This sub-study of a 39-month longitudinal study conducted by the University of Illinois in cooperation with the University of Iowa, undertook to discern the trends in practical nursing in Iowa and to record a history of its development. The 435 member 10 percent random sample of practical nurses licensed in Iowa through December 1965, which was utilized in the major project, was used for this study. Data collected from the records of the Iowa Board of Nursing included selected personal, social, and education characteristics, basis of licensure (education or experience), and activity or inactivity of the current license. Among the findings were: (1) 136 nurses were licensed on the basis of experience (all prior to 1955) and 299 were licensed on the basis of education, (2) Only seven members of the sample were men, (3) A median age of 29 for the "education group" indicates a trend toward a younger practical nurse population, (4) Inactive licenses were held by 6 percent of the "education group" under 24, 25 percent between 25 and 44, 8 percent between 45 and 59, and 17 percent over 60; (5) The number of address changes reported by subjects indicated a high degree of stability. It was recommended that practical nurses be prepared to accommodate replacement needs as well as increased demands. (JK)