Illinois Nurse Practice Act: Facility Guide
Nursing is a dynamic profession that continues to expand alongside the increasing demand for patient care. To keep up with emerging roles and duties, each state is responsible for enacting laws to govern and regulate nursing practice. In Illinois, Nurse Practice Act (NPA) provisions help protect patients by establishing standards that promote safe and competent nursing care.
As a facility leader, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the NPA to help enforce appropriate practice protocols for your staff. We’ll provide an overview of the Illinois Nurse Practice Act and provide tips on how these rules can be applied to better promote a culture of safety.
The Illinois Nurse Practice Act: Summary
The Illinois Nursing Practice Act is maintained and enforced by the state’s board of nursing and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). These provisions define and establish several key aspects of nursing practice, such as:
- Guidelines on the nursing scope of practice.
- Board of nursing appointments and duties.
- Licensure and certification requirements.
- Administration and enforcement rules.
There are also unique provisions in the Illinois NPA that contain rules governing the state’s Nursing Workforce Center and pilot program for medication aides. The table below provides a more detailed summary of NPA provisions that are most relevant to your nursing staff.
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| Illinois Statutes | 225 Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) 65, Sections 50-80 |
| Illinois State Nursing Licensure Requirements | To obtain a Registered Nurse (RN) license in Illinois, applicants either have to pass the NCLEX examination or receive an endorsement if they’re transferring an existing license from another state.
Steps to Receive Licensure by Examination:
Steps to Receive Licensure by Endorsement:
Illinois licenses can be renewed online through the IDFPR’s website. |
| Illinois Nurse Practice ActScope of Practice Guidelines | Pursuant to Section 60-30 of the NPA, the RN scope of nursing practice is broadly defined as the:
The following sections define the scope of practice guidelines for other levels of nursing: |
| Illinois Nurse Practice Act Delegation of Duties | According to Section 50-75 of the Nurse Practice Act, Illinois RNs CAN delegate:
Illinois RNs CANNOT delegate:
Additionally, no individual or facility may force an RN to carry out tasks that are inappropriate or fall outside of their scope of practice. Licensed practical nurses and unlicensed personnel also can’t re-delegate any tasks delegated by an RN. |
| Relevant Penalties | Pursuant to Section 65-55 and Section 80-25, the NPA specifically prohibits:
Under Section 70-150, penalties under the NPA can constitute a:
Under Section 70-5, nursing professionals can also face disciplinary action related to their license which can include:
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| Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) State? | Illinois is not currently part of the NLC, meaning that:
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Improving NPA Compliance: 3 Tips for Facilities
Now that you know what’s outlined in the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, you’re probably wondering what steps you can take to promote compliance at your facility. Here are three ways that you can help your nursing staff stay within their scope of practice and keep patients safe.
1. Stay Informed Through the Nursing Workforce Center (NWC)
The Nursing Workforce Center is a valuable resource that is unique to Illinois. The NWC is overseen by an advisory board of nursing professionals who work to analyze and promote strategies to improve nursing care delivery across the state. Facility leaders can visit the NWC’s online newsroom for timely updates about the NPA and other credentialing/licensing requirements pertinent to their staff.
2. Verify Staff Credentials
To protect your facility and patients from unqualified nurses, it’s important to verify all licenses, certifications, and educational histories of the staff that you’re hiring. You should verify that a candidate has an active nursing license through the Illinois eLicense portal and stay alert for other resume red flags, such as suspicious educational backgrounds.
Ongoing verification measures are also necessary to ensure that your current staff are complying with all practice regulations. Since nursing licenses have an expiration date, you should track renewal timeframes and regularly remind your staff to renew and re-submit proof of licensure so that they can legally continue working in their roles.
3. Provide Regular Staff Training
While your nursing staff make individual efforts to keep up with practice standards, your facility is responsible for enforcing protocols that align with the Illinois NPA. Provide annual training that reflects the latest rules surrounding delegation of tasks or daily nursing duties. This will ensure that your staff aren’t doing anything unlawful to compromise patient safety.
Discover More Ways to Support Staff Compliance
Beyond the Illinois Nurse Practice Act, there are many other regulations that can impact nursing practice. Struggling to keep up with everything on top of your other responsibilities? IntelyCare delivers the latest healthcare news and updates straight to your inbox — all at no cost to you.
Legal Disclaimer: This article contains general legal information, but it is not intended to constitute professional legal advice for any particular situation and should not be relied on as professional legal advice. Any references to the law may not be current, as laws regularly change through updates in legislation, regulation, and case law at the federal and state level. Nothing in this article should be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.