Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing established this federally registered Institutional Review Board in 2009. The board reviews and approves research proposals to ensure ethical treatment and protection of human research participants. The IRB Board is composed of college faculty and staff, Blessing Hospital physicians and staff from varied disciplines as well as community members. The College recognizes the need for investigations in which human beings may serve as research participants. The College acknowledges and accepts its responsibilities for insuring that the privacy, safety, health, and welfare of such participants are adequately protected.