Nursing Scope of Practice
Kindly respond to the following discussion post.
250words, apa format and 1-2 references
Thank you.
Nursing Scope of Practice is a set of rules/laws and regulations that nurses are required to follow while practicing as nurses. These rules/laws and regulations help guide our practice and help protect the patient as well as the nurse. Each state has its own laws and regulations according to licensure type. According to (“What is scope of practice?”, 2022) “Scope of Practice refers to those activities that a person licensed to practice as a health professional is permitted to perform, which is increasingly determined by statutes enacted by state legislatures and by rules adopted by the appropriate licensing entity”.
As nurses we are responsible for practicing within our scope of practice, knowing how to access our scope of practice (Nurse Practice Act or BRN), and continuing our education to keep up with changes that occur in the current scope of practice so that we can provide our patients with safe and quality healthcare (Berg, 2022). If a nurse is asked to perform a duty/task that is not within his or her scope of practice the nurse should advise the practitioner/manager that they are unable to perform the duty/task as it does not fall within their scope of practice. If the nurse is unsure if the task falls within their scope, they should refer to the nurse practice act or the state board of registered nursing to review their scope of practice. Accepting or performing a task that is not within the nurse’s scope of practice can lead to patient harm as well as serious consequences for the nurse. Nurses who practice outside of their scope can lose their employment, face punitive damages, and possibly lose their license (Berg, 2022). As nurses, our main goal and focus should always be the patient’s safety and providing them with quality care. All healthcare providers should follow their scope of practice to provide the patient with the best possible care and enhance patient care outcomes. In my current position, I am employed as an LVN, and on several occasions, I have been asked to perform RN duties by other RNs, I just kindly remind them that I am employed as an LVN, and I am not allowed to perform RN duties at this time.
References:
Berg, S. (2022). Understanding the Nursing Scope of Practice | Incredible Health. Incredible Health. Retrieved 17 August 2022, from https://www.incrediblehealth.com/blog/nursing-scope-of-practice/.
Westrick, S. J. (2013). Essentials of nursing law and ethics (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
What is scope of practice?. (2022). Retrieved 17 August 2022, from https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/scope-practice/what-scope-practice