SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes advanced a measure to modernize nursing program requirements, setting up standards to be consistent across the country.
“We want to make sure that students graduating from nursing education programs are well-prepared to practice professionally,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “By changing Illinois’ nursing standards to align with national standards, we are setting nurses up for success in whatever state they work in.”
Since Dec. 31, 2022, registered nurses across the United States need to be licensed by a national nursing accrediting body and maintain their license once they have it. Cervantes’ measure would standardize this process by bringing all of Illinois’ nursing education programs under the oversight of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s Board of Nursing, which would include the establishment of new programs, curriculum and the use of simulation in education.
The legislation would also add evidence-based standards to measure nursing education programs’ evaluations and approvals. Further, it would change the process for monitoring programs’ compliance, including regular site visits, focusing more on programs showing signs of non-compliance and providing clear paths to remediation.
“This measure would put the educational standards of nursing programs first across the state,” said Cervantes. “We want to make sure that Illinois’ nursing education programs are the highest quality possible and adapt to the industry’s best practices.”
House Bill 1807 passed the Senate Tuesday.
