Rhode Island Board of Nursing

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Board of Nursing Rhode Island was established under chapter 26 of “The Rhode Island Nurse Practice Act.” for nurse registration and nursing education. As per the Act the Board comprises of fifteen (15) board members serving for a term of 3 years and no member is permitted to serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms. The member will continue serving till another qualified member succeeds the member. The director, governor appoints the board members from the recommendation by professional nurse organizations and the practical nurse’s association.


The constituted 15 members of the Board represent both nursing profession and public. There are eleven (11) professional nurses, two (2) practical nurses appointed by the director of health and approved by the governor and two (2) members from public appointed by the governor. The director has authority to remove any board member for misconduct, derelictions from lawful duties, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct and others. The director of Board of Nursing is appointed by the director of health.

The Legislative intent for regulating nursing practice and nursing education is for safeguarding life, health, property, and the public welfare of the citizens of RI by ensuring that no unauthorized, unqualified, and improper application of services is applied by individuals practicing, risking the life of the public. To make the regulations more effective, the legislature has empowered state and state regulatory authority for nursing to enforce the stipulations of this chapter.

Therefore, any individual practicing or offering to practice nursing or representing as a licensed professional or practical nurse, not duly qualified under the provisions of said chapter endangers the public health. Any individual practicing or offering to practice nursing or aim to use any title, sign, abbreviation, card, or devise to obtain authority to practice nursing unless the individual is licensed and registered under the provisions of this chapter shall be termed as unlawful.


The Board has been authorized with below given power to regulate nurse practice and nurse education subject to the approval of the director of the department of health:

  • Follow provision of the Chapter to Adopt, review, or revise rules, and regulations.
  • Approve nursing education programs
  • Set minimum standards for nursing practice for organized nursing services and the individual practice of licensees
  • Approve the licensing exam.
  • Validate competence requirements for reinstatement to the active current list.
  • Conduct hearings and investigate the violations by Licensee or upon charges or revoke the license of the licensee.
  • Issue subpoenas and administer oaths to witnesses to attend and give testimony at hearings
  • Take prosecution actions for violations.
  • Maintain a record of all hearing proceedings
  • Submit an annual report to the department of health director
  • Employee to carry on the work of the board more effectively
  • Conduct public hearings, investigations, and studies of nursing practice, nursing education, and related matters and prepare and issue publications to provide safe, effective nursing services to the citizens of the state of RI
  • Set required qualifications and Grant certified to CRNP for prescriptive privileges.
  • Set required qualifications and Grant certified to psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialists for the prescriptive privileges.

Rhode Island Board of Nursing Contact Information

Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
Phone: (401) 222-5960
Fax: (401) 222-6548
Email: Website.DOH@health.ri.gov
Web Site: http://www.health.ri.gov