04 Aug Setting educational standards
Outline the process for the development of nursing standards of practice for your state, including discussion of the entities involved in developing the standards of practice and how the standards of practice influence the nursing process for your areas of specialty.
example #1 (Samantha)
My state is California. All nursing professionals are lawfully held to certain standards to uphold patient care through the Nursing Practice Act. The California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) oversees this act, and ensures that all nursing professionals follow its protocol and standards of practice. This board is responsible for implementing the following standards:
-setting educational standards
-approving nursing programs
-reviewing, issuing, and renewing licensing applications
-the discipline of professionals who do not abide by California’s set nursing standards
-determining settings where nurses and nurse specialists work
-determining standards of practice
The California BRN is responsible for adding standards to the Nursing Practice Act, and also advocates for changes to standards of practice. They review collected research data, publish it, and use these publications to submit amendments (or new standards) to the Nursing Practice Act. The BRN works with nursing professionals all over California to ensure standards are met and are up to date according to patient needs. The BRN is made up of a board of diverse, but experienced, nurses.
While I do not have a speciality right now, the Nursing Practice Act influences the broader speciality I wish to enter- the Nurse Practitioner (NP). The act has an entire section dedicated to NPs, including their scope of practice, licensure evaluation, clinical requirements, and education. These laws ensure that nurse practitioners obtain detailed and thorough training. This is especially important in California because an NP can practice without the oversight of a physician. This means that the responsibilities and scope of practice for nurse practitioners are much larger and comprehensive than an ADN/BSN nurse, requiring much more specific and extensive standards of practice.
References
California Board of Registered Nursing. (n.d.). What is the BRN?. CA.gov: California Board of Registered Nursing. https://www.rn.ca.gov/consumers/whatisbrn.shtml#protect
(n.d.) The nursing practice act. CA.gov: California Board of Registered Nursing. https://www.rn.ca.gov/practice/npa.shtml
Example #2 (Ruth)
In a variety of healthcare settings, nurses are held to a minimum level to ensure that all patients receive safe, competent care. The Florida Board of Nursing is the regulating agency that makes sure that people are certified to practice nursing in the state of Florida. The Nurse Practice Act contains definitions that cover the range of practice for certified nurse practitioners, licensed registered nurses, and practical nurses. The board establishes the standards for level of supervision, a scope of practice, and testing processes for certifying nursing assistants (Toney & Martin, 2018). These definitions outline the restrictions on what a nurse may lawfully accomplish and must be understood by any nurse who practices in the state of Florida. If this minimal practice level is not upheld, the license will be forfeited, making it impossible for the person to continue working as a nurse in the state (Kruschke, 2018). Thus, the Florida Nurse Practice Act gives a framework for delivering safe, professional healthcare and protects the individuals requiring such care.
Although I do not have a specialty, I will make sure to follow the regulations stipulated in the Florida board and to provide safe and professional healthcare to patients.
References
Kruschke, C. (2018). Licensed practical nurse practice acts across the country. In Leadership Skills for Licensed Practical Nurses Working with the Aging Population (pp. 141-185). Springer, Cham.
Toney-Butler, T. J., & Martin, R. L. (2018). Florida Nurse Practice Act Laws and Rules. Retrieved from: https://europepmc.org/article/nbk/nbk532859
