Describe the differences between a board of nursing and a professional nurse association.

A board of nursing (BON) and a professional nurse association (PNA) are both organizations that have an important role in the regulation of nursing practice, but they function in very different ways. A board of nursing is responsible for setting legal standards for the practice of nursing and regulating the licensure process. A professional nurse association is a voluntary organization formed by nurses to support each other’s development as health professionals, protect the rights and interests of patients, advance evidence-based practice approaches, and advocate for improved policies related to healthcare (Kasai et al., 2018).