The Nurse Practice Act is enforced by the BON. Nurses must comply with the law and related rules in order to maintain their licenses. The law describes qualifications for licensure, nursing titles that are allowed to be used, scope of practice and actions that can or will happen if the nurse does not follow the nursing law.  These standards are important to our profession because they promote and guide our clinical practice.

Illinois RNs and LPNs are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation. Although Illinois is not a Nurse Compact state, nurses may be licensed by examination or endorsement. Those who have taken the required exam elsewhere may be licensed by “acceptance of exam” even if they are not licensed in another jurisdiction. The state board of nursing is the owner of a nurse’s license, not the nurse.

The standards of practice influence how one should practice as a nurse. There are rules and regulations that must be followed. Working within your scope of practice allows to support patient safety. Violations of this may result in discipline as specified in Section 70-5 of the Act in Illinois.