NCSBN CEO Benton Receives Great Cross of Spanish Nursing from the Spanish General Council of Nursing

CHICAGO, June 15, 2017 -- NCSBN CEO David Benton, RGN, PhD, FFNF, FRCN, FAAN, received the Great Cross of Spanish Nursing in the Gold Category from the Spanish General Council of Nursing in Barcelona, Spain May 26, 2017.

Benton was presented with this honor for his work in support of nursing regulatory bodies and his key role in defining necessary regulatory changes for professional nursing.  This award also recognized his advancement of the principle that nursing is an essential and fundamental profession in national health care systems and the concept that all citizens have the right to adequate health care. Additionally, Benton’s longstanding commitment to the international advocacy of the nursing profession through his various roles, most notably in his former position as the CEO of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) from 2008-2015 was lauded.

Benton stated, “I am honored to receive this prestigious award and delighted that the importance of regulation is recognized in the citation as this reinforces the role it plays is shaping our profession towards meeting the needs of those we serve in this complex, dynamic and digital age.”

Benton has held senior leadership roles for more than 25 years across a range of organizations. These roles include working as executive director of nursing at a health authority in London; as a senior civil servant in Northern and Yorkshire Region in England; as chief executive of a nurse regulatory body in Scotland; and as nurse director of a University Trust Health System.

Benton has a PhD Summa Cum Laude from the University of Complutense in Madrid, Spain.  His area of research was an international comparative analysis of the regulation of nursing practice. He qualified as a general and mental health nurse at the then Highland College of Nursing and Midwifery in Inverness, Scotland.  

He counts among his various awards and honors the inaugural Nursing Standard Leadership award, and Fellowships from the Florence Nightingale Foundation, the Royal College of Nursing and the American Academy of Nursing for his contribution to health and nursing policy. 

About NCSBN
Founded March 15, 1978, as an independent not-for-profit organization, NCSBN was created to lessen the burdens of state governments and bring together BONs to act and counsel together on matters of common interest. NCSBN’s membership is comprised of the BONs in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories — American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. There are also 27 associate members that are either nursing regulatory bodies or empowered regulatory authorities from other countries or territories.

NCSBN Member Boards protect the public by ensuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses. These BONs regulate more than 4.5 million licensed nurses.

Mission: NCSBN provides education, service and research through collaborative leadership to promote evidence-based regulatory excellence for patient safety and public protection.

The statements and opinions expressed are those of NCSBN and not the individual member state or territorial boards of nursing.

Contact: Dawn M. Kappel
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