Kansas Stats Board For ExsMnation 
And Registration of Nurses 
Laws. Rev. ed. 1947 LAWS RELATING 
TO THE 
Registration 
of 
Nurses 
REVISED EDITION 
1947 
KANSAS STATE BOARD 
FOR EXAMINATION AND 
REGISTRATION OF NURSES 
FERD VOILAND, JR., STATE PRINTER 
PRINTED BY 
TOPEKA. KANSAS 
1947 
21-8283 THE KANSAS STATE BOARD FOR EXAMI- 
NATION AND REGISTRATION 
OF NURSES 
Miss Zillah Leasure, R.N President 
Newman Memorial Hospital, Emporia, Kan. 
J. F. Hassig, M.D Vice-president 
905 N. Seventh St., Kansas City, Kan. 
Miss Cora A. Miller, R. N... .Secretary-treasurer 
817 State St., Emporia, Kan. 
Sister Mary Stella Crookham, R. N., 
Mercy Hospital, Parsons, Kan. 
Miss Marjorie E. Sanderson, R. N., 
Bethany Hospital, Kansas City, Kan. 
Mrs. Dorothy Hartley Jackson, R. N., Examiner 
and Educational Director for Kansas Schools of 
Nursing, 
817 State St., Emporia, Kan. NURSES’ REGISTRATION LAW 
(Revised Statutes of 1923) 
An Act to provide for the examination, registration, and 
regulation of trained nurses, and prescribing penalties for 
the violation thereof. 
74-1101. Board for examination of trained 
nurses. That upon taking effect of this act, the 
governor shall appoint a board of examiners, four 
of whom shall be graduated nurses appointed from 
a list of twenty nominated by the Kansas State 
Association of Nurses together with the secretary 
of the State Board of Medical Registration and 
Examination, constitute a board for the examina- 
tion of trained nurses. Such appointees shall be 
chosen from the actual residents of this state, and, 
except the registered physician, from nurses who 
are actively engaged in nursing, and who have 
graduated from reputable training schools giving 
a two years’ course of training, who have served in 
hospitals of good standing having a charter and 
who have had five years’ experience in nursing. 
The four persons so appointed shall be appointed 
in two classes, as follows: Two shall be appointed 
to hold office for two years and two shall be ap- 
pointed to hold office for four years, beginning 
with the first day of July, 1913, and until their 
successors are appointed and qualified, and there- 
after the governor shall appoint on or before the 
first day of July in every odd-numbered year per- 
sons qualified as aforesaid, in each class, to hold 
office for four years from the first day of July, 
next ensuing. Each member of said board shall 
take and subscribe the oath prescribed by law for 
state officers, which oath shall be filed with the 
secretary of state. In the event the appointment 
of the successor is not made on the expiration of 
the term of any member, such member of said 
-3 board shall hold office until such successor is duly 
appointed and qualified. The governor shall fill 
vacancies occasioned by death or otherwise, and 
may remove any member for the continued neg- 
lect of duties required by this act. Vacancies in 
said board shall be filled in accordance with the 
provisions of this act for the establishment of the 
original board, and persons appointed to fill va- 
cancies shall be selected from registered nurses 
and shall hold office during the unexpired portion 
of the term for which their predecessors were ap- 
pointed. [L. 1913, ch. 231, §1; Feb. 12.] 
74-1102. Officers; meetings. The members of 
said board shall meet at Topeka during the first 
week of July, 1921, and every second year there- 
after, and shall elect a president, vice-president 
and a secretary-treasurer from their own number, 
each of whom shall hold his or her respective of- 
fice for two years. Said board shall hold regular 
meetings in May and December of each year upon 
such dates and at such places as may be fixed by 
the board, and such other meetings as may, in the 
judgment of the board, be necessary. Examina- 
tion of applicants for registration of nurses shall 
be held at such meetings, held in May and De- 
cember, if there shall be applicants for such regis- 
tration, and at other meetings if the board shall so 
order. Notice of all meetings for examination of 
nurses shall be published at least thirty days prior 
to the time of each meeting, in the official state 
paper. The board shall adopt rules and regula- 
tions, not inconsistent with this act, to govern its 
proceedings and to carry out this act, and such 
rules and regulations shall be published, upon pro- 
mulgation, once in the official state paper, and 
shall also be published in separate form, and 
copies thereof shall be furnished upon application 
to persons needing to refer to same. Said board 
shall have a seal, of which the secretary shall be 
the custodian. The secretary shall have the power 
and authority to administer oaths in transacting 
4 business of the board, and he or she shall keep a 
record of all proceedings of the board, and a regis- 
ter of nurses who shall pass the examination of the 
board and showing the certificates of registration 
granted, or revoked, and such register shall be 
open at all reasonable times to public scrutiny. 
Three members shall constitute a quorum for the 
transaction of business. The secretary-treasurer 
shall give to the state treasurer a bond for the 
faithful discharge of his or her duties in the penal 
sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000), with one or 
more sufficient sureties, to be approved by the 
governor. [L. 1913, ch. 231, §2; L. 1915, ch. 259, 
§ 1; L. 1921, ch. 267, § 1; May 25.] 
74-1103. Compensation and expenses. The 
members of said board shall each receive a com- 
pensation of seven dollars per day, for each day 
actually and necessarily engaged in the perform- 
ance of the duties of their office, and also the nec- 
essary expenses incurred by them in the perform- 
ance of such duties. The secretary shall receive 
additional compensation at the rate of four hun- 
dred dollars per annum, payable quarterly. [L. 
1945, ch. 304, § I.] 
74-1104. Moneys. The secretary-treasurer of 
the state board of examiners of nurses shall on or 
before the tenth day of each month remit to the 
state treasurer all fees collected by said board dur- 
ing the preceding month, and at the same time 
shall render to the auditor of state an itemized 
and verified report showing the source from which 
said fees were obtained. The state treasurer and 
auditor of state shall credit ten percent of all fees 
collected by said board and remitted as provided 
hereinbefore to the general revenue fund of the 
state. The remaining ninety percent of the fees 
remitted by the above board shall be by the state 
treasurer and auditor of state placed in the special 
fee fund of the above board; the compensation of 
members and other actual and necessary expenses 
of the board to be paid therefrom: Provided, 
5 however, That no such moneys shall be paid out 
of the funds of the state treasury upon the war- 
rants issued by the state auditor to members of 
said board, until the qualifications of members of 
said board are approved by the governor. [Re- 
vised, 1923; old section, L. 1913, ch. 231, §5; L. 
1921, ch. 267, § 4.] 
74-1105. Disposition of fee fund. The auditor 
of state is hereby authorized to draw his warrants 
on the treasurer of state against said board of 
graduate nurses’ examination and registration fee 
fund upon duly itemized and verified vouchers ap- 
proved by the president and secretary-treasurer of 
said board for the purposes specified and provided 
by law, but in no event shall the total expenses of 
the said board exceed the total fees collected and 
deposited to the credit of said fund. [L. 1923, ch. 
28, § 3; June 9.] 
65-1101. Registration of nurses. All persons to 
whom certificates of registration as nurses, under 
the law of this state, shall have been issued prior 
to the time this act shall take effect, shall be 
styled and known as registered nurses, and shall 
come within the provisions of this act and shall 
comply with the same, but shall not be required 
to undergo any new examination or obtain a new 
certificate of registration as a nurse. All other 
persons who shall desire to engage in the practice 
of professional nursing, shall legally qualify by se- 
curing a certificate of registration from the board 
of registration of nurses. Such applicants shall 
give satisfactory proof of being twenty-one years 
of age, of good moral character, and shall present 
a diploma from an accredited training school of 
nurses and pass the examination given by said 
board: Provided, The right of the applicant for 
examination or registration shall not be made to 
depend upon the size, location, number of beds or 
number of patients of the hospital in which said 
applicant has studied and worked. Any person 
who shall be otherwise qualified under the provi- 
6 sions of this act, and who shall have received a 
certificate of registration as a nurse under the laws 
of any other state with which Kansas has condi- 
tional reciprocity upon the subject of admission 
to practice of nursing, which certificate shall con- 
tain a notation of recommendation to the board 
of registration of nurses of this state, from the cor- 
responding board of such other state, shall be 
granted a certificate of registration without exam- 
ination, upon making a written application there- 
for, and presenting such certificate of registration 
from such other state, and paying the ten dollars 
($10) registration fee. Said certificate of registra- 
tion from said other state shall be signed by the 
secretary or corresponding officer of the board is- 
suing the same and stamped with the seal of said 
board. [L. 1913, ch. 231, §3; L. 1921, ch. 267, §2; 
May 25.] 
65-1102. Fees and certificates. That every ap- 
plicant for registration as a nurse hereunder shall 
pay a fee as shall be fixed by the board of not 
more than fifteen dollars to the treasurer of this 
board upon filing application for original registra- 
tion. Whenever said board shall approve and al- 
low any application for registration it shall issue 
its certificate of registration to the successful ap- 
plicant, and such registration shall expire on the 
31st day of December next following the date of 
registration, and every registration heretofore 
granted by said board shall expire on the 31st day 
of December next following the taking effect of 
this act. Upon receiving a certificate of registra- 
tion the person to whom it is issued shall cause a 
copy thereof to be filed with the county clerk of 
the county in which such person resides, accompa- 
nied by an affidavit of his or her identity as the 
person to whom the same was issued and stating 
in such affidavit his or her place of residence at 
the time of examination. The county clerk shall 
charge fifty cents (50$) for registering such copy 
of certificate, together with such affidavit. The 
7 nurse to whom such certificate of registration shall 
be issued shall show the same, upon request, at 
any time to said board or its secretary. Every 
person now or hereafter registered as a nurse who 
shall desire to engage in the practice of nursing 
following the expiration of his or her original or 
renewal registration in this state shall on or be- 
fore the first day of May of each year make writ- 
ten application for renewal of such registration to 
the secretary of said board upon a form to be fur- 
nished by said secretary upon request. Said form 
shall contain such pertinent information as may 
be required by said board, and every person who 
shall desire to engage actively in the practice of 
nursing shall accompany said application with re- 
newal fee of one dollar ($1). Said board, upon 
receiving such application and renewal fee and 
finding the applicant to be entitled to renewal 
registration, shall grant renewal registration to 
such applicant and issue to such applicant its cer- 
tificate of annual renewal registration, which re- 
newal registration shall expire on the 31st day of 
December next succeeding. Any person hereto- 
fore or hereafter registered as a nurse in this state 
as provided by law who shall fail to secure a re- 
newal registration within the time specified herein 
may secure a renewal of his or her lapsed registra- 
tion by making verified application therefor on a 
form to be provided by said board, and upon fur- 
nishing such additional material facts and infor- 
mation as may be required by the board and pay- 
ing to said board a renewal fee of five dollars: 
Provided, That the board, before renewing such 
lapsed registration, shall find from such applica- 
tion, and such evidence as it shall obtain, that the 
applicant has not practiced nursing in this state 
since the expiration of his or her foi’mer registra- 
tion, and is at the time of making such application 
competent and qualified to act as a nurse. [L. 
1945, ch. 250, § I.] 
65-1104. Training school for nurses. An accred- 
ited training school for nurses within the meaning 
-8 of this act is defined to be one connected with a 
hospital requiring the persons receiving such train- 
ing to have at least four years of high school edu- 
cation or its equivalent and giving a continuous 
theoretical and practical course of training in bed- 
side nursing of not less than two years and six 
months and having one registered nurse employed 
at the hospital: Provided, That if such registered 
nurse shall leave without fifteen days’ notice the 
hospital management shall be allowed a reason- 
able time to fill the vacancy. Such training shall 
include at least four hundred and fifty hours of 
theoretical instruction. Practical bedside nursing 
shall include the care of medical and surgical pa- 
tients, male and female, obstetrical patients and 
children. The applicant shall receive a substantial 
course of training in each of said branches of bed- 
side nursing. Where an applicant has had a course 
of training in such a hospital which gives training 
to nurses in one or more less than all of said 
branches of theoretical or bedside nursing, but 
otherwise complies with the terms of this act, the 
applicant shall receive the remainder of the train- 
ing herein prescribed at some hospital fully com- 
plying with the terms of this act. Any hospital 
which shall give training which shall receive credit 
under this act shall maintain accurate and current 
records showing in full the theoretical and prac- 
tical courses given to each student in such hos- 
pital. All such hospitals shall maintain healthful 
and comfortable living conditions for the students 
thereat. Any hospital desiring to have its school 
of nursing inspected and accredited by said board 
shall file an application with said board therefor, 
and shall pay to the treasurer of said board a fee 
of fifteen dollars upon filing such application and 
the same sum annually as long as said hospital 
shall desire to have its school of nursing accredited 
by said board. [L. 1945, ch. 251, § I.] 
65-1105. Title of nurses. Any person who shall 
have complied with the provisions of this act and 
received a certificate of registration, shall be styled 
9 and known as a registered nurse, and be entitled 
to append the letters “R. N.” to his or her name. 
It shall be unlawful for any person who has not 
complied with the provisions of this act to hold 
himself or herself out to the public as a registered 
nurse, or to append the letters “R. N.” to his or 
her name. [L. 1913, ch. 231, §7; Feb. 12.] 
65-1106. Violations of this act. Any persons 
violating any of the provisions of this act shall be 
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction 
shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty 
nor more than two hundred dollars, and it shall be 
the duty of the respective prosecutors of the coun- 
ties of this state to prosecute violations of the 
provisions of this act. [L. 1913, ch. 231. §8; Feb. 
12.] 
65-1107. False swearing. Any person who shall 
swear falsely in any affidavit or oral testimony 
made or given by virtue of the provisions of this 
act for the regulations of said board of registra- 
tion shall be deemed guilty of perjury. [L. 1913, 
ch. 231, §9; Feb. 12.] 
65-1108. Title of nurse as evidence. When any 
person shall append the letters “R. N.” or shall 
use any other letter, figures, or sign to indicate 
that he or she is a registered nurse, it shall be 
prima facie evidence of practicing professional 
nursing as a registered nurse or trained nurse 
within the meaning of this act. [L. 1913, ch. 213, 
§ 10; Feb. 12.] 
65-1109. Unregistered nurses. This act shall 
not apply to the gratuitous nursing of the sick by 
friends or by members of the family, nor to any 
person nursing the sick for hire who shall not in 
any way assume to be a registered nurse, or 
trained nurse; nor shall it be construed to inter- 
fere in any manner with religious communities 
having charge of hospitals or caring for the sick 
in their own homes. [L. 1913, ch. 231, § 11; Feb. 
12.] 
10 65-1110. Revocation of registration. Said board 
shall have the power to revoke any certificate is- 
sued by said board in accordance with the provi- 
sions of this act and for the following causes: 
Gross incompetency, violations of the provisions 
of this act or anything derogatory to the morals 
or the standing of the profession of nursing as may 
be determined by the board: Provided, That such 
revocation shall be made only upon the specific 
charges in writing under oath, filed with the sec- 
retary, and by a majority vote of the whole board, 
a certified copy of such charges and thirty days’ 
notice of the hearing of the same having been 
personally served upon the holder of such certifi- 
cate. Said board shall be authorized to furnish a 
list of the names and addresses of those whose 
certificates have been revoked to the board of ex- 
aminers of other states upon written request of 
such board. [L. 1913, ch. 231, § 12; Feb. 12.] 
65-111. Temporary registration of nurses. 
While the United States is engaged in the present 
war with any foreign nation and for a period of 
six months after the cessation of hostilities the 
state board for examination and registration of 
nurses shall have power to issue temporary certifi- 
cates to such nurses, now licensed as such or who 
at one time have been licensed as such outside the 
state, as they shall find qualified to practice as 
such in the state during the present war emer- 
gency period; and in furtherance of the provisions 
herein contained, the state board for examination 
and registration of nurses shall have power to is- 
sue such temporary emergency certificates by and 
under general regulations or specific orders. The 
holder of any such temporary certificate shall be 
privileged, during the term specified therein, un- 
less sooner revoked, to practice the profession of 
nursing within the state; subject, however, to all 
laws of the state generally applicable to the prac- 
tice of such profession; and further subject to 
such rules and regulations, restrictions and limita- tions as the state board for examination and regis- 
tration of nurses may make or impose as to them 
or any of them and their practice within the state. 
[L. 1943, ch. 224, § 1; L. 1945, ch. 252, § 1; June 
28.] 
65-2201. Definitions. As used in this act, the 
following terms shall have the meanings ascribed 
to them by this section, unless the context clearly 
requires otherwise: (1) “Military service” means 
service by a licensee in the army, navy or marine 
corps of the United States and shall also include 
the six-months period of time immediately follow- 
ing his discharge therefrom. (2) “License” means 
any permit, certificate, authority, privilege or 
registration issued, granted or made.by the state 
of Kansas or any officer, board, department or 
commission thereof authorizing a person to engage 
in or practice an occupation or profession in this 
state. (3) “Licensee” means any person who had, 
at the time of his entering the military service, a 
valid, existing license to engage in or practice an 
occupation or profession in this state. [L. 1943, 
ch. 227, § 1; March 12.] 
65-2202. Certain laws inapplicable. The provi- 
sions of any law relating to the licensing of per- 
sons engaged in or practicing an occupation or 
profession which require the payment of an an- 
nual license fee shall be construed to be inappli- 
cable to a licensee in the military service and no 
licensee shall be required to pay an annual license 
fee accruing while such licensee is in the military 
service except as provided in section 3 (65-2203) 
hereof. No license of any licensee shall be re- 
voked or suspended because of the nonpayment, 
during the period of his military service, of an 
annual fee. [L. 1943, ch. 227, §2; March 12.] 
65-2203. Fee to he paid within six months after 
discharge. A licensee, who desires to engage in or 
practice his occupation or profession in this state 
after his discharge from the military service, shall, 
within six months after such discharge, pay the annual fee required by law for such year and 
thereupon, he shall be deemed to have complied 
with all requirements of law relating to the pay- 
ment of annual fees. [L. 1943, ch. 227, §3; March 
12.] 
65-2204. Application of act; certain suspensions 
and revocations set aside. The provisions of this 
act shall apply to all licensees who enter the mili- 
tary service on or after December 23, 1940, and 
shall not apply to licensees who during the period 
of such service are engaged in or practicing an oc- 
cupation or profession in this state, either person- 
ally, or indirectly by agent. If the license of any 
such licensee has been suspended or revoked prior 
to the effective date of this act solely because of 
the failure of such licensee to pay annual fees ac- 
cruing during such service, such suspension or rev- 
ocation is hereby set aside and canceled. [L. 
1943, ch. 227, § 4; March 12.] 
65-2205. Act is supplemental. This act shall be 
construed as supplemental to and not as repealing 
any existing law, [L. 1943, ch. 227, §5; March 
12.] 
13 PRINTED BY 
FERD VOILAND. JR., STATE PRINTER 
TOPEKA, KANSAS 
1947 
21-8283