Kansas State Board of Nursing

The Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN) is the State of Kansas' board of nursing and regulates registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, 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.