Post a thoughtful response to at least two (2) other colleagues’ initial postings. Responses to colleagues should be supportive and helpful (examples of an acceptable comment are: “This is interesting – in my practice, we treated or resolved (diagnosis or issue) with (x, y, z meds, theory, management principle) and according to the literature…” and add supportive reference. Avoid comments such as “I agree” or “good comment.”
Discussion 1
It is important for every registered nurse to know their scope of practice. The purpose of this posting is to discuss the nurses scope of practice as defined by the ANA and the state of Ohio, a clinical situation that applies to the scope of practice, and why every nurse should know and understand their nurse practice acts. According to the ANA’s book, Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, the scope of nursing practice is defined by who, what, when, where, and why. I will explain each one in more detail in alignment with what the ANA says. The “what” of this scope is referring to nursing, which in short is described as preventing illness and injury, advocacy for patients and family members, and the protection, promotion, and optimization of health. The “who” includes all registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses who maintain active licensure. The “when” is anytime a nurse is needed to educate, care, lead, practice, or share wisdom and nursing knowledge with whomever is in need of it. The “where” could be in any environment in which an individual is needing advocacy, care, or education. The “how” of nursing practice includes the means, manners, methods, and ways that are used to professionally get the job done. Finally, the “why” is a nurses response to the needs of society that are ever changing so there can be good outcomes for healthcare consumers (ANA, 2015, pg. 2).
Now I will define the scope of nursing practice in Ohio according to the Ohio Board of Nursing. It states in a document entitled, Scopes of Practice: Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse, that the registered nurse is to provide care that requires specialized knowledge, skill, and judgment that comes from social, behavioral, biological, physical, and nursing science principles. This includes identifying human responses/health problems, executing a nursing regimen, assessing health status, providing health teaching and counseling, following through with treatments prescribed by a professional who is legally able to do so in the state of Ohio, and lastly teaching, delegating, supervising, administering, and evaluating nursing practice (Ohio Board of Nursing, 2015).
In this paragraph I will share an example of how I’ve put the scope of nursing practice into effect in my own career. I will share an example of delegation. I recently took care of a gentleman who underwent extensive back surgery. I always assess my post operative patient’s urinary status to make sure they are voiding following anesthesia. This particular man had not voided for 8 hours following the removal of his foley catheter, so I delegated to my nursing assistant to obtain a bladder scan. The result came back at 400ml so I obtained an order from the house officer to straight cath. the patient. I practiced within my scope by delegating a bladder scan to my nursing assistant. It’s very important for nurses to have knowledge of their state’s scope of nursing practice in order to work within the law and to avoid malpractice or negligence. In conclusion, nurses have the power to change health consumers lives but it is paramount that it is done within the scope of nursing practice.
References
Nursing: scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). (2015). Silver Spring, Maryland.: American Nurses Association. Scopes of Practice: Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse.(2015). Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Board of Nursing. Retrieved from: www.nursing.ohio.gov.
Discussion 2
It is important for every registered nurse to know their scope of practice. The purpose of this posting is to discuss the nurses scope of practice as defined by the ANA and the state of Ohio, a clinical situation that applies to the scope of practice, and why every nurse should know and understand their nurse practice acts. According to the ANA’s book, Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, the scope of nursing practice is defined by who, what, when, where, and why. I will explain each one in more detail in alignment with what the ANA says. The “what” of this scope is referring to nursing, which in short is described as preventing illness and injury, advocacy for patients and family members, and the protection, promotion, and optimization of health. The “who” includes all registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses who maintain active licensure. The “when” is anytime a nurse is needed to educate, care, lead, practice, or share wisdom and nursing knowledge with whomever is in need of it. The “where” could be in any environment in which an individual is needing advocacy, care, or education. The “how” of nursing practice includes the means, manners, methods, and ways that are used to professionally get the job done. Finally, the “why” is a nurses response to the needs of society that are ever changing so there can be good outcomes for healthcare consumers (ANA, 2015, pg. 2).
Now I will define the scope of nursing practice in Ohio according to the Ohio Board of Nursing. It states in a document entitled, Scopes of Practice: Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse, that the registered nurse is to provide care that requires specialized knowledge, skill, and judgment that comes from social, behavioral, biological, physical, and nursing science principles. This includes identifying human responses/health problems, executing a nursing regimen, assessing health status, providing health teaching and counseling, following through with treatments prescribed by a professional who is legally able to do so in the state of Ohio, and lastly teaching, delegating, supervising, administering, and evaluating nursing practice (Ohio Board of Nursing, 2015).
In this paragraph I will share an example of how I’ve put the scope of nursing practice into effect in my own career. I will share an example of delegation. I recently took care of a gentleman who underwent extensive back surgery. I always assess my post operative patient’s urinary status to make sure they are voiding following anesthesia. This particular man had not voided for 8 hours following the removal of his foley catheter, so I delegated to my nursing assistant to obtain a bladder scan. The result came back at 400ml so I obtained an order from the house officer to straight cath. the patient. I practiced within my scope by delegating a bladder scan to my nursing assistant. It’s very important for nurses to have knowledge of their state’s scope of nursing practice in order to work within the law and to avoid malpractice or negligence. In conclusion, nurses have the power to change health consumers lives but it is paramount that it is done within the scope of nursing practice.
References
Nursing: scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). (2015). Silver Spring, Maryland.: American Nurses Association. Scopes of Practice: Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse.(2015). Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Board of Nursing. Retrieved from: www.nursing.ohio.gov.
