The Nursing Standards of Practice

The Nursing Standards of Practice are official declarations that describe the tasks that all registered nurses (RNs) are expected to do satisfactorily, regardless of speciality, role, or population (ANA, 2014). The American Nurses Association (ANA) advances the nursing profession by promoting the establishment of nursing practice standards and portraying a realistic and positive nursing perspective. It also advocates nurses’ rights at work and lobbys Congress and various regulatory authorities on health care issues affecting nurses and the public (ANA, 2014).

Development of Nursing Standards of Practice

There are three basic processes in developing nursing standards of practice. The first one is the creation of the Nursing Social Policy Statement, which describes the accountability of nursing to the public, as well as identifies the processes of professional regulation, self-regulation, and legal regulations as ways of maintaining public trust (Creasea & Fridberg, 2011). The second step is the establishment of the Code of Ethics for Nurses, which provides detailed guidance for all nurses and their activities of nursing practice in all settings (Fridberg, 2011). The third step is the establishment of the Scope and Standards of nursing practice, which are highly valued by RNs and are frequently referenced by individuals involved in regulatory, research, legal, educational, and administrative activities (Fridberg, 2011).

Entities Involved in Development of Nursing Standards

The various entities that might participate in the development of a standard of nursing practice include the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Congress on Nursing Practice and Economics (CNPE), and the JACHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization). The Nursing Standards of Practice are applicable at both the state and national levels. The State Boards of Nursing ensure the enforcement of such standards at the state level while the American Nurse Credentialing Center ensure implementation at the national level.

References

American Nurses Association (ANA): Professional Standards (2014). Retrieved from http:// nursing world.org/nursing standards.Creasea, J.L., & Fridberg, E.E. (2011). Conceptual Foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice (5th ed).