Alphonse de Lamartine famously said that “history teaches everything, even the future.” To better anticipate and navigate the challenges on the horizon, the History of Nursing Regulation will examine our past. We will explore nursing and nursing regulation in a primarily American context but with careful attention to relevant international developments, themes, and interconnections. What did the profession look like before mandatory licensure? Before permissive licensure? Why did the first permissive licensure legislation of the early twentieth century coincide with the women’s suffrage movement? We will answer these questions and more on our journey into the past…and back to the future.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Assess the state of the nursing profession and its challenges prior to and during the onset of several waves of modern regulatory measures throughout the twentieth century;
2. Evaluate the causal factors behind the implementation of nursing regulation in several key forms (e.g., permissive licensure, mandatory licensure, the NLC);
3. Interpret the most significant consequences, whether intended or unintended, of regulatory measures, organizations, and leaders.

Course Information

• Instructor: Amy Lippert, PhD, MA
• Course Dates: April 7 – May 30, 2025
• Delivery Method: Instructor-Led. This course has weekly due dates to help you stay on track and keep pace with your colleagues. 
• Cost: $50 | Free for Members
• Pathway: Public Policy & Legislation
• Program Credit: 1.0
• Contact Hours: 22