Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations Example Paper

Discussion: Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations
Boards of Nursing (BONs) exist in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Similar entities may also exist for different regions. The mission of BONs is the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice. BONs put into practice state/region regulations for nurses that, among other things, lay out the requirements for licensure and define the scope of nursing practice in that state/region.

It can be a valuable exercise to compare regulations among various state/regional boards of nursing. Doing so can help share insights that could be useful should there be future changes in a state/region. In addition, nurses may find the need to be licensed in multiple states or regions.

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on the mission of state/regional boards of nursing as the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice.
Consider how key regulations may impact nursing practice.
Review key regulations for nursing practice of your state’s/region’s board of nursing and those of at least one other state/region and select at least two APRN regulations to focus on for this Discussion..  Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations Example Paper 
By Day 3 of Week 5
Post a comparison of at least two APRN board of nursing regulations in your state/region with those of at least one other state/region. Describe how they may differ. Be specific and provide examples. Then, explain how the regulations you selected may apply to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who have legal authority to practice within the full scope of their education and experience. Provide at least one example of how APRNs may adhere to the two regulations you selected.

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Post a comparison of at least two APRN board of nursing regulations in your state/region with those of at least one other state/region. Describe how they may differ.

My home state is Georgia. Two board of nursing regulations that stand out for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) are the requirements for scope and standards of practice for nurse practitioners. Firstly, both my home state of George and the state of Texas allow APRN to provide advanced practice nursing care and medical services that are specific to their specialty with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention as well as diagnosis and management of chronic and acute disease. Towards this end, the nurse practitioner is allowed to practice independent or collaborate with other professional where necessary to diagnose and manage the health problems presented by clients. In comparing this regulation for both Georgia and Texas, it is clear that the educational background, specifically the specialization, has a bearing on the eventual nursing care and medical services that can be offered. For instance, a certified nurse midwife (CNM) is permitted to provide independent management of women’s health care with a focus on gynecological needs of women, family planning, care of newborn, postpartum care, childbirth, and pregnancy. Also, both states allow APRN to practice independently and exercise the fill scope of their training (Georgia Government, 2021; Texas Board of Nursing, 2013).

Secondly, the scope of practice for APRN in the states of Georgia and Texas are determined by three requirements. The first requirement is the scope of practice statement published by the APRN organizations and national professional specialty. Each specialization has national professional organizations that police practice by ensuring that the curriculum meets standards and the education adequately prepares the nurses for practice. The second requirement is the legal requirements and implications as presented by the state board of nursing and nursing practice act for APRN compliance. These regulations and laws define how APRN can practice and what actions they can undertake independently or in collaboration/consultation with others. The third requirement is the educational background with the expected specialty and role. Each specialty has an education focus area that prepares the APRN for a particular role (Georgia Government, 2021; Texas Board of Nursing, 2013).

Although the two regulations are similar, there is marked difference in individual scope. Georgia does not recognize individual scope of practice. However, Texas recognizes individual scope of practice, noting that while two APRN may have the same specialization, they can have different competencies and this has an influence on the individual scope of practice. Towards this end, Texas requires that APRN present documentation to additional competencies and education when seeking to add a new patient care activity or procedure to the individual scope (Georgia Government, 2021; Texas Board of Nursing, 2013).

Explain how the regulations you selected may apply to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who have legal authority to practice within the full scope of their education and experience.

The two selected regulations have an influence on APRN who have legal authority to practice to the fill scope of their education and experience. Firstly, they determine the specific activities that APRN can undertake within the professional environment, with a focus on matching educational background and specialization with specific patient populations. APRN can adhere to this regulation by only providing care outlined within the scope of practice to the populations for which the APRN specialized. Secondly, they determine the requirements for practice. APRN can adhere to this regulation by receiving the APRN education on a specialization, and only proving services that conform to the scope of practice outline by the state board of nursing and national professional organizations. Finally, any new patient care activity or procedure must be accompanied by the right documentation showing the relevant additional competency and education.

References

Georgia Government (2021). Chapter 410-11 Regulation of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/410-11

Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations Example Paper