Final answer:
The primary purpose of BONs is to protect the public by regulating the nursing profession, ensuring nurses meet necessary qualifications, and maintaining practice standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most appropriate statement for the nurse educator to include about the history and purpose of boards of nursing (BONs) is "Primarily, BONs serve to protect the public." Boards of Nursing were established to regulate the nursing profession, ensure that nurses have the necessary qualifications, and uphold standards of practice to maintain public safety. They are not primarily meant to defend nurses against allegations of misconduct, and their establishment dates back to more than 50 years ago. Moreover, while regulating impaired nurses is part of their function, it is not the sole or initial reason for their existence.