Nursing: The Scope and Standards of Practice

Nursing Roles “The definition of nursing practice as stated in the act, means assisting individuals or groups of individuals to promote, maintain or restore optimal health throughout the life process by assessing and evaluating their health status, planning and implementing a strategy of care to accomplish defined goals, and evaluating responses to care and treatment. The scope of practice of registered nurses is the extent of treatment, activity, influence, or range of actions permitted or authorized for licensed nurses based on the nurse’s education, preparation, and experience. RN responsibilities in implementing the nursing process are assess and identify health care problems, plan/prescribe and implement a strategy of care, evaluate the responses to that strategy. Other responsibilities include maintain safe and effective nursing care rendered directly or indirectly, teach theory and practice of nursing, and collaborate with other health professionals in the management of health care. The definition of a advanced practice nurse is a registered nurse who gained a licensed in this state by obtaining additional specialized knowledge, skills and experience through a program of study recognized or defined by the board. Having this licensed enables this nurse to prescribe, administer and dispense therapeutic pharmacologic agents, as defined by the board rules. Requirements for obtaining a new license for a graduate are: pass the NQLEX, be sufficiently sound physical and mental health as will not impair or interfere with the ability to practice nursing, and last to pay fees. These activities can lead to disciplinary action of a nurse. They include substance abuse or dependency, abandonment or neglect or abuse, fraud or deceit, performing unsafe client care in or outside scope of practice. Misappropriate misuse of client care, putting patients at risk of harm, and violating hippa regulations. There are no continuing education/competency requirements for relicensure in the state of Idaho. The requirements for schools of nursing are to become a LPN is 11 months and 2 years associate RN Degree or the 4 years baccalaureate degree. Who then must be approved by the state board of education prior to implementation. Composition and responsibilities of the state board of nursing are: to approve, renew, limit, restrict, amend, deny, suspend or revoke, and to accept the surrender of licenses. Also to help out nurses who had nurse practice deficiencies. They also establish standards, criteria, conditions and requirements for licensure and to investigate and determine eligibility and qualifications for licensure.
They evaluate continuing competency of persons licensed pursuant to this chapter to develop standards, which will advance the competency of licensees in accordance with developing scientific understanding and methods relating to the practice of nursing. The board also collects the renewal fees for nurses while issuing temporary licenses, duplication and verification of records. They make the decisions on weather or not to enter into interstate compacts, contracts or agreements to facilitate the practice and regulation of nursing in Idaho.”