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Greetings! Welcome to the reimagined newsletter for the Iowa Board of Nursing, the first since its realignment under the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)! The board and staff are committed to enhancing communication with its licensees, so it will publish newsletters to share important updates with nurses and other external stakeholders. The board encourages licensees to contact the department with information they believe would be beneficial to discuss in this publication.
Effective June 4, 2025, the Iowa Board of Nursing administrative rules were updated to eliminate the board’s requirement for approval of continuing education providers and continuing education content. This update provides a streamlined approach to ensuring nurses receive continuing education in the areas they feel will help them meet the standard of care in their practice.
Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) 481.619 outlines the number of required contract hours or continuing education units, the appropriate subject matter for continuing education to count towards license renewal, the documentation required to be retained by licensees, and the exceptions which may be granted under certain circumstances.
Essentially, licensees will continue to be required to complete 36 continuing education contact hours per renewal period. The approved subject matter for these contract hours includes:
- Nursing practice related to health care of patients/clients/families in any setting.
- Professional growth and development related to nursing practice roles with a health care focus.
- Sciences upon which nursing practice, nursing education, or nursing research is based.
- Social, economic, ethical, and legal aspects of health care.
- Management of or administration of health care, health care personnel, or health care facilities.
- Education of patients or patients’ significant others, students, or personnel in the health care field.
- Academic offerings that meet the qualifications of appropriate subject matter, meet the requirements of a nursing education program that extends beyond the education completed for the original nursing license, or both. The licensee shall retain a transcript exhibiting a passing grade for each academic offering.
- Current national certification or recertification related to the practice of nursing. The national certification or recertification is recognized as 36 contact hours of continuing education.
- Completion of a board-approved nurse refresher course. Hours of participation will be recognized as contact hours of continuing education.
- Participation as a preceptor for a nursing student or employee transitioning into a new clinical practice area, for a minimum of 60 hours as a part of an organized preceptorship program. A licensee shall maintain documentation issued by the institution supervising the student or employee demonstrating the objectives of the preceptorship and the hours completed. A preceptorship shall be recognized as six contact hours of continuing education.
- Completion of a nurse residency program. A residency program is recognized as 36 contact hours of continuing education.
- Academic offerings provided by the following entities:
(1) Community colleges.
(2) Public and private colleges and universities.
(3) Governmental academies.
It is incumbent on licensees to know and understand the Board of Nursing continuing education rules and provide appropriate documentation should an audit be conducted pursuant to IAC 481.619.2(7).
There are several ways licensees and external stakeholders can stay tuned to the business conducted by the board. While disciplinary cases and some license applications must be conducted in closed session pursuant to Iowa Code 21.5, any discussions around rule changes and updates to the staff and other business matters are conducted in open session during meetings.
The meeting schedule can be found on the DIAL website home page at the bottom of the screen. Just click on the event to locate the Zoom link for virtual attendance, or feel free to attend in person at 6200 Park Ave., Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50321. The agenda for the meeting is attached to the event link generally one week in advance of the meeting, although updates can be made up to 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Once the board has approved the minutes for that meeting, the minutes are retroactively posted to the event link. Minutes are approved at quarterly in-person meetings.
Another way to follow along with the Board of Nursing is to sign up for GovDelivery. GovDelivery is the system used by the Board of Nursing (and all boards located within the Professional Licensing Division) to send out meeting agendas, meeting links, notifications required during the rule-making process, updates regarding public disciplinary orders, and other information. You may manage your GovDelivery subscription by visiting the GovDelivery Email Updates page.
The Iowa Professional Health Program (IPHP) — Nursing (formerly known as the Iowa Nurses Assistance Program or INAP) is a safe place for licensees of the Board of Nursing to receive the assistance and support they need for mental health conditions, physical health conditions, and/or substance use disorders that could impact their ability to safely practice nursing.
IPHP is designed to protect the public by supporting and monitoring nurses whose health conditions may impact their ability to practice nursing safely. This is done by promoting early intervention, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
IPHP’s goal is to encourage licensees to self-report to the program and receive assistance before the Board of Nursing becomes aware of any disciplinary issues or about a potential impairment that could impact the safety of the public. However, the program is available to all licensees regardless of their involvement with the Board of Nursing.
Participation in IPHP is Confidential
A nurse's participation in the IPHP is confidential to the public. Participant information is also confidential to the Iowa Board of Nursing, except in limited situations where communication is necessary. According to 481 IAC 505.6, the following situations authorize the IPHP to provide information to the board or appropriate board staff:
- A participant’s medical practice poses a significant risk to the public.
- The participant is not compliant with their IPHP contract and is referred by the IPHP to the board.
- The participant is under investigation by the board and knowing if the participant is compliant with the program would be beneficial to the investigative process.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health concern, substance abuse concern, and/or a physical health concern, please consider self-reporting to IPHP by filling out the online form or by emailing chris.skuster@dia.iowa.gov.
Kori Grooms, RN, BSN, COHN-S, joined DIAL as the next nursing standards representative and executive director on Dec. 19, 2025. Kori comes from Iowa State University, bringing experience in occupational health and wellness, nursing leadership, regulatory compliance, and organizational development. She is passionate about creating environments where patients and nurses feel informed, confident, and valued.
Kori is committed to supporting nurses through practical solutions, mentorship, and collaboration. She enjoys turning policies and standards into guidance and processes that make day-to-day work safer, more effective, and manageable. She has seen that when nurses are supported and work together, there’s no challenge they can’t solve.
Throughout her career, Kori has been recognized for blending clinical expertise and regulatory knowledge with compassion and a people-centered approach. She looks forward to meeting the team, collaborating with nurses, and strengthening the profession while supporting high-quality patient care.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, cheering at her kids’ sporting events, and continually learning new things.
The board is very excited to welcome Kori to the team. If you have questions or need assistance, email us at IBN@dial.iowa.gov. If you are a nursing education provider (e.g., college or university) and have questions specifically about nursing education programs, please email us at IBN-Nursing-Practice@dial.iowa.gov.
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