Nursing Board History

On March 1, 1919, the Board of Examiners for Nurses was created by virtue of Public Act No. 2808. It was placed under the Department of the Interior with a physician as the chief executive officer. With the Reorganization Law of 1932, the supervision of the Board was transferred to the Department of Public Instruction.

However, on June 17, 1950, Republic Act No. 546 was enacted placing the Board under the Office of the President. On June 19, 1953, Republic Act No. 877, otherwise known as the “Philippine Nursing Law,” was enacted and for the first time, the Board was composed of three (3) nurses, a Chairman and two Members with additional powers and duties. Amendments to Republic Act No. 877 were effected through R.A. No. 4704 enacted on June 18, 1966 which increased the membership of the Board to five (5) and upgraded the educational qualification to Master’s degree in Nursing with an age limit of 65 years old.

A landmark law, Republic Act No. 7164 otherwise known as the “Philippine Nursing Act of 1991,” was enacted on November 21, 1991. This law removed the age limit for members of the Board, and required ten (10) years of continuous practice of the profession prior to appointment.

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