Of the eight recommendations from the 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, two centered on increasing opportunities for nursing to lead. Specifically, the IOM recommended increasing the numbers of nurses in crucial leadership roles, such as on boards and commissions.

The Nurses on Boards Coalition (NOBC), a national initiative, was formed to count and enlist nurses to serve on boards and commissions. State affiliates of the national organizations forming NOBC are working at the local level to drive the initiative. INDIANA Nurses on Boards Coalition is part of this effort and is working to develop state-level goals. The Indiana Coalition currently includes a representative from each of the national member organizations that have affiliates in Indiana. Additional members will be added to mirror organizations that join the national coalition.