. 15, 2014.

Regulatory Implications and Recommendations for Distance Education in Prelicensure Nursing Programs." Description: This article provides the background and related literature findings for the recommendations that NCSBN's Distance Learning Education Committee made for prelicensure nursing programs. These recommendations were adopted at NCSBN's 2014 annual meeting. Further, regulator and educator issues are explored. Five regulatory guidelines are explained, and a timeline for BONs meeting these recommendations is described. Citation: Lower, B. & Spector, N. (2014). Regulatory implications and recommendations for distance education in prelicensure nursing programs. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 5(3), 24-33.

The Long-term Care Conference monograph includes themes from the discussions, along with brief summaries of published research on each of the major themes. A post-conference survey was sent to all participants six months following the conference to identify any steps taken or changes made as a result of attending the conference. The results of the survey are also presented. The monograph is intended for conference participants, nurses practicing in LTC, nursing home leadership, and organizations/agencies representing nursing homes and nursing home leadership.

Background and literature review on the regulation of prelicensure distance education programs; regulatory issues; recommendations for BONs; visual model and timeline for adopting the recommendations.

This is Part II of the Nursing Education Committee document, which contains strategies for moving forward on the future of approval of BONs. As part of this work, the committee members hosted a World Cafe' meeting, where the participants dialogued about the alignment of approval, education and accreditation. See the monograph that resulted from that World Cafe' meeting.

Changes in Healthcare Professions’ Scope of Practice: Legislative Considerations is a result of a collaborative effort in 2006 by representatives from six healthcare regulatory organizations. It has been developed to assist legislators and regulatory bodies in making policy decisions related to healthcare professions’ scopes of practice.

Uniform Licensure Requirements (ULRs) are the essential prerequisites for initial, endorsement, renewal and reinstatement licensure needed across every NCSBN jurisdiction to ensure the safe and competent practice of nursing. ULRs protect the public by setting consistent standards and promoting a health care system that is fluid and accessible by removing barriers to care and maximizing portability for nurses. They also assure the consumer that a nurse in one state has met the requirements of the nurses in every other state. ULRs support the fact that the expectations for the education of a nurse and the responsibilities of a nurse are the same throughout every NCSBN member board jurisdiction in the United States.

NCSBN's Nursing Education Committee wrote a report on the first year of their work in analyzing and making recommendations for the future of approval by Boards of Nursing. This report was approved in May 2011, by NCSBN's Board of Directors.

NCSBN's Disciplinary Resources Committee studied the increasing use and misuse of social media in health care.

Position statement on the advancement of Nursing Education. NCSBN's Board of Directors endorses continued learning at all levels of nursing and supports the Tri-Council consensus policy on the advancement of Nursing Education.

This report of the Innovations in Education Regulation Committee details the history of the committee and presents the definitions and recommendations; a synopsis of the literature; a full report from the collaborative call held with education leaders; and a discussion of the influences that affect innovations, particularly regulatory influences.

This paper compares the European Tuning model of nursing education with : AACN's Baccalaureate Essentials; NCLEX Activity Statements; NLN Associate Degree Competencies, and the QSEN Competencies.

This report is a companion to the Transition to Practice Report. This is a comprehensive report of all the evidence identified by the Transition to Practice Committee that is relevant to a regulatory transition model. This report was adopted by the May, 2008 NCSBN Board of Directors.

Gain a better understanding of the requirements for adopting the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation.

Faculty Qualifications.

This report is a companion to the Transition Evidence Grid. The report synthesizes all the evidence on transitioning new nurses to practice. It illustrates the importance of formal transition programs in protecting the public, and it provides the data that support the components of the Transition Regulatory Model. This report was adopted by the May, 2008 NCSBN Board of Directors.

Nursing regulation exists to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public in their receipt of nursing services–and much more. The complete scope of the guiding principles of nursing regulation are found in this paper.

Document for assessing whether students have mastered the major areas of content. Each module contains recommended didactic and skills hours, as well as objectives, a content outline, evaluation criteria, and suggested references.

The Medication Assistant Curriculum was adopted by the 2007 Delegate Assembly for those boards that regulate medication assistants. The curriculum includes a preamble that explains the use of the curriculum, the background of its development, recommended hours of training and admission requirements, and defines the terms being used. The curriculum itself includes 5 didactic modules in medication fundamentals, safety, communication and documentation, medication administration, and ethical legal, along with a clinical practicum module.

NCSBN surveyed Boards of Nursing to see which jurisdictions have core curricula, and these are outlined in this document. This document also contains a list of nursing program definitions by the education consultants of Boards of Nursing (such as one-plus-one, PN Exit, generalist, etc) because the terminology has become confusing.

This report was written after 4 years of work identifying evidence-based nursing education strategies that are essential for preparing new nurses for safe entry-level practice. These recommendations are based on a systematic review of outcomes research in nursing education, as well as NCSBN's own education studies. Adopted August, 2006.

This paper was written after NCSBN brought in a focus group of LPN/VN experts from around the country. The paper reviews the rich discussion that took place at the focus group, presents internal and external research findings of the PN scope of practice, and reviews surveys that were sent to boards of nursing and external PN groups. The paper makes six recommendations. Adopted August, 2005.

This paper critically reviews the available research on methodologies used to educate nurses, particularly looking at those studies that identify outcomes. Specified criteria were used for selecting the studies, and each study was reviewed with regard to: sample, comparison studied, procedures, key results, strengths and weaknesses, and implications for boards of nursing. Adopted August, 2005.

The paper builds upon historical and conceptual NCSBN papers on delegation by reaffirming the delegation decision-making process while adapting it to the realities of the current nursing workplace. It discusses issues impacting the preparation of nurses to delegate as well as the use of delegation in the management of nursing care.

Increasingly licensing boards are being challenged to provide assurance to the public that licensees meet minimum levels of competence throughout their careers, not only at the time of entry and initial licensure. This paper explores environmental factors and analysis of issues regarding continued competence in nursing.

NCSBN's membership takes the position that all prelicensure students should have supervised, clinical experiences with actual patients, at the level of licensure to which they are seeking. This paper provides the background and evidence for that decision.

This paper reviews the history of approval/accreditation in the U.S. as well as the international view of the regulation of nursing programs. The six models used by the U.S. boards of nursing to approve/accredit nursing programs are identified, recommendations are made, and future trends are identified. Adopted August, 2004

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed RNs. The results of this study will be used to inform item development. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, this study is conducted on a three-year cycle. Due to COVID-19, the RN knowledge survey was conducted in 2021.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development. Because changes can occur in LPN/VN practice, this study is conducted on a three-year cycle.

in evaluating the validity of the NCLEX-RN test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. This publication analyzes the U.S. and Canadian entry-level nursing testing populations, including the relevance of clinical judgment in the performance of nursing activities. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle. Due to COVID-19, the RN practice analysis was conducted in 2021.

This periodic performance of practice analysis (i.e., job analysis) study assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the NCLEX-PN test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. This publication analyzes the U.S. population of entry-level licensed practical/vocational (LPN/VN) nurse practice, including the relevance of clinical judgment in the performance of nursing activities. Because changes can occur in LPN/VN practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle.

This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/VN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development.

This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the NCLEX-RN test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle. This publication analyzes the U.S. & Canadian nurse testing populations.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed RNs. The results of this study will be used to inform item development. 

This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/VN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed RNs. The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development.

A practice analysis study aims to investigate the applicability of the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle. This publication analyzes both the U.S. and Canadian nurse testing populations.

A practice analysis study aims to investigate the applicability of the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan to the Canadian testing population. The study surveyed Canadian entry-level registered nurses (RNs) and found similar results with those obtained from U.S. entry-level RNs. It validates the applicability of the 2013 NCLEX-RN Test Plan to the Canadian testing population.

This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/VN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development.

This study identifies the knowledge needed by newly licensed RNs. The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development.

This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle.

A new initiative seeks to understand the role of nurses and nursing education from an international perspective. The goal of this study was to evaluate the consistency of nursing educational competencies globally. (© 2010)

This study compares entry-level nursing activities of U.S. registered nurses with a cohort from Ontario, Canada. The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) collaborated with NCSBN on this initiative. (© 2010)

This study compares entry-level nursing activities of U.S. registered nurses with a cohort from British Columbia, Canada. The College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) collaborated with NCSBN on this initiative. (© 2010)

This study is to identify the knowledge needed by newly-licensed LPN/VNs. The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development. (© 2010)

This study describes LPN/VN practice to assist NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. (© 2010)

This periodic performance of practice analyses (i.e., job analysis) studies assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. Because changes can occur in registered nurse (RN) practice, practice analyses are conducted on a three-year cycle. (© 2009)

This study is to identify the knowledge needed by newly licensed RNs. The results of this study (i.e., the important knowledge statements) will be used to inform item development. (© 2009)

In order to improve the process of conducting practice analyses, NCSBN undertook this comparability study to investigate two different survey administration methods: the traditional paper-and-pencil, mail-based survey versus an electronic, Web-based survey. (© 2008)

This study compares the effectiveness of two survey administration methods of researching LPN/VN practice to assist NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination. (© 2008)

This study describes LPN/VN practice to assist NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the test plan that guides content distribution of the licensure examination.(© 2007)

This study describes post entry-level LPN/VN practice with the intention of determining if there are core nursing activity statements for LPN/VNs regardless of practice setting, specialty practice area and/or years of experience (© 2007)

This study assists NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the NCLEX-RN examination. This study is the first to describe post entry-level RN practice to determine if there is a core set of RN activity statements that can be used to assess core RN competencies regardless of practice setting, specialty area and years of experience. (© 2007)

NCSBN performs job (practice) analysis studies every three years. This is an executive summary of the 2005 RN Practice Analysis.

The purpose of this practice analysis is to describe and compare the practice characteristics and activities of newly licensed registered nurses (RNs). The empirical findings are used to evaluate the 2007 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (© 2005).

This practice analysis describes and compares the possible differences in the entry-level practices of newly licensed associate and baccalaureate degree nurses. (© 2004)

This practice analysis describes and compares the practice characteristics and activities of newly licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The empirical findings will be used to evaluate the 2005 NCLEX-PN Test Plan (© 2003).