Process for developing Nursing Standards of Practice

Outline the process for developing nursing standards of practice, and identify the different entities that might be involved in developing a standard of practice The American Nurses Association (ANA) advances the nursing profession by “facilitating development of the standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on healthcare issues affecting nurses and the public” (ANA, 2010, pg 6) Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Second Edition, “describes what nursing is, what nurses do, and those responsibilities for which nurses are accountable. Institutional policies and procedures establish other parameters that guide nursing practice.

The Standards of Professional Nursing Practice are authoritative statements of the duties that all registered nurses, regardless of role, population, or specialty, are expected to perform competently. Also, there are specific conditions and clinical circumstances may also affect the application of the standards at a given time, e.g., during a natural disaster. The standards are subject to formal, periodic review and revision”. (ANA, 2010a) There are three documents that establish the foundation and create the framework for the nursing standards of practice. (ANA, 2010b) First: Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the profession describes “nursing’s accountability to the public and identifies the processes of self-regulation, professional regulation, and legal regulation as mechanisms to maintain public trust” (ANA, 2010b).

Second: The Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements “provides significant guidance for all nurses and their nursing practice in every setting” (ANA, 2001)”. Third: Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Second Edition, ”presents more detail in further defining the scope and standards of practice for all registered nurses, including the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). The scope and standards of nursing practice are highly valued by registered nurses nationally and internationally and are regularly referenced by those engaged in legal, regulatory, administrative, educational, and research activities. The scope and standards of nursing practice language serves also as a template for a nursing specialty when delineating the details and complexity of that specialty”. (ANA, 2010a)

The ANA, during the late 1990’s, put together representatives from various nursing groups to address the need for consistency in standards of practice and “identify a formal mechanism to confirm professional recognition of specialty practice”. The ANA Congress of Nursing Practice, now known as the Congress on Nursing Practice and Economics (CNPE), have become the reviewing body of the standards of practice. The ANA continues to provide these services to the profession. The CNPE has the designated oversight responsibility for developing and maintaining the scope and standards of practice. They are the first reviewers of the submitted documents, they make recommendations, identify issues, and provide consulting assistance when needed.

The Joint Commissions on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), “are the basis of an objective evaluation process to assist health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance”. They were established to ensure patient safety, and quality of care. (JCAHO, 2014). I’m happy to have these guidelines in place. This keeps us from working in a chaotic environment. The guidelines give us a clear picture of what is expected, help keep us out of liability lawsuits as long as we stay within our practicing guidelines, and provide us with the factual data to keep our patients safe.

References:
American Nurses Association. (2010a). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Second Edition. Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org. American Nurses Association. (2010b). Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: The Essence of the Profession. Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org. American Nurses Association. (2001). Code of Ethics for Nursing with Interpretive Statements. Washington, DC: American Nurses Publishing. Joint Commission Standards. (March, 25, 2014). Facts about Joint Commission Accreditation Standards www.jointcommission.org