nursing profession assignment

Best Nursing Research Topics for Students

What is a nursing research paper.

• What They Include
• Choosing a Topic
• Best Nursing Research Topics
• Research Paper Writing Tips

Writing a research paper is a massive task that involves careful organization, critical analysis, and a lot of time. Some nursing students are natural writers, while others struggle to select a nursing research topic, let alone write about it.

If you're a nursing student who dreads writing research papers, this article may help ease your anxiety. We'll cover everything you need to know about writing nursing school research papers and the top topics for nursing research.  

Continue reading to make your paper-writing jitters a thing of the past.

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A nursing research paper is a work of academic writing composed by a nurse or nursing student. The paper may present information on a specific topic or answer a question.

During LPN/LVN and RN programs, most papers you write focus on learning to use research databases, evaluate appropriate resources, and format your writing with APA style. You'll then synthesize your research information to answer a question or analyze a topic.

BSN , MSN , Ph.D., and DNP programs also write nursing research papers. Students in these programs may also participate in conducting original research studies.

Writing papers during your academic program improves and develops many skills, including the ability to:

• Select nursing topics for research
• Conduct effective research
• Analyze published academic literature
• Format and cite sources
• Synthesize data
• Organize and articulate findings

About Nursing Research Papers

When do nursing students write research papers.

You may need to write a research paper for any of the nursing courses you take. Research papers help develop critical thinking and communication skills. They allow you to learn how to conduct research and critically review publications.

That said, not every class will require in-depth, 10-20-page papers. The more advanced your degree path, the more you can expect to write and conduct research. If you're in an associate or bachelor's program, you'll probably write a few papers each semester or term.

Do Nursing Students Conduct Original Research?

Most of the time, you won't be designing, conducting, and evaluating new research. Instead, your projects will focus on learning the research process and the scientific method. You'll achieve these objectives by evaluating existing nursing literature and sources and defending a thesis.

However, many nursing faculty members do conduct original research. So, you may get opportunities to participate in, and publish, research articles.

Example Research Project Scenario:

In your maternal child nursing class, the professor assigns the class a research paper regarding developmentally appropriate nursing interventions for the pediatric population. While that may sound specific, you have almost endless opportunities to narrow down the focus of your writing. 

You could choose pain intervention measures in toddlers. Conversely, you can research the effects of prolonged hospitalization on adolescents' social-emotional development.

What Does a Nursing Research Paper Include?

Your professor should provide a thorough guideline of the scope of the paper. In general, an undergraduate nursing research paper will consist of:

Introduction : A brief overview of the research question/thesis statement your paper will discuss. You can include why the topic is relevant.

Body : This section presents your research findings and allows you to synthesize the information and data you collected. You'll have a chance to articulate your evaluation and answer your research question. The length of this section depends on your assignment.

Conclusion : A brief review of the information and analysis you presented throughout the body of the paper. This section is a recap of your paper and another chance to reassert your thesis.

The best advice is to follow your instructor's rubric and guidelines. Remember to ask for help whenever needed, and avoid overcomplicating the assignment!

How to Choose a Nursing Research Topic

The sheer volume of prospective nursing research topics can become overwhelming for students. Additionally, you may get the misconception that all the 'good' research ideas are exhausted. However, a personal approach may help you narrow down a research topic and find a unique angle.

Writing your research paper about a topic you value or connect with makes the task easier. Additionally, you should consider the material's breadth. Topics with plenty of existing literature will make developing a research question and thesis smoother.

Finally, feel free to shift gears if necessary, especially if you're still early in the research process. If you start down one path and have trouble finding published information, ask your professor if you can choose another topic.

The Best Research Topics for Nursing Students

You have endless subject choices for nursing research papers. This non-exhaustive list just scratches the surface of some of the best nursing research topics.

1. Clinical Nursing Research Topics

• Analyze the use of telehealth/virtual nursing to reduce inpatient nurse duties.
• Discuss the impact of evidence-based respiratory interventions on patient outcomes in critical care settings.
• Explore the effectiveness of pain management protocols in pediatric patients.

2. Community Health Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of nurse-led diabetes education in Type II Diabetics.
• Analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status and access to healthcare services.

3. Nurse Education Research Topics

• Review the effectiveness of simulation-based learning to improve nursing students' clinical skills.
• Identify methods that best prepare pre-licensure students for clinical practice.
• Investigate factors that influence nurses to pursue advanced degrees.
• Evaluate education methods that enhance cultural competence among nurses.
• Describe the role of mindfulness interventions in reducing stress and burnout among nurses.

4. Mental Health Nursing Research Topics

• Explore patient outcomes related to nurse staffing levels in acute behavioral health settings.
• Assess the effectiveness of mental health education among emergency room nurses .
• Explore de-escalation techniques that result in improved patient outcomes.
• Review the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in improving patient outcomes.

5. Pediatric Nursing Research Topics

• Assess the impact of parental involvement in pediatric asthma treatment adherence.
• Explore challenges related to chronic illness management in pediatric patients.
• Review the role of play therapy and other therapeutic interventions that alleviate anxiety among hospitalized children.

6. The Nursing Profession Research Topics

• Analyze the effects of short staffing on nurse burnout .
• Evaluate factors that facilitate resiliency among nursing professionals.
• Examine predictors of nurse dissatisfaction and burnout.
• Posit how nursing theories influence modern nursing practice.

Tips for Writing a Nursing Research Paper

The best nursing research advice we can provide is to follow your professor's rubric and instructions. However, here are a few study tips for nursing students to make paper writing less painful:

Avoid procrastination: Everyone says it, but few follow this advice. You can significantly lower your stress levels if you avoid procrastinating and start working on your project immediately.

Plan Ahead: Break down the writing process into smaller sections, especially if it seems overwhelming. Give yourself time for each step in the process.

Research: Use your resources and ask for help from the librarian or instructor. The rest should come together quickly once you find high-quality studies to analyze.

Outline: Create an outline to help you organize your thoughts. Then, you can plug in information throughout the research process. 

Clear Language: Use plain language as much as possible to get your point across. Jargon is inevitable when writing academic nursing papers, but keep it to a minimum.

Cite Properly: Accurately cite all sources using the appropriate citation style. Nursing research papers will almost always implement APA style. Check out the resources below for some excellent reference management options.

Revise and Edit: Once you finish your first draft, put it away for one to two hours or, preferably, a whole day. Once you've placed some space between you and your paper, read through and edit for clarity, coherence, and grammatical errors. Reading your essay out loud is an excellent way to check for the 'flow' of the paper.

Helpful Nursing Research Writing Resources:

Purdue OWL (Online writing lab) has a robust APA guide covering everything you need about APA style and rules.

Grammarly helps you edit grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Upgrading to a paid plan will get you plagiarism detection, formatting, and engagement suggestions. This tool is excellent to help you simplify complicated sentences.

Mendeley is a free reference management software. It stores, organizes, and cites references. It has a Microsoft plug-in that inserts and correctly formats APA citations.

Don't let nursing research papers scare you away from starting nursing school or furthering your education. Their purpose is to develop skills you'll need to be an effective nurse: critical thinking, communication, and the ability to review published information critically.

Choose a great topic and follow your teacher's instructions; you'll finish that paper in no time.

Joleen Sams is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner based in the Kansas City metro area. During her 10-year RN career, Joleen worked in NICU, inpatient pediatrics, and regulatory compliance. Since graduating with her MSN-FNP in 2019, she has worked in urgent care and nursing administration. Connect with Joleen on LinkedIn or see more of her writing on her website.

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Nursing School Assignments and Tips to Ace All of Them

If you are about to start nursing school or considering enrolling in a nursing program, you would want to know what to expect. You will write many papers in nursing school and do many other assignments. This is true whether you pursue ADN, BSN, MSN, DNP, or PhD in Nursing.

Before we delve into the types of assignments and papers to expect in nursing school, let us begin by dispelling the myth that nursing school is hell; it is NOT. Instead, it is a beautiful and exciting journey into a noble profession. It entails a commitment to life-long continuous learning for you to grow.

Nursing school writing assignments are an excellent way for students to understand concepts taught in the classroom. You might wonder what kinds of assignments nursing students do. These assignments come in various forms and help students build critical thinking, creativity, research, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving skills that are critical in clinical settings.

This blog post looks at the diverse assignments you should expect or will cover in nursing school, including some tips to help you ace them and get better grades.

Common Nursing School Writing Assignments

Classwork forms the core of most nursing programs. You must have high-quality assignment submissions to attain better grades in nursing school. As soon as you decide to become a nursing student, you sign up for a marathon of writing different types of papers.

Whether you love or hate it, you will write papers before graduating from nursing school; that is the norm. Although not so many, you will encounter a few homework and assignments where you must submit a well-researched, formatted, and organized nursing paper.

The typical nursing school assignments include essays, research papers, term papers, and case studies. Others are article critiques/reviews, critical appraisal, evidence synthesis tables (synthesis matrix), PowerPoint Presentations, posters, discussion posts/ responses, and policy analysis papers. Other advanced papers include nursing care plans, SBAR template papers, evidence-based papers, capstone projects, theses, dissertations, proposals, etc.

These assignments are submitted either individually or as a group. Let us expound on this so you have a clear picture.

Essays for nursing classes come in various forms, including admission essays , scholarship essays, descriptive essays, persuasive essays, speech essays, expository essays, and narrative essays.

Notably, nursing essays focus on a single perspective, argument, or idea, which constantly forms the thesis of the paper.

Nursing essays focus on various topics relating to nursing practice and the broader healthcare field. You can write an essay examining a nursing theory or non-nursing theory or discuss a nursing issue .

Some essays, such as reflective nursing essays, use reflective models to reflect, analyze, and understand personal and professional encounters during clinical practice.

Each nursing essay should demonstrate your understanding of the topic, critical analysis, and organization skills. Besides, you should use evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly sources to support your arguments and ideas.

Discussion Board Posts

If you pursue a hybrid or exclusively online nursing program, you will be assigned to write weekly discussion forum posts and responses. Discussion board posts are short essay-like assignments posted in a threaded format so students can discuss nursing and healthcare topics.

You will write an original discussion post, between 200 and 300 words long, and post it on the forum. You are also expected to write a peer-response post in response to or to comment on an original post done by your peers.

Discussion boards help nursing students advance theoretical concepts, learn from one another, share ideas, and get feedback that can help them advance their knowledge in clinical reasoning and practice.

Research Papers

Nursing practice is evidence-driven, translating evidence into practice to ensure quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare. As such, nursing research takes precedence during studies and when practicing.

Nursing professors assign nursing students to write research papers on various evidence-based practice topics. The students must prove their worth by researching, analyzing, and organizing facts.

Related Writing Guides:

• How to write a nursing school research paper.
• Systematic Reviews vs Literature Review

Research papers help student nurses to review literature, conduct research, implement solutions, and draw evidence-based conclusions.

Research papers are critical in developing research and writing skills, maintaining good communication, and fostering creativity and clinical reasoning.

Potential nursing research paper topics can be quality improvement, healthcare/nursing informatics , healthcare policies, practice privileges, nursing ethics, ethical dilemmas , pathophysiology, and epidemiology .

Term Papers

In nursing school, a term paper is a type of assignment completed and submitted toward the end of the semester.

Usually, a professor can assign you a specific term paper topic, or they can let you choose a topic and consult with them for approval.

Term papers can be done individually or as a group project. A term paper has an impact on your final grade.

You should use credible scholarly sources published within the last five years for recent information.

Besides, also ensure that you plan your time well, do everything as per the instructions, and submit the nursing term paper before the deadline.

A term paper can also be a nursing process change report that is expected to address an area that needs change.

Case Studies

Nursing school case study assignments are an essential learning tool.

Most professors assign hypothetical clinical case studies or case scenarios (snippets) to test your clinical reasoning skills.

As a nursing educational tool, nursing case studies help you to develop practical, theoretical knowledge by simulating real-world experiences.

When analyzing a case study, you must use concepts and knowledge from class and class text to assess a patient, plan and implement care, and evaluate the outcomes.

Sometimes, you encounter simulated or digital clinical experience case studies such as iHuman and Shadow Health .

You should be very keen when analyzing a case study and when writing the analysis report.

Case studies help you get beyond books and use your creativity, clinical reasoning, problem-solving, and analytical skills to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems.

Your professor can give you a case study of a patient presenting with a given condition and expect you to take them through the care planning process, including admission and discharge, as you would in a real healthcare setting.

Other times, you can be asked to develop a hypothetical case study of a patient presenting with a chronic disease or a disorder and then use the case study guidelines, including head-to-toe assessment , diagnosis , nursing care planning , and discharge planning.

Related Guides:

• How to write a great nursing case study.
• How to complete a case conceptualization report (for psychiatric nursing students)

Nursing Care Plans and SOAP Notes

A nursing care plan can be part of a case study or a stand-alone assignment. Nursing care plans are essential in nursing education as they help students develop effective nursing care planning. Formulating a nursing care plan for a patient scenario or case helps treat them as you define the guidelines and roles of nurses in caring for the patient.

You also develop solid action plans for focused and patient-centred care by documenting the patient's needs. When they are part of an assignment, you can tabulate the nursing care plan using columns so that you explore every aspect independently.

Remember to use evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly sources when giving rationale.

The SOAP notes are a clinical tool healthcare professionals use to organize patient information to minimize confusion and assess, diagnose, and treat patients. Check our comprehensive guide on developing good SOAP Notes in nursing school .

Concept Maps

Another common nursing school assignment is concept maps. Concept mapping helps you visually organize, compartmentalize, and categorize information about nursing care planning, medical diagnosis, pathophysiology, SBAR, nursing responsibilities, etc.

A nursing concept map assignment equips you with strong critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. You also hone your clinical reasoning skills in the process.

Whether it is part of an assignment or a stand-alone, learn how to write great concept maps to score the best grades.

Concept Analysis Papers

If you are taking BSN, MSN, or DNP, you will likely be assigned to write a concept analysis paper. Make sure to distinguish this from a concept paper that is a proposal. A concept analysis paper examines the structure and function of a nursing concept.

The process entails a review of the literature and creativity in coming up with borderline, related, contrast, inverted, and illegitimate cases.

You also explore the antecedents and consequences of the concept before finalizing with empirical referents.

If you need to learn about the structure of a good concept analysis paper, check out our nursing concept analysis guide . We have listed concepts you can analyze depending on your speciality, instructions, and passion.

Capstone Projects

At an advanced stage in nursing school, students are expected to submit longer research papers; capstone project papers. A nursing capstone project is a final project that allows students to demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and concepts gained throughout the nursing program.

In nursing education, the capstone project typically covers an evidence-based practice issue or problem. You can write a nursing change paper, look into a clinical process, problem, or issue, and then develop recommendations based on a study.

Most of the MSN and DNP capstone projects focus on clinical change or quality improvement. You will be expected to develop a PICOT question and formulate a research study to examine the issue, implement a change process using evidence-based models, and make recommendations.

Nursing capstone projects are individual research projects based on nursing topics either of your professional or personal interest. You have to demonstrate competency and commitment to improve health outcomes.

Apart from capstone projects, you will also write a nursing thesis and dissertation papers, which depend on the program requirements and your professor's preferences.

Check out these specific writing guides for advanced papers:

• How to write a nursing dissertation or thesis
• Tips for choosing the best nursing dissertation topic
• How to write an excellent capstone project paper
• List of capstone project topics for nursing school
• How to formulate a PICOT question
• PICOT question examples to inspire nursing students

Group Assignments

In nursing school and practice, collaboration and teamwork are highly recommended. You will encounter collaborative group assignments such as presentations (PowerPoint slides, Prezi, or other platforms), simulation assignments, writing nursing reports, and group research projects.

Group projects allow you to research, learn, and organize ideas together so that you can understand concepts better. It is essential to avoid social loafing in a group to gain more. Besides, plan your time well and avoid excuses.

You can also be assigned to work on simulation exercises as a group of nursing students. The aim of such exercises is to build a collaborative, teamwork, and decision-making spirit among the team.

When in such groups, expect to work with your peers to assess the hypothetical patient, communicate with your peers, formulate a care plan, and manage any arising issues as you would in clinical settings. Do not take such activities for granted; they contribute significantly to your grade.

Presentations

Your professor can assign you to design a PowerPoint Slide accompanied by speaker notes and send it for grading or present it online or in class. Under presentations, you will also be requested to design flyers, posters, and other visual documents to disseminate information.

It could be about a disease, health promotion, or nursing research. You must also make PowerPoint slides when presenting a thesis, dissertation, or capstone for assessments. Remember, this is the chance to bring out your creativity.

Expect other assignments such as dosage calculations, HESI test exams, skills checkoffs, electronic medical record documentation, nursing student portfolio, online quizzes, drug write-ups, process recordings, group drug presentations, etc.

In most cases, you will be given a template to use wisely and make it as appealing as possible.

Tips to Help You Ace Nursing Assignments

A lot goes into getting the best grades in nursing school. One of the main determinants of your nursing school grades is the assignments, which you are required to do and complete within set deadlines.

Even though many nursing students perform better on clinical, that needs to reflect in written assignments. Most students fear research and writing or do not take writing assignments seriously. Regardless of the assignment, here are some practical and effective tips to help you ace your nursing school writing assignments and surprise everyone, including yourself.

1. Plan your Time

The number one challenge for nursing students that inhibits them from completing assignments is the need for more time management.

Most students are juggling studies and work to make ends meet. It worsens when you have a massive workload from more than one class and a family to look after.

The simple trick to beat this is to manage your time well. You can schedule your assignments for periods when you are free and when you can concentrate and cover more. Assignments have deadlines ranging from hours to days or a few weeks.

To succeed, keep track of your assignments and other academic activities, such as mid-term and final examinations, so that you can plan your study periods. You can use online time management tools and apps to allocate your nursing school homework time.

With proper planning, you should be reassured about the last-minute rush to complete your assignment, which is responsible for the colossal failure we are experiencing in nursing schools.

2. Follow the Course Guidelines to the T

Guidelines, prompts, and reading materials accompany each writing assignment and homework. Sometimes a professor can be generous enough also to give you access to the Rubric, which breaks down how they will assess assignments. Ensure you read everything and note what is required before working on any paper.

Pay attention to these, read, and familiarize yourself with the course guidelines. Understand the formatting requirements preferred by your school, such as Vancouver, APA, or Harvard. Most nursing schools will specify this in the course documents. Also, check the databases and journal articles you can use when writing your nursing assignments.

Preparing in advance by reading the course materials to identify the recommended study materials. You will have a deeper understanding, knowledge, and skills to handle every nursing assignment correctly.

3. Have an Active Study Buddy

A nursing study buddy can be one of your classmates whom you study with. Study buddies offer mutual support, which comes in handy when completing assignments.

Select a bright and committed person with something to offer so you are not only giving. Set the study hours and have accountability follow-ups to ensure you cover much of the syllabus and concepts in time.

A study buddy can help you understand nursing concepts, theories, models, and frameworks. They can also help you review your written papers and give valuable feedback when editing and proofreading your nursing papers.

A knowledgeable, accountable, committed study partner can help you revamp your grades by submitting high-quality assignments.

4. Join a Study Group

A study group is a tried and tested means of completing nursing assignments. Apart from building your teamwork and collaborative skills, you can brainstorm ideas, critique one another, and learn more about the class assignments. With diversity in thoughts, you can get valuable insights and inputs for personal-level work.

Besides, you are also guaranteed to ace the nursing group assignments with ease. When doing group work, try to rotate into new groups so that you can appreciate the diversity of thoughts and reasoning. You can also identify individuals from your groups, those that are active, as your study buddies.

When you have accountability partners within the group, you commit to given tasks and make necessary follow-ups. If you are a part-time student, consider having students whose free time is similar to yours to benefit everyone.

5. Get Writing Assignment Help

As with other subjects in college and university, nursing students face challenges such as time management, complexity of assignments, too many assignments, and writer's block. When you feel overwhelmed with completing your nursing class assignments, you can always pay someone to handle the class for you or at least do your coursework or assignments.

One sure way to get assistance without drawing too much attention is by trusting assignment help websites like NurseMyGrade.com with your papers. Many students do not have time to complete assignments or find them challenging. Consequently, many hire nursing assignment helpers from nursing paper writing platforms.

If you feel like hiring the right professionals, use NurseMyGrade. We offer customized writing solutions to nursing students at different academic levels. Our nursing experts can complete short and lengthy assignments. You will have a well-researched and formatted paper written in Vancouver, APA, MLA, ASA, AMA, Harvard, or any citation style you choose.

You can use the tips and insights above to master nursing school assignments. We wish you all the best as you strive towards excellence. Don't worry about the many assignments. Instead, be grateful that they will equip you with knowledge, skills, and experience to make you the best nurse.

How Many Papers to Write in Nursing School

We have so far covered the general aspects of the types of assignments to expect in nursing school. Under the assignments, you may ask yourself if you must write many papers in nursing school.

While the answer depends on your professor, institutional curriculum requirements, and nursing level, you will undoubtedly write a couple of academic papers before graduating from nursing school. You will write research papers, essays, proposals, white papers, policy analysis papers, capstone project papers, case studies, scholarship essays, personal statements, quality improvement reports, etc.

Suppose you are pursuing a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program. In that case, you will likely write between 13 and 15 papers during the LPN program, including short and long essays, reflective journals, essays, patient-based case studies, and others as your professor pleases.

If you are in a 2-year ADN program, expect to complete about 20 to 30 papers, including care plans, SBAR reports, essays, case studies analyses, research papers, reports, and other assignments.

For a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, you will write between 35 and 50 papers. If you are taking the online class program options, like the WGU BSN program, you might write more papers because they form the basis for your assessment.

BSN-level papers are demanding because you must strictly adhere to the formatting styles and be critical and organized in your presentation.

If you are taking a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program, an advanced-level study for registered nurses (RNs), you will do about 20-50 papers, given that it offers the foundation for nursing research. Again, at an advanced level, the MSN writing assignments are complex.

You need to plan well, research widely, and analyze facts thoroughly before drawing conclusions. During this level, expect to write papers such as MSN essays, discussion posts and responses, specialized case studies, research papers, clinical reports, advanced SOAP notes, nursing care plans, policy papers, position papers (white papers), dissertations, theses, capstone papers, project papers, and change project papers.

You are expected to show exquisite research skills for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, considered the highest level or terminal degree in nursing practice. At this level, you have specialized, advanced your knowledge, and have adequate experience.

Mostly, DNP papers are a little longer. You will write between 20-30 papers; depending on your nursing school curriculum and supervisor's preference, it could be less or more.

If you opt for the research route, you will write many research papers, technical papers, policy analysis papers, white papers, reflection papers, nursing dissertations, PICOT-based change project papers (DNP change project papers), and other assignments.

Finally, for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing programs, you should expect to write between 10 and 15 papers covering research-oriented topics.

Attaining this degree makes you the epitome of success in the field. You can advance into a nursing researcher, educator, leader, or manager.

We have writers that can help you handle all these types of papers regardless of the academic level. Our Online Nursing Writing pros are available for hire anytime and any day.

Having worked successfully with many nursing clients/students, we are confident to help you achieve your dreams.

Before you go ...

There are many assignments and papers to complete in nursing school, including written assignments, quizzes, exams (oral and written), reflective journals, journal entries, e-Portfolio, integrative reviews, teaching plans, presentations, etc. Whether taking an LPN program or advancing your career by pursuing a Ph.D. in Nursing, you will do many nursing school assignments.

Do not take assignments as a punishment. Instead, consider them as tools to equip and shape you into a desirable nurse practitioner.

If you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious about completing the assignments, you can hire our nursing writers to help you. We can help you ace nursing assignments online and ensure that you get 100% well-researched, organized, and proofread papers.

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The Ultimate Guide to Nursing Assignments: 7 Tips and Strategies

Nursing assignments are a critical component of every nursing student’s academic journey. They serve as opportunities to test your knowledge, apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios, and develop essential skills necessary for your future nursing career. However, tackling nursing assignments can often be overwhelming, particularly when you’re juggling multiple responsibilities. In this comprehensive guide, we provide valuable tips, strategies, and expert assignment help services to help you excel in your nursing assignments. Whether you’re struggling with research, structuring your assignment, or proofreading, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Understanding the Nursing Assignments

To excel in nursing assignments , it’s crucial to start by thoroughly understanding the requirements. Take the time to carefully read the assignment prompt, paying close attention to the topic, word count, formatting guidelines, and any specific instructions provided by your instructor. Understanding these key components will ensure that you meet all the necessary criteria.

Conducting Thorough Research

Once you have a clear understanding of the assignment, it’s time to conduct thorough research. Solid research forms the foundation of any successful nursing assignment. Begin by gathering relevant and credible sources, such as nursing textbooks, scholarly articles, reputable websites , and academic databases specific to nursing. These resources will provide you with evidence-based information to support your arguments and demonstrate your understanding of the topic.

Creating a Well-Structured Outline

A well-structured outline is essential for organizing your thoughts and ensuring a logical flow in your nursing assignment. An effective outline acts as a roadmap, guiding you through the writing process and ensuring that you cover all the necessary points.

At [Your Service Name], our expert writers can assist you in creating a comprehensive outline tailored to your specific assignment. By collaborating with us, you can receive personalized guidance in organizing your ideas effectively and structuring your assignment in a logical manner. Our writers understand the nuances of nursing assignments and can help you identify the most important concepts and supporting evidence to include.

Using a Professional Tone

Maintaining a professional tone throughout your nursing assignment is crucial. As aspiring healthcare professionals, it’s essential to communicate your ideas with clarity, conciseness, and professionalism. Use clear and concise language, avoiding jargon or slang that may hinder the reader’s understanding. Present your arguments and supporting evidence in a logical and coherent manner, demonstrating your ability to think critically and apply nursing principles.

Our expert writers have extensive experience in academic writing within the field of nursing. They possess a deep understanding of the professional tone required for nursing assignments and can ensure that your assignment is written to the highest standards. By collaborating with us, you can receive guidance in maintaining a professional tone and effectively conveying your ideas.

Incorporating Practical Examples

In addition to a professional tone, incorporating practical examples into your nursing assignment can greatly enhance its quality. Practical examples bring theoretical concepts to life, illustrating their application in real-life scenarios. They demonstrate your understanding of nursing principles and showcase your ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Our team consists of experienced nursing professionals who can assist you in incorporating relevant practical examples into your assignment. Drawing from their extensive knowledge and expertise, they can provide you with real-life scenarios or case studies that strengthen the impact and credibility of your work. By collaborating with us, you can elevate the quality of your assignment by demonstrating your ability to apply nursing concepts in practical settings.

Proofreading and Editing

Proofreading and editing are essential steps in the assignment writing process. They ensure that your nursing assignment is polished, error-free, and effectively communicates your ideas. After completing the initial draft, it’s crucial to take a break and return to your work with fresh eyes. During the proofreading stage, carefully review your assignment for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Correct any errors and inconsistencies that may affect the clarity and professionalism of your writing.

At nursingresearchhelp.com , we have a dedicated team of proofreaders and editors who specialize in nursing assignments. They meticulously review your work, ensuring that it adheres to formatting guidelines and meets the highest standards of academic writing. Our proofreaders and editors will help you refine your assignment, ensuring that it is polished and error-free. By collaborating with us, you can rest assured that your assignment will be thoroughly reviewed and refined before submission.

Seeking Help When Needed

In addition to proofreading and editing, it’s important to seek help when needed. Nursing assignments can be challenging, and it’s perfectly normal to require assistance. Whether you’re facing difficulties in understanding the assignment prompt, need guidance in specific areas, or simply want a fresh perspective on your work, don’t hesitate to reach out for support.

Our friendly and knowledgeable support team is always available to address any questions or concerns you may have. We understand the unique challenges faced by nursing students and can provide you with the guidance and clarification you need. By seeking help when needed, you can overcome obstacles and ensure the successful completion of your nursing assignments.

Mastering nursing assignments is within your reach with the right tips, strategies, and expert assignment help services. At nursingresearchhelp.com we are committed to supporting nursing students in excelling in their academic pursuits. Our experienced writers, proofreaders, and editors can provide personalized assistance throughout the assignment writing process, ensuring that your assignments meet the highest standards of quality and professionalism.

With our help, you can confidently tackle your nursing assignments and overcome any challenges you may face. Visit our website nursingresearchhelp.com to learn more about our services and how we can support you in achieving academic excellence. Whether you need guidance in understanding the assignment, conducting thorough research, creating a well-structured outline, using a professional tone, incorporating practical examples, or ensuring a polished final product, we are here to assist you. Trust us for reliable and professional assignment help tailored to your needs.

Don’t let the challenges of nursing assignments hold you back—reach out to us for reliable and professional assignment help tailored to your needs.

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Domain 9: Professionalism

Descriptor: Formation and cultivation of a sustainable professional identity, including accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition, and comportment, that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values.

Contextual Statement: Professionalism encompasses the development of a nursing identity embracing the values of integrity, altruism, inclusivity, compassion, courage, humility, advocacy, caring, autonomy, humanity, and social justice. Professional identity formation necessitates the development of emotional intelligence to promote social good, engage in social justice, and demonstrate ethical comportment, moral courage, and assertiveness in decision making and actions. Nursing professionalism is a continuous process of socialization that requires the nurse to give back to the profession through the mentorship and development of others.

Professional identity, influenced by one’s personal identity and unique background, is formed throughout one’s education and career. Nursing identity flourishes through engagement and reflection in multiple experiences that is defined by differing perspectives and voices. As a result, nurses embrace the history, characteristics, and values of the discipline and think, act, and feel like a nurse. Professional identity formation is not a linear process but rather one that responds to challenges and matures through professional experiences as one develops confidence as a nurse.

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Entry-Level Domain 9 Competencies

9.1 Demonstrate an ethical comportment in one’s practice reflective of nursing’s mission to society.

9.1a Apply principles of professional nursing ethics and human rights in patient care and professional situations.

9.1b Reflect on one’s actions and their consequences.

9.1c Demonstrate ethical behaviors in practice.

9.1d Change behavior based on self and situational awareness.

9.1e Report unethical behaviors when observed.

9.1f Safeguard privacy, confidentiality, and autonomy in all interactions.

9.1g Advocate for the individual’s right to selfdetermination.

9.2 Employ participatory approach to nursing care.

9.2a Employ the use of intentional presence to facilitate shared meaning of the experience between nurse and recipient of care.

9.2b Facilitate health and healing through compassionate caring.

9.2c Demonstrate empathy to the individual’s life experience.

9.2d Advocate for practices that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

9.2e Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility in practice.

9.2f Apply principles of therapeutic relationships and professional boundaries.

9.2g Communicate in a professional manner.

9.3 Demonstrate accountability to the individual, society, and the profession.

9.3a Engage in advocacy that promotes the best interest of the individual, community, and profession.

9.3b Demonstrate the moral courage to report concerns related to actual or potential hazards and/ or errors.

9.3c Demonstrate professional and personal honesty and integrity.

9.3d Take responsibility for one’s roles, decisions, obligations, actions, and care outcomes.

9.3e Engage in professional activities and/or organizations.

9.3f Demonstrate adherence to a culture of civility.

9.3g Advocate for social justice and health equity, including addressing the health of vulnerable populations.

9.3h Engage in peer evaluation.

9.4 Comply with relevant laws, policies, and regulations.

9.4a Advocate for policies that promote health and prevent harm.

9.4b Adhere to the registered nurse scope and standards of practice.

9.4c Adhere to regulatory requirements and workplace policies consistent with one’s educational preparation.

9.5 Demonstrate the professional identity of nursing.

9.5a Describe nursing’s professional identity and contributions to the healthcare team.

9.5b Demonstrate the core values of professional nursing identity.

9.5c Demonstrate sensitivity to the values of others.

9.5d Demonstrate ethical comportment and moral courage in decision making and actions.

9.5e Demonstrate emotional intelligence

9.6 Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion as core to one’s professional identity.

9.6a Demonstrate respect for diverse individual differences and diverse communities and populations

9.6b Demonstrate awareness of personal and professional values and conscious and unconscious biases.

9.6c Integrate core principles of social justice and human rights into practice.

Advanced-Level Domain 9 Competencies

9.1h Analyze current policies and practices in the context of an ethical framework.

9.1i Model ethical behaviors in practice and leadership roles.

9.1j Suggest solutions when unethical behaviors are observed.

9.1k Assume accountability for working to resolve ethical dilemmas.

9.2h Foster opportunities for intentional presence in practice.

9.2i Identify innovative and evidence-based practices that promote person-centered care.

9.2j Advocate for practices that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

9.2k Model professional expectations for therapeutic relationships.

9.2l Facilitate communication that promotes a participatory approach.

9.3i Advocate for nursing’s professional responsibility for ensuring optimal care outcomes

9.3j Demonstrate leadership skills when participating in professional activities and/or organizations.

9.3k Address actual or potential hazards and/or errors.

9.3l Foster a practice environment that promotes accountability for care outcomes.

9.3m Advocate for policies/practices that promote social justice and health equity.

9.3n Foster strategies that promote a culture of civility across a variety of settings.

9.3o Lead in the development of opportunities for professional and interprofessional activities.

9.4d Advocate for polices that enable nurses to practice to the full extent of their education.

9.4e Assess the interaction between regulatory agency requirements and quality, fiscal, and valuebased indicators.

9.4f Evaluate the effect of legal and regulatory policies on nursing practice and healthcare outcomes.

9.4g Analyze efforts to change legal and regulatory policies that improve nursing practice and health outcomes.

9.4h Participate in the implementation of policies and regulations to improve the professional practice environment and healthcare outcomes.

9.5f Articulate nursing’s unique professional identity to other interprofessional team members and the public.

9.5g Evaluate practice environment to ensure that nursing core values are demonstrated.

9.5h Identify opportunities to lead with moral courage to influence team decision-making.

9.5i Engage in professional organizations that reflect nursing’s values and identity.

9.6d Model respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion for all team members.

9.6e Critique one’s personal and professional practices in the context of nursing’s core values.

9.6f Analyze the impact of structural and cultural influences on nursing’s professional identity.

9.6g Ensure that care provided by self and others is reflective of nursing’s core values.

9.6h Structure the practice environment to facilitate care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.

9.6i Ensure self and others are accountable in upholding moral, legal, and humanistic principles related to health.

What is Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing? (With Examples, Benefits, & Challenges)

Are you a nurse looking for ways to increase patient satisfaction, improve patient outcomes, and impact the profession? Have you found yourself caught between traditional nursing approaches and new patient care practices? Although evidence-based practices have been used for years, this concept is the focus of patient care today more than ever. Perhaps you are wondering, “What is evidence-based practice in nursing?” In this article, I will share information to help you begin understanding evidence-based practice in nursing + 10 examples about how to implement EBP.

What is Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing?

When was evidence-based practice first introduced in nursing, who introduced evidence-based practice in nursing, what is the difference between evidence-based practice in nursing and research in nursing, what are the benefits of evidence-based practice in nursing, top 5 benefits to the patient, top 5 benefits to the nurse, top 5 benefits to the healthcare organization, 10 strategies nursing schools employ to teach evidence-based practices, 1. assigning case studies:, 2. journal clubs:, 3. clinical presentations:, 4. quizzes:, 5. on-campus laboratory intensives:, 6. creating small work groups:, 7. interactive lectures:, 8. teaching research methods:, 9. requiring collaboration with a clinical preceptor:, 10. research papers:, what are the 5 main skills required for evidence-based practice in nursing, 1. critical thinking:, 2. scientific mindset:, 3. effective written and verbal communication:, 4. ability to identify knowledge gaps:, 5. ability to integrate findings into practice relevant to the patient’s problem:, what are 5 main components of evidence-based practice in nursing, 1. clinical expertise:, 2. management of patient values, circumstances, and wants when deciding to utilize evidence for patient care:, 3. practice management:, 4. decision-making:, 5. integration of best available evidence:, what are some examples of evidence-based practice in nursing, 1. elevating the head of a patient’s bed between 30 and 45 degrees, 2. implementing measures to reduce impaired skin integrity, 3. implementing techniques to improve infection control practices, 4. administering oxygen to a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd), 5. avoiding frequently scheduled ventilator circuit changes, 6. updating methods for bathing inpatient bedbound clients, 7. performing appropriate patient assessments before and after administering medication, 8. restricting the use of urinary catheterizations, when possible, 9. encouraging well-balanced diets as soon as possible for children with gastrointestinal symptoms, 10. implementing and educating patients about safety measures at home and in healthcare facilities, how to use evidence-based knowledge in nursing practice, step #1: assessing the patient and developing clinical questions:, step #2: finding relevant evidence to answer the clinical question:, step #3: acquire evidence and validate its relevance to the patient’s specific situation:, step #4: appraise the quality of evidence and decide whether to apply the evidence:, step #5: apply the evidence to patient care:, step #6: evaluating effectiveness of the plan:, 10 major challenges nurses face in the implementation of evidence-based practice, 1. not understanding the importance of the impact of evidence-based practice in nursing:, 2. fear of not being accepted:, 3. negative attitudes about research and evidence-based practice in nursing and its impact on patient outcomes:, 4. lack of knowledge on how to carry out research:, 5. resource constraints within a healthcare organization:, 6. work overload:, 7. inaccurate or incomplete research findings:, 8. patient demands do not align with evidence-based practices in nursing:, 9. lack of internet access while in the clinical setting:, 10. some nursing supervisors/managers may not support the concept of evidence-based nursing practices:, 12 ways nurse leaders can promote evidence-based practice in nursing, 1. be open-minded when nurses on your teams make suggestions., 2. mentor other nurses., 3. support and promote opportunities for educational growth., 4. ask for increased resources., 5. be research-oriented., 6. think of ways to make your work environment research-friendly., 7. promote ebp competency by offering strategy sessions with staff., 8. stay up-to-date about healthcare issues and research., 9. actively use information to demonstrate ebp within your team., 10. create opportunities to reinforce skills., 11. develop templates or other written tools that support evidence-based decision-making., 12. review evidence for its relevance to your organization., bonus 8 top suggestions from a nurse to improve your evidence-based practices in nursing, 1. subscribe to nursing journals., 2. offer to be involved with research studies., 3. be intentional about learning., 4. find a mentor., 5. ask questions, 6. attend nursing workshops and conferences., 7. join professional nursing organizations., 8. be honest with yourself about your ability to independently implement evidence-based practice in nursing., useful resources to stay up to date with evidence-based practices in nursing, professional organizations & associations, blogs/websites, youtube videos, my final thoughts, frequently asked questions answered by our expert, 1. what did nurses do before evidence-based practice, 2. how did florence nightingale use evidence-based practice, 3. what is the main limitation of evidence-based practice in nursing, 4. what are the common misconceptions about evidence-based practice in nursing, 5. are all types of nurses required to use evidence-based knowledge in their nursing practice, 6. will lack of evidence-based knowledge impact my nursing career, 7. i do not have access to research databases, how do i improve my evidence-based practice in nursing, 7. are there different levels of evidence-based practices in nursing.

• Level One: Meta-analysis of random clinical trials and experimental studies • Level Two: Quasi-experimental studies- These are focused studies used to evaluate interventions. • Level Three: Non-experimental or qualitative studies. • Level Four: Opinions of nationally recognized experts based on research. • Level Five: Opinions of individual experts based on non-research evidence such as literature reviews, case studies, organizational experiences, and personal experiences.

8. How Can I Assess My Evidence-Based Knowledge In Nursing Practice?

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Common Assignments: Writing in Nursing

Although there may be some differences in writing expectations between disciplines, all writers of scholarly work are required to follow basic writing standards such as writing clear, concise, and grammatically correct sentences; using proper punctuation; demonstrating critical thought; and, in all Walden programs, using APA style. When writing in nursing, however, students must also be familiar with the goals of the discipline and discipline-specific writing expectations.

Nurses are primarily concerned about providing quality care to patients and their families, and this demands both technical knowledge and the appropriate expression of ideas (“Writing in nursing,” n.d). As a result, nursing students are expected to learn how to present information succinctly, and even though they may often use technical medical terminology (“Writing in nursing,” n.d.), their work should be accessible to anyone who may read it. Among many goals, writers within this discipline are required to:

• Document knowledge/research
• Demonstrate critical thinking
• Express creative ideas
• Explore nursing literature
• Demonstrate understanding of learning activities. (Wagner, n.d., para. 2)

Given this broad set of objectives, nursing students would benefit from learning how to write diverse literature, including scholarly reports, reviews, articles, and so on. They should aim to write work that can be used in both the research and clinical aspects of the discipline. Walden instructors often ask nursing students to write position and reflective papers, critique articles, gather and analyze data, respond to case studies, and work collaboratively on a project. Although there may be differences between the writing expectations within the classroom and those in the workplace, the standards noted below, though more common in scholarly writing, require skills that are transferrable to the work setting.

Because one cannot say everything there is to say about a particular subject, writers present their work from a particular perspective. For instance, one might choose to examine the shortage of nurses from a public policy perspective. One’s particular contribution, position, argument, or viewpoint is commonly referred to as the thesis and, according to Gerring et al. (2004), a good thesis is one that is “new, true, and significant” (p. 2). To strengthen a thesis, one might consider presenting an argument that goes against what is currently accepted within the field while carefully addressing counterarguments and adequately explaining why the issue under consideration matters (Gerring et al., 2004). The thesis is particularly important because readers want to know whether the writer has something new or worthwhile to say about the topic. Thus, as you review the literature, before writing, it is important to find gaps and creative linkages between viewpoints with the goal of contributing innovative ideas to an ongoing discussion. For a contribution to be worthwhile you must read the literature carefully and without bias; doing this will enable you to identify some of the subtle differences in the viewpoints presented by different authors and help you to better identify the gaps in the literature. Because the thesis is essentially the heart of your discussion, it is important that it is argued objectively and persuasively.

With the goal of providing high quality care, the healthcare industry places a premium on rigorous research as the foundation for evidence-based practices. Thus, students are expected to keep up with the most current research in their field and support the assertions they make in their work with evidence from the literature. Nursing students also must learn how to evaluate evidence in nursing literature and identify the studies that answer specific clinical questions (Oermann & Hays, 2011). Writers are also expected to critically analyze and evaluate studies and assess whether findings can be used in clinical practice (Beyea & Slattery, 2006). (Some useful and credible sources include journal articles, other peer-reviewed sources, and authoritative sources that might be found on the web. If you need help finding credible sources contact a librarian.)

Like other APA style papers, research papers in nursing should follow the following format: title, abstract, introduction, literature review, method, results, discussion, references, and appendices (see APA 7, Sections 2.16-2.25). Note that the presentation follows a certain logic: In the introduction one presents the issue under consideration; in the literature review, one presents what is already known about the topic (thus providing a context for the discussion), identifies gaps, and presents one’s approach; in the methods section, one would then identify the method used to gather data; and in the results and discussion sections, one then presents and explains the results in an objective manner, noting the limitations of the study (Dartmouth Writing Program, 2005). Note that not all papers need to be written in this manner; for guidance on the formatting of a basic course paper, see the appropriate template on our website.

In their research, nursing researchers use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. In quantitative studies, researchers rely primarily on quantifiable data; in qualitative studies, they use data from interviews or other types of narrative analyses; and in mixed methods studies, they use both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A researcher should be able to pose a researchable question and identify an appropriate research method. Whatever method the researcher chooses, the research must be carried out in an objective and scientific manner, free from bias. Keep in mind that your method will have an impact on the credibility of your work, so it is important that your methods are rigorous. Walden offers a series of research methods courses to help students become familiar with the various research methods.

Instructors expect students to master the content of the discipline and use discipline- appropriate language in their writing. In practice, nurses may be required to become familiar with standardized nursing language as it has been found to lead to the following:

• better communication among nurses and other health care providers,
• increased visibility of nursing interventions,
• improved patient care,
• enhanced data collection to evaluate nursing care outcomes,
• greater adherence to standards of care, and
• facilitated assessment of nursing competency. (Rutherford, 2008)

Like successful writers in other disciplines and in preparation for diverse roles within their fields, in their writing nursing students should demonstrate that they (a) have cultivated the thinking skills that are useful in their discipline, (b) are able to communicate professionally, and (c) can incorporate the language of the field in their work appropriately (Colorado State University, 2011).

If you have content-specific questions, be sure to ask your instructor. The Writing Center is available to help you present your ideas as effectively as possible.

Beyea, S. C., & Slattery, M. J. (2006). Evidence-based practice in nursing: A guide to successful implementation . http://www.hcmarketplace.com/supplemental/3737_browse.pdf

Colorado State University. (2011). Why assign WID tasks? http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/com6a1.cfm

Dartmouth Writing Program. (2005). Writing in the social sciences . http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/soc_sciences/write.shtml

Rutherford, M. (2008). Standardized nursing language: What does it mean for nursing practice? [Abstract]. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing , 13 (1). http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursing/Health-IT/StandardizedNursingLanguage.html

Wagner, D. (n.d.). Why writing matters in nursing . https://www.svsu.edu/nursing/programs/bsn/programrequirements/whywritingmatters/

Writing in nursing: Examples. (n.d.). http://www.technorhetoric.net/7.2/sectionone/inman/examples.html

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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Nursing as a Profession

• Is a calling that requires special knowledge, skill and preparation.
• An occupation that requires advanced knowledge and skills and that it grows out of society’s needs for special services.

Professional Nursing

• Is an art and a science, dominated by an ideal of service in which certain principles are applied in the skillful care of the well and the ill, and through relationship with the client/ patient, significant others, and other members of the health team.

Criteria of Profession

• To provide a needed service to the society.
• To advance knowledge in its field.
• To protect its members and make it possible to practice effectively.

Characteristics of a Profession

• Education. A profession requires an extended education of its members, as well as basic liberal foundation.
• Theory. A profession has a theoretical body of knowledge leading to defined skills, abilities and norms.
• Service. A profession provides basic service.
• Autonomy . Members of a profession have autonomy in decision making and in practice.
• Code of Ethics. The profession as a whole has a code of ethics for practice. A profession has sufficient self-impelling power o retain its members throughout life. It must not be a mere steppingstone to other occupations.
• Caring. The most unique characteristic of nursing as a profession is that, it is a CARING profession.
• Is a disciplined involved in the delivery of health care to the society.
• Is a helping profession
• Is service-oriented to maintain health and well-being of people.
• Is an art and a science.
• Nurse – originated from a Latin word NUTRIX, to nourish.

Characteristics of Nursing

• Nursing is caring.
• Nursing involves close personal contact with the recipient of care.
• Nursing is concerned with services that take humans into account as physiological, psychological, and sociological organisms.
• Nursing is committed to promoting individual, family, community, and national health goals in its best manner possible.
• Nursing is committed to personalized services for all persons without regard to color, creed, social or economic status.
• Nursing is committed to involvement in ethical, legal, and political issues in the delivery of health care.

Personal Qualities of a Nurse

• Must have a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.
• Must be physically and mentally fit.
• Must have a license to practice nursing in the country.

A professional nurse therefore, is a person who has completed a basic nursing education program and is licensed in his country to practice professional nursing.

Roles of a Professional

1. Caregiver/ Care provider

• the traditional and most essential role
• functions as nurturer, comforter, provider
• “mothering actions” of the nurse
• provides direct care and promotes comfort of client
• activities involves knowledge and sensitivity to what matters and what is important to clients
• show concern for client welfare and acceptance of the client as a person
• provides information and helps the client to learn or acquire new knowledge and technical skills
• Encourages compliance with prescribed therapy.
• promotes healthy lifestyles
• interprets information to the client

3. Counselor

• helps client to recognize and cope with stressful psychologic or social problems; to develop an improve interpersonal relationships and to promote personal growth
• provides emotional, intellectual to and psychologic support
• Focuses on helping a client to develop new attitudes, feelings and behaviors rather than promoting intellectual growth.
• Encourages the client to look at alternative behaviors recognize the choices and develop a sense of control.

4. Change agent

• Initiate changes or assist clients to make modifications in themselves or in the system of care.

5. Client advocate

• Involves concern for and actions in behalf of the client to bring about a change.
• Promotes what is best for the client, ensuring that the client’s needs are met and protecting the client’s right.
• Provides explanation in client’s language and support clients decisions.
• makes decisions, coordinates activities of others, allocate resource
• evaluate care and personnel
• Plans, give direction, develop staff, monitor operations, give the rewards fairly and represent both staff and administrations as needed.

7. Researcher

• participates in identifying significant researchable problems
• participates in scientific investigation and must be a consumer of research findings
• Must be aware of the research process, language of research, a sensitive to issues related to protecting the rights of human subjects.

Expanded role as of the nurse

1. Clinical Specialists

• Is a nurse who has completed a master’s degree in specialty and has considerable clinical expertise in that specialty. She provides expert care to individuals, participates in educating health care professionals and ancillary, acts as a clinical consultant and participates in research.

2. Nurse Practitioner

• Is a nurse who has completed either as certificate program or a master’s degree in a specialty and is also certified by the appropriate specialty organization. She is skilled at making nursing assessments, performing P. E., counseling, teaching and treating minor and self- limiting illness.

3. Nurse-midwife

• A nurse who has completed a program in midwifery; provides prenatal and postnatal care and delivers babies to woman with uncomplicated pregnancies.

4. Nurse anesthetist

• A nurse who completed the course of study in an anesthesia school and assess, prescribe, deliver, and manage care during the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative phases of a patient’s operative/interventional procedure(s). (Visit ANAA for more details.)

5. Nurse Educator

• A nurse usually with advanced degree, who beaches in clinical or educational settings, teaches theoretical knowledge, clinical skills and conduct research.

6. Nurse Entrepreneur

• A nurse who has an advanced degree, and manages health-related business.

7. Nurse administrator

• A nurse who functions at various levels of management in health settings; responsible for the management and administration of resources and personnel involved in giving patient care.

Fields and Opportunities in Nursing

1. Hospital/Institutional Nursing

• A nurse working in an institution with patients
• Example: rehabilitation, lying-in, etc.

2. Public Health Nursing/Community Health Nursing

• Usually deals with families and communities. (no confinement, OPD only)
• Example: Barangay, Health Center

3. Private Duty/special Duty Nurse

• Privately hired

4. Industrial/Occupational Nursing

• A nurse working in factories, office, companies

5. Nursing Education

• Nurses working in school, review center and in hospital as a CI.

6. Military Nurse

• Nurses working in a military base.

7. Clinic Nurse

• Nurses working in a private and public clinic.

8. Independent Nursing Practice

• Private practice, BP monitoring, home service.
• Independent Nurse Practitioner.

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Writing Tips for Nursing School Students

• Nursing School Writing Types
• Writing a Nursing Essay
• Citations Guide
• Common Writing Mistakes
• Writing Resources

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Writing is an essential skill nurses should achieve proficiency in early in their career. It is a crucial part of the profession, as nurses need to be able to effectively communicate with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals.

While verbal communication also plays a vital role in nursing, being able to write well builds the nurse’s ability to provide better care.

Being able to accurately detail a patient’s personal history, symptoms, and diagnosis allows for the execution of a precise treatment plan that is clearly communicated to all parties involved, both professional and personal.

From registered nurses to clinical nurses and beyond, being able to communicate effectively and efficiently is a critical soft skill that will help nurses in any role increase their ability to treat their patients.

This guide provides an overview of the types of writing nurses will experience throughout their educational training. Utilize the following tips and tricks to help strengthen your writing skills, which will ultimately help in the development of transferable career skills .

Types of Writing Nurses Will Do in School

Personal statements for nursing school.

Nursing schools want candidates who meet academic and professional requirements. They also want a candidate who demonstrates a sincere passion for patient care and individual connections. You should always craft a personal statement, even when the application doesn’t explicitly require one. Personal statements allow you to describe your goals, characteristics, credentials, volunteer work, and meaningful life experiences. A well-crafted essay can help you stand out among other qualified applicants. And, as with any piece of writing, you must take the time to revise.

In your personal statement, you should portray yourself as determined and empathetic, with characteristics, goals, work ethic, and healthcare philosophy that align with a program’s values. Some nursing schools ask for a general personal statement, while others require a specific prompt. Colleges commonly ask students to describe a hardship they overcame, a difficult task they accomplished, or a professional goal they hope to achieve through the program. Many schools also ask students to detail previous experiences in healthcare. You may decide to write about how you connect with patients or how you provide practical and emotional support to loved ones.

You will also encounter writing prompts during examinations, including standardized tests like the GRE or MCAT, nursing school entrance exams , and course-specific evaluations. You may also take exams to get state licensure or professional certification. In most of these instances, you will need to write one or several long-form essays. Proper planning is key. Though you won’t know what specific prompt the test will require, you can expect certain common topics. You can search online or use study guides to determine which prompts usually appear on each test.

On test day, you should begin by creating an outline that lists three main points in response to the prompt. Using these points, work backwards to write a central thesis to guide the essay’s structure. Review what you’ve written to ensure that the essay actually responds to the prompt at hand. Be sure to leave time to correct spelling, grammar, and stylistic errors.

Research Papers

Like essays, research papers follow a long-form structure. Unlike an essay, which heavily relies on the writer’s point of view, a research paper presents an in-depth investigation of a topic using data, expert opinions, and insights. While an essay evaluates general critical thinking and writing skills, a research paper tests your knowledge, research skills, and original contributions. Research papers also allow you to prove you understand what has been argued and discovered about a topic. Research papers, especially at the graduate and doctoral levels, require independent research and analyses. These papers sometimes take months or years to complete.

To write a successful research paper, you should pick a topic relevant to your interests and the nursing field. Possibilities include elderly care challenges, patient safety and ethics, mental health treatment and regulations in the U.S., and nursing shortages and possible solutions. Whatever your choice, you must plan accordingly. Advanced papers such as dissertations may require funding or help from professors. Research papers often consist of the following sections: abstract, introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and references. You should keep this general structure in mind as you prepare notes and outlines.

How Do You Write a Nursing Essay?

In nursing school, essay writing includes academic papers, personal narratives, and professional compositions. You should become familiar with each of the five major forms below. There are many similarities between these essay types, such as an overarching thesis and a supportive, logical structure. You should support claims with factual, statistical, anecdotal, and rhetorical evidence. However, each form requires distinct skills to achieve specific results.

Comparative

Cause and effect, citations guide for nursing students.

Citations allow readers to know where information came from. By citing sources, you avoid plagiarizing or stealing another person’s ideas, research, language, and analyses. Whether intentional or unintentional, plagiarism is one of the most egregious errors one can make. Consequences for plagiarism include automatic course failure, disciplinary actions from the university, and even legal repercussions. You should take special care to ensure you properly cite sources.

Which Style Should Nursing Students Use?

Because nurses rely on scientific terms and information, professionals in the field usually use APA style. Regardless of the purpose and specific genre of your text, you should always strive for concise, objective, and evidenced-based writing. You can expect to learn APA style as soon as you enroll in a major course. However, you should also prepare to learn other styles as part of your academic training. For example, freshman composition classes tend to focus on MLA guidelines.

Common Writing Mistakes Students Make

Active vs. passive voice.

Active and passive voice represent two different ways to present the same piece of information. Active voice focuses on the subject performing an action. For example, the dog bites the boy. This format creates clear, concise, and engaging writing. Using active voice, nurses might write, I administered patient care at 11:00. Passive voice, on the other hand, focuses on the object of the sentence or the action being performed. For example, the boy was bitten by the dog. A passive sentence is usually one that contains the verb “to be.” Using passive voice, you might write, patient care was administered at 11:00.

Professionals in the sciences often use passive voice in their writing to create an objective tone and authorial distance. Passive voice can prioritize specific terms, actions, evidence, or research over the writer’s presence. Additionally, nurses use passive voice because it is usually clear that the reported thoughts, actions, and opinions come from them. However, you must also learn how to use active voice.

Punctuation

There are 14 punctuation marks in the English language, each with multiple and sometimes overlapping uses. Additionally, certain punctuation marks only make sense in highly specific and nuanced grammatical instances. To master punctuation, you must learn through practice, particularly by revising your own writing.

For example, colons and semicolons are often used interchangeably, when they actually serve distinct purposes. Generally used before itemized lists, colons stand in for the phrases “here is what I mean” or “that is to say.” For example, I am bringing three things to the picnic: applesauce, napkins, and lemonade. Semicolons separate two independent clauses connected through topic or meaning. For example, It was below zero; Ricardo wondered if he would freeze to death. Comma splices, which create run on sentences, are another common mistake. You can identify a comma splice by learning the differences between an independent and dependent clause.

Grammar refers to the rules of a particular language system. Grammar determines how users can structure words and form sentences with coherent meaning. Aspects include syntax (the arrangement of words to convey their mutual relations in a sentence) and semantics (how individual words and word groups are understood). Unless you major in writing, literature, etymology, or another related field, you generally won’t examine English grammar deeply. Through years of cognitive development and practice, native users implicitly understand how to effectively employ the language.

Distinct grammatical systems exist for each language and, sometimes, even within a single language. For example, African American Vernacular English uses different syntactic rules than General American English. You should learn grammatical terms and definitions. Common errors include subject/verb agreement, sentence fragments, dangling modifiers, and vague or incorrect pronoun usage. Hasty writers can also misuse phonetically similar words (your/you’re, its/it’s, and there/their/they’re).

Writing Resources for Nursing Students

Apa style central, reviewed by:.

Shrilekha Deshaies, MSN, RN

Shri Deshaies is a nurse educator with over 20 years of experience teaching in hospital, nursing school, and community settings. Deshaies’ clinical area of expertise is critical care nursing and she is a certified critical care nurse. She has worked in various surgical ICUs throughout her career, including cardiovascular, trauma, and neurosurgery.

Shri Deshaies is a paid member of our Healthcare Review Partner Network. Learn more about our review partners here .

Page last reviewed November 30, 2021

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Academic essays part 3: how to pass an assignment.

John Fowler

Educational Consultant, explores how to survive your nursing career

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John Fowler , Educational Consultant, explores academic writing

Writing an academic essay is a skill, and like any other skill it can be learnt and improved upon. This is easier if the skill is broken down into steps that can be identified, followed and practised. Whereas nurse educators recognise the need to teach practical skills by identifying the various steps involved in the process—such as nursing assessments or applying sterile dressings—they are not so good at helping students identify the essential components of a successful academic essay. If the student can appreciate why these components are essential, they can be honed and practised to improve academic performance. These principles can also be used to give structure for lecturers introducing an assignment or formulating individual feedback.

Essential components of a successful essay

I've been setting and marking essays for over 30 years, supporting a range of staff from first-year students to specialist nurses undertaking Masters and PhDs. From this, I've identified eight components that make up the skill of successful academic essay writing:

• Clear thinking and factually correct The essay is a clear and logical exploration of the question set, based on the best available evidence. This demonstrates that the student has understood the subject and researched the question, going beyond their own opinions.
• Use of evidence-based literature and correct referencing technique The subject is explored using published evidence from journals and appropriate sources such as www.nice.org.uk and Cochrane databases. This demonstrates that the student can extract up-to-date information from reliable sources and reference the sources correctly as per the specific university guidelines.
• Evaluation of the evidence Rather than just repeating that an author said ‘A+B = C’ the student asks questions of the reliability of the evidence in terms of research style and sample size. Do the findings from one clinical setting transfer to another setting? This demonstrates that although the student understands the importance of evidence-based practice, they are not just accepting that anything in print can be directly applied without question.
• Comparative analysis The essay is not just a list of what different authors have said. It demonstrates that the student has read different papers and has attempted to make sense of how the opinions and findings agree or disagree. For example: Brown and Smith (2015) identified ‘patient-controlled analgesia’ as an important factor in a patient's perception of postoperative pain on a surgical ward. This was supported by Raby (2019) with patients on a orthopaedic ward, but not identified by Raine (2018), whose work centred on palliative care wards .
• Use of own experience to comment on the literature The student uses their own experience to comment on the literature, either agreeing, disagreeing or offering an explanation. This is very different from the student stating an opinion and then saying Smith (2010) agrees with me . Thus in the example above of factors affecting a patient's pain perception, the student might add an opinion as to why the results from a palliative care setting did not identify patient-controlled analgesia as an important factor. It is important that the nurse's experience is offered as a possible explanation rather than as a solid fact.
• Identification of gaps in the literature Once the evidence from the literature has been collected the student can use their clinical experience to comment on possible gaps in the literature. This is a valuable way to use clinical experience. It demonstrates understanding of the principles regarding the topic set in the question and acknowledges that there are many aspect of nursing not fully explored in the literature. It can also demonstrate originality of thought and ideas.
• Development of an argument The essay is not just a collection of ‘stand alone’ paragraphs. There should be a structure to the essay in which the main theme of the question set is explored, with each paragraph exploring a different sub theme. These sub themes should build together, linking and complementing each other. As the essay progresses it develops the interaction of the themes and the deepening of the argument based on the assignment question.
• Clear conclusion The conclusion should be about 8-10% of the essay. It should draw out the findings from the body of the essay and present them clearly and concisely. The argument that has been developed in the essay should be summarised and the implications for nursing discussed. The student should be succinctly answering any points in the original question.

Essay writing is a skill. Too often students of all professions are left to develop this skill by trial and error, never really understanding why one essay achieved a high mark and the next one didn't. Once you begin to understand the various components of this skill then you can begin to incorporate and build them into your work. Understanding why they are important and then practising them will help you develop and improve this important skill.

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Chapter 1 Scope of Practice

1.1. scope of practice introduction, learning objectives.

• Discuss nursing scope of practice and standards of care
• Compare various settings in which nurses work
• Describe contributions of interprofessional health care team members
• Describe levels of nursing education and the NCLEX
• Discuss basic legal considerations and ethics
• Outline professional nursing organizations
• Examine quality and evidence-based practice in nursing

You are probably wondering, “What is scope of practice? What does it mean for me and my nursing practice?”  Scope of practice  is defined as services that a trained health professional is deemed competent to perform and permitted to undertake according to the terms of their professional nursing license. [ 1 ] Nursing scope of practice provides a framework and structured guidance for activities one can perform based on their nursing license. As a nurse and a nursing student, is always important to consider: Just because your employer asks you to do a task…can you perform this task according to your scope of practice – or are you putting your nursing license at risk?

Nurses must also follow legal standards in when providing nursing care. Standards are set by several organizations, including the American Nurses Association (ANA), your state’s Nurse Practice Act, agency policies and procedures, and federal regulators. These standards assure safe, competent care is provided to the public.

This chapter will provide an overview of basic concepts related to nursing scope of practice and standards of care.

1.2. HISTORY AND FOUNDATION

Brief history of nursing.

Before discussing scope and standards of nursing care, it is helpful to briefly review a history of the nursing profession. Florence Nightingale is considered to be the founder of modern nursing practice. In 1860 she established the first nursing school in the world. By establishing this school of nursing, Nightingale promoted the concept of nurses as a professional, educated workforce of caregivers for the sick. [ 1 ] See Figure 1.1 [ 2 ] for a portrait of Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale’s contributions to health care started during the Crimean War in 1854. Her team discovered that poor health care for wounded soldiers was being delivered by overworked medical staff in a dirty environment. Florence recorded the mortality rate in the hospital and created statistical models that demonstrated that out of every 1,000 injured soldiers, 600 were dying because of preventable communicable and infectious diseases. Florence’s nursing interventions were simple; she focused on providing a clean environment, clean water, and good nutrition to promote healing, such as providing fruit as part of the care for the wounded soldiers. With these simple actions, the mortality rate of the soldiers decreased from 60% to 2.2%. In 1859 Nightingale wrote a book titled  Notes on Nursing  that served as the cornerstone of the Nightingale School of Nursing curriculum. Nightingale believed in the importance of placing a patient in a environment that promoted healing where they could recover from disease. She promoted this knowledge as distinct from medical knowledge. Her emphasis on the value of the environment formed many of the foundational principles that we still use in creating a healing health care setting today. She also insisted on the importance of building trusting relationships with patients and believed in the therapeutic healing that resulted from nurses’ presence with patients. She promoted the concept of confidentiality, stating a nurse “should never answer questions about her sick except to those who have a right to ask them.” [ 3 ] These nursing concepts formed the foundation of nursing practice as we know it today.

Florence Nightingale

Modern nursing has reinvented itself a number of times as health care has advanced and changed over the past 160 years. With more than four million members, the nursing profession represents the largest segment of the United States’ health care workforce. Nursing practice covers a broad continuum, including health promotion, disease prevention, coordination of care, and palliative care when cure is not possible. Nurses directly affect patient care and provide the majority of patient assessments, evaluations, and care in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, schools, workplaces, and ambulatory settings. They are at the front lines in ensuring that patient care is delivered safely, effectively, and compassionately. Additionally, nurses attend to patients and their families in a holistic way that often goes beyond physical health needs and recognize social, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. [ 4 ]

American Nurses Association (ANA)

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is a national, professional nursing organization that was established in 1896. The ANA represents the interests of nurses in all 50 states of America while also promoting improved health care for everyone. The mission of the ANA is to “lead the profession to shape the future of nursing and health care.” [ 5 ] The ANA states that it exists to advance the nursing profession by doing the following:

• Fostering high standards of nursing practice
• Promoting a safe and ethical work environment
• Bolstering the health and wellness of nurses
• Advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public [ 6 ]

The ANA sets many standard of care for professional nurses that will be discussed in the next section.

Read more information about the  American Nurses Association

View the  discover the american nurses association  video. [ 7 ], 1.3. regulations & standards.

Standards for nursing care are set by several organizations, including the American Nurses Association (ANA), your state’s Nurse Practice Act, agency policies and procedures, federal regulators, and other professional nursing organizations. These standards assure safe, competent care is provided to the public.

ANA Scope and Standards of Practice

The American Nurses Association (ANA) publishes two resources that set standards and guide professional nursing practice in the United States:  The Code of Ethics for Nurses  and  Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice . The  Code of Ethics for Nurses  establishes an ethical framework for nursing practice across all roles, levels, and settings. It is discussed in greater detail in the “ Legal Considerations and Ethics ” subsection of this chapter. The  Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice  describes a professional nurse’s scope of practice and defines the who, what, where, when, why, and how of nursing. It also sets 18 standards of professional practice that all registered nurses are expected to perform competently. [ 1 ]

The “who” of nursing practice are the nurses who have been educated, titled, and maintain active licensure to practice nursing. The “what” of  nursing  is the recently revised definition of nursing: “Nursing integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alleviation of suffering through compassionate presence. Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in recognition of the connection of all humanity.” [ 2 ] Simply put, nurses treat human responses to health problems and life processes and advocate for the care of others.

Nursing practice occurs “when” there is a need for nursing knowledge, wisdom, caring, leadership, practice, or education, anytime, anywhere. Nursing practice occurs in any environment “where” there is a health care consumer in need of care, information, or advocacy. The “why” of nursing practice is described as nursing’s response to the changing needs of society to achieve positive health care consumer outcomes in keeping with nursing’s social contract and obligation to society. The “how” of nursing practice is defined as the ways, means, methods, and manners that nurses use to practice professionally. [ 3 ] The “how” of nursing is further defined by the standards of practice set by the ANA. There are two sets of standards, the  Standards of Professional Nursing Practice  and the  Standards of Professional Performance .

The  Standards of Professional Nursing Practice  are “authoritative statements of the actions and behaviors that all registered nurses, regardless of role, population, specialty, and setting, are expected to perform competently.” [ 4 ] These standards define a competent level of nursing practice based on the critical thinking model known as the nursing process. The nursing process includes the components of  assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation , and  evaluation . [ 5 ] Each of these standards is further discussed in the “ Nursing Process ” chapter of this book.

The  Standards of Professional Performance  are 12 additional standards that describe a nurse’s professional behavior, including activities related to ethics, advocacy, respectful and equitable practice, communication, collaboration, leadership, education, scholarly inquiry, quality of practice, professional practice evaluation, resource stewardship, and environmental health. All registered nurses are expected to engage in these professional role activities based on their level of education, position, and role. Registered nurses are accountable for their professional behaviors to themselves, health care consumers, peers, and ultimately to society. [ 6 ] The 2021 Standards of Professional Performance are as follows:

• Ethics.  The registered nurse integrates ethics in all aspects of practice.
• Advocacy.  The registered nurse demonstrates advocacy in all roles and settings.
• Respectful and Equitable Practice.  The registered nurse practices with cultural humility and inclusiveness.
• Communication.  The registered nurse communicates effectively in all areas of professional practice.
• Collaboration.  The registered nurse collaborates with the health care consumer and other key stakeholders.
• Leadership.  The registered nurse leads within the profession and practice setting.
• Education.  The registered nurse seeks knowledge and competence that reflects current nursing practice and promotes futuristic thinking.
• Scholarly Inquiry.  The registered nurse integrates scholarship, evidence, and research findings into practice.
• Quality of Practice.  The registered nurse contributes to quality nursing practice.
• Professional Practice Evaluation.  The registered nurse evaluates one’s own and others’ nursing practice.
• Resource Stewardship.  The registered nurse utilizes appropriate resources to plan, provide, and sustain evidence-based nursing services that are safe, effective, financially responsible, and judiciously used.
• Environmental Health.  The registered nurse practices in a manner that advances environmental safety and health. [ 7 ]

Years ago, nurses were required to recite the Nightingale pledge to publicly confirm their commitment to maintain the profession’s high ethical and moral values: “I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling, with loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.” Although some of the words are outdated, the meaning is clear: Nursing is a calling, not just a job; to answer that call, you must be dedicated to serve your community according to the ANA standards of care and code of ethics. [ 8 ]

Nurse Practice Act

In addition to the professional standards of practice and professional performance set by the American Nurses Association, nurses must legally follow regulations set by the Nurse Practice Act and enforced by the  Board of Nursing  in the state where they are employed. The Board of Nursing is the state-specific licensing and regulatory body that sets standards for safe nursing care and issues nursing licenses to qualified candidates, based on the  Nurse Practice Act  enacted by that state’s legislature. The Nurse Practice Act establishes regulations for nursing practice within that state and defines the scope of nursing practice. If nurses do not follow the standards and scope of practice set forth by the Nurse Practice Act, they can have their nursing license revoked by the Board of Nursing.

To read more about the the Wisconsin Board of Nursing, Standards of Practice, and Rules of Conduct, use the hyperlinked PDFs provided below. [ 9 ]

Read more details about the Wisconsin Administrative Code and the  Board of Nursing .

Read about wisconsin standards of practice for nurses in  chapter n 6 ., read about wisconsin rules of conduct in  chapter n 7 ..

Nursing students must understand their scope of practice outlined in their state’s Nurse Practice Act. Nursing students are legally accountable for the quality of care they provide to patients just as nurses are accountable. Students are expected to recognize the limits of their knowledge and experience and appropriately alert individuals in authority regarding situations that are beyond their competency. A violation of the standards of practice constitutes unprofessional conduct and can result in the Board of Nursing denying a license to a nursing graduate.

Employer Policies, Procedures, and Protocols

In addition to professional nursing standards set by the American Nurses Association and the state Nurse Practice Act where they work, nurses and nursing students must also practice according to agency policies, procedures, and protocols. For example, hospitals often set a policy that requires a thorough skin assessment must be completed and documented daily on every patient. If a nurse did not follow this policy and a patient developed a pressure injury, the nurse could be held liable. In addition, every agency has their own set of procedures and protocols that a nurse and nursing student must follow. For example, each agency has specific procedural steps for performing nursing skills, such as inserting urinary catheters. A  protocol  is defined by the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act as a “precise and detailed written plan for a regimen of therapy.” For example, agencies typically have a hypoglycemia protocol that nurses automatically implement when a patient’s blood sugar falls below a specific number. The hypoglycemia protocol includes actions such as providing orange juice and rechecking the blood sugar. These agency-specific policies, procedures, and protocols supersede the information taught in nursing school, and nurses and nursing students can be held legally liable if they don’t follow them. Therefore, it is vital for nurses and nursing students to always review and follow current agency-specific procedures, policies, and protocols when providing patient care.

Nurses and nursing students must continue to follow their scope of practice as defined by the Nurse Practice Act in the state they are practicing when following agency policies, procedures, and protocols. Situations have occurred when a nurse or nursing student was asked by an agency to do something outside their defined scope of practice that impaired their nursing license. It is always up to  you  to protect  your  nursing license and follow the state’s Nurse Practice Act when providing patient care.

Federal Regulations

In addition to nursing scope of practice and standards being defined by the American Nurses Association, state Nurse Practice Acts, and employer policies, procedures, and protocols, nursing practice is also influenced by federal regulations enacted by agencies such as the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

The Joint Commission

The Joint Commission is a national organization that accredits and certifies over 20,000 health care organizations in the United States. The mission of The Joint Commission (TJC) is to continuously improve health care for the public by inspiring health care organizations to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. [ 10 ] The Joint Commission sets standards for providing safe, high-quality health care.

NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY GOALS

The Joint Commission establishes annual National Patient Safety Goals for various types of agencies based on data regarding current national safety concerns. [ 11 ] For example, National Patient Safety Goals for hospitals include the following:

• Identify Patients Correctly
• Improve Staff Communication
• Use Medicines Safely
• Use Alarms Safely
• Prevent Infection
• Identify Patient Safety Risks
• Prevent Mistakes in Surgery

Nurses, nursing students, and other staff members are expected to incorporate actions related to these safety goals into their daily patient care. For example, SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation) handoff reporting techniques, bar code scanning equipment, and perioperative team “time-outs” prior to surgery are examples of actions incorporated at agencies based on National Patient Safety Goals. Nursing programs also use National Patient Safety Goals to guide their curriculum and clinical practice expectations. National Patient Safety Goals are further discussed in the “ Safety ” chapter of this book.

Use the hyperlinks provided below to read more about The Joint Commission and National Patient Safety Goals.

The Joint Commissions’ National Patient Safety Goals

Joint commission center for transforming healthcare.

The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare was developed in 2008 to help agencies develop effective solutions for critical safety problems with a goal to ultimately achieve zero harm to patients. Some of the projects the Center has developed include improved hand hygiene, effective handoff communications, and safe and effective use of insulin. The Center has also been instrumental in creating a focus on a safety culture in health care organizations. A  safety culture  empowers nurses, nursing students, and other staff members to speak up about their concerns about patient risks and to report errors and near misses, all of which drive improvement in patient care and reduce the incidences of patient harm. [ 12 ] Many health care agencies have implemented a safety culture in their workplace and successfully reduced incidences of patient harm. An example of a safety culture action is a nurse or nursing student creating an incident report when an error occurs when administering medication. The incident report is used by the agency to investigate system factors that contribute to errors. To read more about creating a safety culture, use the hyperlink provided below.

Read more about  Creating a Safety Culture .

Centers for medicare & medicaid services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is another federal agency that establishes regulations that affect nursing care. CMS is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid. The CMS establishes and enforces regulations to protect patient safety in hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding. For example, one CMS regulation states that a hospital’s policies and procedures must require confirmation of specific information before medication is administered to patients. This CMS regulation is often referred to as “checking the rights of medication administration.” You can read more information about checking the rights of medication administration in the “ Administration of Enteral Medications ” chapter of the Open RN  Nursing Skills  textbook. [ 13 ]

CMS also enforces quality standards in health care organizations that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding. These organizations are reimbursed based on the quality of their patient outcomes. For example, organizations with high rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) receive less reimbursement for services they provide. As a result, many agencies have reexamined their policies, procedures, and protocols to promote optimal patient outcomes and maximum reimbursement.

Now that we have discussed various agencies that affect a nurse’s scope and standards of practice, let’s review various types of health care settings where nurses work and members of the health care team.

1.4. HEALTH CARE SETTINGS & TEAM

Health care settings.

There are several levels of health care including primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Each of these levels focuses on different aspects of health care and is typically provided in different settings.

Primary Care

Primary care  promotes wellness and prevents disease. This care includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations. Settings providing this type of health care include physician offices, public health clinics, school nursing, and community health nursing.

Secondary care

Secondary care  occurs when a person has contracted an illness or injury and requires medical care. Secondary care is often referred to as acute care. Secondary care can range from uncomplicated care to repair a small laceration or treat a strep throat infection to more complicated emergent care such as treating a head injury sustained in an automobile accident. Whatever the problem, the patient needs medical and nursing attention to return to a state of health and wellness. Secondary care is provided in settings such as physician offices, clinics, urgent care facilities, or hospitals. Specialized units include areas such as burn care, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, and transplant services.

Tertiary Care

Tertiary care  addresses the long-term effects from chronic illnesses or conditions with the purpose to restore a patient’s maximum physical and mental function. The goal of tertiary care is to achieve the highest level of functioning possible while managing the chronic illness. For example, a patient who falls and fractures their hip will need secondary care to set the broken bones, but may need tertiary care to regain their strength and ability to walk even after the bones have healed. Patients with incurable diseases, such as dementia, may need specialized tertiary care to provide support they need for daily functioning. Tertiary care settings include rehabilitation units, assisted living facilities, adult day care, skilled nursing units, home care, and hospice centers.

Health Care Team

No matter the setting, quality health care requires a team of health care professionals collaboratively working together to deliver holistic, individualized care. Nursing students must be aware of the roles and contributions of various health care team members. The health care team consists of health care providers, nurses (licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced registered nurses), unlicensed assistive personnel, and a variety of interprofessional team members.

Health Care Providers

The Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act defines a  provider  as, “A physician, podiatrist, dentist, optometrist, or advanced practice nurse.” [ 1 ] Providers are responsible for ordering diagnostic tests such as blood work and X-rays, diagnosing a patient’s medical condition, developing a medical treatment plan, and prescribing medications. In a hospital setting, the medical treatment plan developed by a provider is communicated in the “History and Physical” component of the patient’s medical record with associated prescriptions (otherwise known as “orders”). Prescriptions or “orders” include diagnostic and laboratory tests, medications, and general parameters regarding the care that each patient is to receive. Nurses should respectfully clarify prescriptions they have questions or concerns about to ensure safe patient care. Providers typically visit hospitalized patients daily in what is referred to as “rounds.” It is helpful for nurses and nursing students to attend provider rounds for their assigned patients to be aware of and provide input regarding the current medical treatment plan, seek clarification, or ask questions. This helps to ensure that the provider, nurse, and patient have a clear understanding of the goals of care and minimize the need for follow-up phone calls.

There are three levels of nurses as defined by each state’s Nurse Practice Act: Licensed Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN), Registered Nurse (RN), and Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN).

LICENSED PRACTICAL/VOCATIONAL NURSES

The NCSBN defines a  licensed practical nurse(LPN)  as, “An individual who has completed a state-approved practical or vocational nursing program, passed the NCLEX-PN examination, and is licensed by a state board of nursing to provide patient care.” [ 2 ] In some states, the term licensed vocational nurse (LVN) is used. LPN/LVNs typically work under the supervision of a registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician. [ 3 ] LPNs provide “basic nursing care” and work with stable and/or chronically ill populations.  Basic nursing care  is defined by the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act as “care that can be performed following a defined nursing procedure with minimal modification in which the responses of the patient to the nursing care are predictable.” [ 4 ] LPN/LVNs typically collect patient assessment information, administer medications, and perform nursing procedures according to their scope of practice in that state. The Open RN  Nursing Skills  textbook discusses the skills and procedures that LPNs frequently perform in Wisconsin. See the following box for additional details about the scope of practice of the Licensed Practical Nurse in Wisconsin.

Scope of Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act defines the scope of practice for Licensed Practical Nurses as the following: “In the performance of acts in basic patient situations, the LPN shall, under the general supervision of an RN or the direction of a provider:

Accept only patient care assignments which the LPN is competent to perform.

Provide basic nursing care.

Record nursing care given and report to the appropriate person changes in the condition of a patient.

Consult with a provider in cases where an LPN knows or should know a delegated act may harm a patient.

Perform the following other acts when applicable:

Assist with the collection of data.

Assist with the development and revision of a nursing care plan.

Reinforce the teaching provided by an RN provider and provide basic health care instruction.

Participate with other health team members in meeting basic patient needs.” [ 5 ]

REGISTERED NURSES

The NCSBN defines a  Registered Nurse  as “An individual who has graduated from a state-approved school of nursing, passed the NCLEX-RN examination and is licensed by a state board of nursing to provide patient care.” [ 6 ] Registered Nurses (RNs) use the nursing process as a critical thinking model as they make decisions and use clinical judgment regarding patient care. The nursing process is discussed in more detail in the “ Nursing Process ” chapter of this book. RNs may be delegated tasks from providers or may delegate tasks to LPNs and UAPs with supervision. See the following box for additional details about the scope of practice for Registered Nurses in the state of Wisconsin.

Scope of Practice for Registered Nurses in Wisconsin

GENERAL NURSING PROCEDURES. An RN shall utilize the nursing process in the execution of general nursing procedures in the maintenance of health, prevention of illness or care of the ill. The nursing process consists of the steps of assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation. This standard is met through performance of each of the following steps of the nursing process:

Assessment. Assessment is the systematic and continual collection and analysis of data about the health status of a patient culminating in the formulation of a nursing diagnosis.

Planning. Planning is developing a nursing plan of care for a patient, which includes goals and priorities derived from the nursing diagnosis.

Intervention. Intervention is the nursing action to implement the plan of care by directly administering care or by directing and supervising nursing acts delegated to LPNs or less skilled assistants.

Evaluation. Evaluation is the determination of a patient’s progress or lack of progress toward goal achievement, which may lead to modification of the nursing diagnosis.

PERFORMANCE OF DELEGATED ACTS. In the performance of delegated acts, an RN shall do all of the following:

Accept only those delegated acts for which there are protocols or written or verbal orders.

Accept only those delegated acts for which the RN is competent to perform based on his or her nursing education, training or experience.

Consult with a provider in cases where the RN knows or should know a delegated act may harm a patient.

Perform delegated acts under the general supervision or direction of provider.

SUPERVISION AND DIRECTION OF DELEGATED ACTS. In the supervision and direction of delegated acts, an RN shall do all of the following:

Delegate tasks commensurate with educational preparation and demonstrated abilities of the person supervised.

Provide direction and assistance to those supervised.

Observe and monitor the activities of those supervised.

Evaluate the effectiveness of acts performed under supervision. [ 7 ]

ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES

Advanced Practice Nurses (APRN)  are defined by the NCSBN as an RN who has a graduate degree and advanced knowledge. There are four categories of Advanced Practice Nurses: certified nurse-midwife (CNM), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse practitioner (CNP), and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). APRNs can diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatments and medications. Additional information about advanced nursing degrees and roles is provided in the box below.

Advanced Practice Nursing Roles [ 8 ]

Nurse Practitioners:  Nurse practitioners (NPs) work in a variety of settings and complete physical examinations, diagnose and treat common acute illness and manage chronic illness, order laboratory and diagnostic tests, prescribe medications and other therapies, provide health teaching and supportive counseling with an emphasis on prevention of illness and health maintenance, and refer patients to other health professionals and specialists as needed. In many states, NPs can function independently and manage their own clinics, whereas in other states physician supervision is required. NP certifications include, but are not limited to, Family Practice, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care and Acute Care, and Psychiatric/Mental Health.

To read more about NP certification, visit  Nursing World’s Our Certifications web page.

Clinical Nurse Specialists:  Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) practice in a variety of health care environments and participate in mentoring other nurses, case management, research, designing and conducting quality improvement programs, and serving as educators and consultants. Specialty areas include, but are not limited to, Adult/Gerontology, Pediatrics, and Neonatal.

To read more about CNS certification, visit  NACNS’s What is a CNS? web page.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists:  Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia and related care before, during, and after surgical, therapeutic, diagnostic, and obstetrical procedures, as well as provide airway management during medical emergencies. CRNAs deliver more than 65 percent of all anesthetics to patients in the United States. Practice settings include operating rooms, dental offices, and outpatient surgical centers.

To read more about CRNA certification, visit  NBCRNA’s website.

Certified Nurse Midwives:  Certified Nurse Midwives provide gynecological exams, family planning advice, prenatal care, management of low-risk labor and delivery, and neonatal care. Practice settings include hospitals, birthing centers, community clinics, and patient homes.

To read more about CNM certification,visit  AMCB Midwife’s website.

Unlicensed Assistive Personnel

Unlicensed Assistive Personnel  (UAP) are defined by the NCSBN as, “Any unlicensed person, regardless of title, who performs tasks delegated by a nurse. This includes certified nursing aides/assistants (CNAs), patient care assistants (PCAs), patient care technicians (PCTs), state tested nursing assistants (STNAs), nursing assistants-registered (NA/Rs), or certified medication aides/assistants (MA-Cs). Certification of UAPs varies between jurisdictions.” [ 9 ]

CNAs, PCAs, and PCTs in Wisconsin generally work in hospitals and long-term care facilities and assist patients with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting. They may also collect patient information such as vital signs, weight, and input/output as delegated by the nurse. The RN remains accountable that delegated tasks have been completed and documented by the UAP.

Interprofessional Team Members

Nurses, as the coordinator of a patient’s care, continuously review the plan of care to ensure all contributions of the multidisciplinary team are moving the patient toward expected outcomes and goals. The roles and contributions of interprofessional health care team members are further described in the following box.

Interprofessional Team Member Roles [ 10 ]

Dieticians:  Dieticians assess, plan, implement, and evaluate interventions including those relating to dietary needs of those patients who need regular or therapeutic diets. They also provide dietary education and work with other members of the health care team when a client has dietary needs secondary to physical disorders such as dysphagia.

Occupational Therapists (OT):  Occupational therapists assess, plan, implement, and evaluate interventions, including those that facilitate the patient’s ability to achieve their highest possible level of independence in their activities of daily living such as bathing, grooming, eating, and dressing. They also provide patients adaptive devices such as long shoe horns so the patient can put their shoes on, sock pulls so they can independently pull on socks, adaptive silverware to facilitate independent eating, grabbers so the patient can pick items up from the floor, and special devices to manipulate buttoning so the person can dress and button their clothing independently. Occupational therapists also assess the home for safety and the need for assistive devices when the patient is discharged home. They may recommend modifications to the home environment such as ramps, grab rails, and handrails to ensure safety and independence. Like physical therapists, occupational therapists practice in all health care environments including the home, hospital, and rehabilitation centers.

Pharmacists:  Pharmacists ensure the safe prescribing and dispensing of medication and are a vital resource for nurses with questions or concerns about medications they are administering to patients. Pharmacists ensure that patients not only get the correct medication and dosing, but also have the guidance they need to use the medication safely and effectively.

Physical Therapists (PT):  Physical therapists are licensed health care professionals who assess, plan, implement, and evaluate interventions including those related to the patient’s functional abilities in terms of their strength, mobility, balance, gait, coordination, and joint range of motion. They supervise prescribed exercise activities according to a patient’s condition and also provide and teach patients how to use assistive aids like walkers and canes and exercise regimens. Physical therapists practice in all health care environments including the home, hospital, and rehabilitation centers.

Podiatrists:  Podiatrists provide care and services to patients who have foot problems. They often work with diabetic patients to clip toenails and provide foot care to prevent complications.

Prosthetists:  Prosthetists design, fit, and supply the patient with an artificial body part such as a leg or arm prosthesis. They adjust prosthesis to ensure proper fit, patient comfort, and functioning.

Psychologists and Psychiatrists:  Psychologists and psychiatrists provide mental health and psychiatric services to patients with mental health disorders and provide psychological support to family members and significant others as indicated.

Respiratory Therapists:  Respiratory therapists treat respiratory-related conditions in patients. Their specialized respiratory care includes managing oxygen therapy; drawing arterial blood gases; managing patients on specialized oxygenation devices such as mechanical ventilators, CPAP, and Bi-PAP machines; administering respiratory medications like inhalers and nebulizers; intubating patients; assisting with bronchoscopy and other respiratory-related diagnostic tests; performing pulmonary hygiene measures like chest physiotherapy; and serving an integral role during cardiac and respiratory arrests.

Social Workers:  Social workers counsel patients and provide psychological support, help set up community resources according to patients’ financial needs, and serve as part of the team that ensures continuity of care after the person is discharged.

Speech Therapists:  Speech therapists assess, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing disorders. For example, speech therapists help patients with a disorder called  expressive aphasia . They also assist patients with using word boards and other electronic devices to facilitate communication. They assess patients with swallowing disorders called  dysphagia  and treat them in collaboration with other members of the health care team including nurses, dieticians, and health care providers.

Ancillary Department Members:  Nurses also work with ancillary departments such as laboratory and radiology departments.  Clinical laboratory departments  provide a wide range of laboratory procedures that aid health care providers to diagnose, treat, and manage patients. These laboratories are staffed by medical technologists who test biological specimens collected from patients. Examples of laboratory tests performed include blood tests, blood banking, cultures, urine tests, and histopathology (changes in tissues caused by disease). [11] Radiology departments  use imaging to assist providers in diagnosing and treating diseases seen within the body. They perform diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CTs, MRIs, nuclear medicine, PET scans, and ultrasound scans.

Chain of Command

Nurses rarely make patient decisions in isolation, but instead consult with other nurses and interprofessional team members. Concerns and questions about patient care are typically communicated according to that agency’s chain of command. In the military,  chain of command  refers to a hierarchy of reporting relationships – from the bottom to the top of an organization – regarding who must answer to whom. The chain of command not only establishes accountability, but also lays out lines of authority and decision-making power. The chain of command also applies to health care. For example, a registered nurse in a hospital may consult a “charge nurse,” who may consult the “nurse supervisor,” who may consult the “director of nursing,” who may consult the “vice president of nursing.” In a long-term care facility, a licensed practical/vocational nurse typically consults the registered nurse/charge nurse, who may consult with the director of nursing. Nursing students should always consult with their nursing instructor regarding questions or concerns about patient care before “going up the chain of command.”

Nurse Specialties

Registered nurses can obtain several types of certifications as a nurse specialist.  Certification  is the formal recognition of specialized knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrated by the achievement of standards identified by a nursing specialty. See the following box for descriptions of common nurse specialties.

Common Nurse Specialties

Critical Care Nurses  provide care to patients with serious, complex, and acute illnesses or injuries that require very close monitoring and extensive medication protocols and therapies. Critical care nurses most often work in intensive care units of hospitals.

Public Health Nurses  work to promote and protect the health of populations based on knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences. Public Health Nurses most often work in municipal and state health departments.

Home Health/Hospice Nurses  provide a variety of nursing services for chronically ill patients and their caregivers in the home, including end-of-life care.

Occupational/Employee Health Nurses  provide health screening, wellness programs and other health teaching, minor treatments, and disease/medication management services to people in the workplace. The focus is on promotion and restoration of health, prevention of illness and injury, and protection from work-related and environmental hazards.

Oncology Nurses  care for patients with various types of cancer, administering chemotherapy and providing follow-up care, teaching, and monitoring. Oncology nurses work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and patients’ homes.

Perioperative/Operating Room Nurses  provide preoperative and postoperative care to patients undergoing anesthesia or assist with surgical procedures by selecting and handling instruments, controlling bleeding, and suturing incisions. These nurses work in hospitals and outpatient surgical centers.

Rehabilitation Nurses  care for patients with temporary and permanent disabilities within inpatient and outpatient settings such as clinics and home health care.

Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurses  specialize in mental and behavioral health problems and provide nursing care to individuals with psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric nurses work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and private offices.

School Nurses  provide health assessment, intervention, and follow-up to maintain school compliance with health care policies and ensure the health and safety of staff and students. They administer medications and refer students for additional services when hearing, vision, and other issues become inhibitors to successful learning.

Other common specialty areas include a life span approach across health care settings and include maternal-child, neonatal, pediatric, and gerontological nursing. [ 12 ]

Now that we have discussed various settings where nurses work and various nursing roles, let’s review levels of nursing education and the national licensure exam (NCLEX).

1.5. NURSING EDUCATION AND THE NCLEX

Nursing education and the nclex.

Everyone who wants to become a nurse has a story to tell about why they want to enter the nursing profession. What is your story? Perhaps it has been a lifelong dream to become a Life Flight nurse, or maybe you became interested after watching a nurse help you or a family member through the birth of a baby, heal from a challenging illness, or assist a loved one at the end of life. Whatever the reason, everyone who wants to become a nurse must do two things: graduate from a state-approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Exam (known as the NCLEX).

Nursing Programs

There are several types of nursing programs you can attend to become a nurse. If your goal is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), you must successfully complete a one-year nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN exam, and apply to your state board of nursing to receive a LPN license.

If you want to become a Registered Nurse, you can obtain either a two-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year baccalaureate of science in nursing degree (BSN). Associate degree nursing graduates often enroll into a baccalaureate or higher degree program after they graduate. Many hospitals hire ADN nurses on a condition they complete their BSN within a specific time frame. A BSN is required for military nursing, case management, public health nursing, and school-based nursing services. Another lesser-known option to become an RN is to complete a three-year hospital-based diploma program, which was historically the most common way to become a nurse. Diploma programs have slowly been replaced by college degrees, and now only nine states offer this option. [ 1 ]  After completing a diploma program, associate degree, or baccalaureate degree, nursing graduates must successfully pass the NCLEX-RN to apply for a registered nursing license from their state’s Board of Nursing.

Nursing graduates must successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to receive a nursing license. Registered nurses must successfully pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) must pass the NCLEX-PN exam.

The NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN are online, adaptive tests taken at a specialized testing center. The NCLEX tests knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level. NCLEX exams are continually reviewed and updated based on surveys of newly graduated nurses every three years.

Both the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN are variable length tests that adapt as you answer the test items. The NCLEX-RN examination can be anywhere from 75 to 265 items, depending on how quickly you are able to demonstrate your proficiency. Of these items, 15 are unscored test items. The time limit for this examination is six hours. The NCLEX-PN examination can be anywhere from 85 to 205 items. Of these items, 25 are unscored items. The time limit for this examination is five hours. [ 2 ]

In 2023, the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) is anticipated to go into effect. Examination questions on the NGN will use the new Clinical Judgment Measurement Model as a framework to measure prelicensure nursing graduates’ clinical judgment and decision-making. The critical thinking model called the “Nursing Process” (discussed in Chapter 4 of this book) will continue to underlie the NGN, but candidates will notice new terminology used to assess their decision-making. For example, candidates may be asked to “recognize cues,” “analyze cues,” “create a hypothesis,” “prioritize hypotheses,” “generate solutions,” “take actions,” or “evaluate outcomes.” [ 3 ]  For this reason, many of the case studies and learning activities included in this book will use similar terminology as the NGN.

There will also be new types of examination questions on the NGN, including case studies, enhanced hot spots, drag and drop ordering of responses, multiple responses, and embedded answer choices within paragraphs of text. View sample NGN questions in the following hyperlink. NCSBN’s rationale for including these types of questions is to “measure the nursing clinical judgment and decision-making ability of prospective entry-level nurses to protect the public’s health and welfare by assuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses.” [ 4 ]  Similar questions have been incorporated into learning activities throughout this textbook.

Use the hyperlinks below to read more information about the NCLEX and the Next Generation NCLEX.

Read more information about the  NCLEX & Test Plans .

Review sample next generation nclex questions at  https://www.ncsbn.org/ngn-sample-questions.pdf., nurse licensure compact.

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allows a nurse to have one multistate nursing license with the ability to practice in their home state, as well as in other compact states. As of 2020, 33 states have implemented NLC legislation.

Read additional details about the  Nurse Licensure Compact .

Advanced nursing degrees.

After obtaining an RN license, nurses can receive advanced degrees to expand their opportunities in the nursing profession.

MASTER’S DEGREE IN NURSING

A Master’s of Science in Nursing Degree (MSN) requires additional credits and years of schooling beyond the BSN. There are a variety of potential focuses in this degree, including Nurse Educator and Advanced Practice Nurse (APRN). Certifications associated with an MSN degree are Certified Nurse Educator (CNE), Nurse Practitioner (NP), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). Certifications require the successful completion of a certification exam, as well as continuing education requirements to maintain the certification. Scope of practice for advanced practice nursing roles is defined by each state’s Nurse Practice Act.

DOCTORAL DEGREES IN NURSING

Doctoral nursing degrees include the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). PhD-prepared nurses complete doctoral work that is focused on research. They often teach in a university setting or environment to conduct research. DNP-prepared nurses complete doctoral work that is focused on clinical nursing practice. They typically have work roles in advanced nursing practice, clinical leadership, or academic settings.

Lifelong Learning

No matter what nursing role or level of nursing education you choose, nursing practice changes rapidly and is constantly updated with new evidence-based practices. Nurses must commit to lifelong learning to continue to provide safe, quality care to their patients. Many states require continuing education credits to renew RN licenses, whereas others rely on health care organizations to set education standards and ongoing educational requirements.

Now that we have discussed nursing roles and education, let’s review legal and ethical considerations in nursing.

1.6. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS & ETHICS

Legal considerations.

As discussed earlier in this chapter, nurses can be reprimanded or have their licenses revoked for not appropriately following the Nurse Practice Act in the state they are practicing. Nurses can also be held legally liable for negligence, malpractice, or breach of patient confidentiality when providing patient care.

Negligence and Malpractice

Negligence is a “general term that denotes conduct lacking in due care, carelessness, and a deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances.” [ 1 ]  Malpractice is a more specific term that looks at a standard of care, as well as the professional status of the caregiver.”  [ 2 ]

To prove negligence or malpractice, the following elements must be established in a court of law:

• Duty owed the patient
• Breach of duty owed the patient
• Foreseeability
• Damages [ 3 ]

To avoid being sued for negligence or malpractice, it is essential for nurses and nursing students to follow the scope and standards of practice care set forth by their state’s Nurse Practice Act; the American Nurses Association; and employer policies, procedures, and protocols to avoid the risk of losing their nursing license. Examples of nurses breach of duty that can be viewed as negligence include: [ 4 ]

• Failure to Assess: Nurses should assess for all potential nursing problems/diagnoses, not just those directly affected by the medical disease. For example, all patients should be assessed for fall risk and appropriate fall precautions implemented.
• Insufficient monitoring: Some conditions require frequent monitoring by the nurse, such as risk for falls, suicide risk, confusion, and self-injury.
• Lack of documentation: A basic rule of thumb in a court of law is that if an assessment or action was not documented, it is considered not done. Nurses must document all assessments and interventions, in addition to the specific type of patient documentation called a nursing care plan.
• Lack of provider notification: Changes in patient condition should be urgently communicated to the health care provider based on patient status. Documentation of provider notification should include the date, time, and person notified and follow-up actions taken by the nurse.
• Failure to Follow Protocols: Agencies and states have rules for reporting certain behaviors or concerns. For example, a nurse is required to report suspicion of patient, child, or elder abuse based on data gathered during an assessment.

Patient Confidentiality

In addition to negligence and malpractice, patient confidentiality is a major legal consideration for nurses and nursing students. Patient confidentiality is the right of an individual to have personal, identifiable medical information, referred to as protected health information (PHI), kept private. This right is protected by federal regulations called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA was enacted in 1996 and was prompted by the need to ensure privacy and protection of personal health records and data in an environment of electronic medical records and third-party insurance payers. There are two main sections of HIPAA law, the Privacy Rule and the Security Rule. The Privacy Rule addresses the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information. The Security Rule sets national standards for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronically protected health information. HIPAA regulations extend beyond medical records and apply to patient information shared with others. Therefore, all types of patient information should only be shared with health care team members who are actively providing care to them.

How do HIPAA regulations affect you as a student nurse? You are required to adhere to HIPAA guidelines from the moment you begin to provide patient care. Nursing students may be disciplined or expelled by their nursing program for violating HIPAA. Nurses who violate HIPAA rules may be fired from their jobs or face lawsuits. See the following box for common types of HIPAA violations and ways to avoid them.

Common HIPAA Violations and Ways to Avoid Them [ 5 ]

Gossiping in the hallways or otherwise talking about patients where other people can hear you.  It is understandable that you will be excited about what is happening when you begin working with patients and your desire to discuss interesting things that occur. As a student, you will be able to discuss patient care in a confidential manner behind closed doors with your instructor. However, as a health care professional, do not talk about patients in the hallways, elevator, breakroom, or with others who are not directly involved with that patient’s care because it is too easy for others to overhear what you are saying.

Mishandling medical records or leaving medical records unsecured.  You can breach HIPAA rules by leaving your computer unlocked for anyone to access or by leaving written patient charts in unsecured locations. You should never share your password with anyone else. Make sure that computers are always locked with a password when you step away from them and paper charts are closed and secured in an area where unauthorized people don’t have easy access to them. NEVER take records from a facility or include a patient’s name on paperwork that leaves the facility.

Illegally or unauthorized accessing of patient files.  If someone you know, like a neighbor, coworker, or family member is admitted to the unit you are working on, do not access their medical record unless you are directly caring for them. Facilities have the capability of tracing everything you access within the electronic medical record and holding you accountable. This rule holds true for employees who previously cared for a patient as a student; once your shift is over as a student, you should no longer access that patient’s medical records.

Sharing information with unauthorized people.  Anytime you share medical information with anyone but the patient themselves, you must have written permission to do so. For instance, if a husband comes to you and wants to know his spouse’s lab results, you must have permission from his spouse before you can share that information with him. Just confirming or denying that a patient has been admitted to a unit or agency can be considered a breach of confidentiality.

Information can generally be shared with the parents of children until they turn 18, although there are exceptions to this rule if the minor child seeks birth control, an abortion, or becomes pregnant.  After a child turns 18, information can no longer be shared with the parent unless written permission is provided, even if the minor is living at home and/or the parents are paying for their insurance or health care. As a general rule, any time you are asked for patient information, check first to see if the patient has granted permission.

Texting or e-mailing patient information on an unencrypted device.  Only use properly encrypted devices that have been approved by your health care facility for e-mailing or faxing protected patient information. Also, ensure that the information is being sent to the correct person, address, or phone number.

Sharing information on social media.  Never post anything on social media that has anything to do with your patients, the facility where you are working or have clinical, or even how your day went at the agency. Nurses and other professionals have been fired for violating HIPAA rules on social media. [ 6 ] , [ 7 ] , [ 8 ]

Social Media Guidelines

Nursing students, nurses, and other health care team members must use extreme caution when posting to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and other social media sites. Information related to patients, patient care, and/or health care agencies should never be posted on social media; health care team members who violate this guideline can lose their jobs and may face legal action and students can be disciplined or expelled from their nursing program. Be aware that even if you think you are posting in a private group, the information can become public.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has established the following principles for nurses using social media: [ 9 ]

• Nurses must not transmit or place online individually identifiable patient information.
• Nurses must observe ethically prescribed professional patient-nurse boundaries.
• Nurses should understand that patients, colleagues, organizations, and employers may view postings.
• Nurses should take advantage of privacy settings and seek to separate personal and professional information online.
• Nurses should bring content that could harm a patient’s privacy, rights, or welfare to the attention of appropriate authorities.
• Nurses should participate in developing organizational policies governing online conduct.

In addition to these principles, the ANA has also provided these tips for nurses and nursing students using social media: [ 10 ]

• Remember that standards of professionalism are the same online as in any other circumstance.
• Do not share or post information or photos gained through the nurse-patient relationship.
• Maintain professional boundaries in the use of electronic media. Online contact with patients blurs this boundary.
• Do not make disparaging remarks about patients, employers, or coworkers, even if they are not identified.
• Do not take photos or videos of patients on personal devices, including cell phones.
• Promptly report a breach of confidentiality or privacy.

Read more about the ANA’s  Social Media Principles .

View the  social media guidelines for nurses  video from the national council of state boards of nursing (ncsbn) on using social media responsibly., code of ethics.

In addition to legal considerations, there are also several ethical guidelines for nursing care.

There is a difference between morality, ethical principles, and a code of ethics. Morality refers to “personal values, character, or conduct of individuals within communities and societies.” [ 11 ]  An ethical principle is a general guide, basic truth, or assumption that can be used with clinical judgment to determine a course of action. Four common ethical principles are beneficence (do good), nonmaleficence (do no harm), autonomy (control by the individual), and justice (fairness). A code of ethics is set for a profession and makes their primary obligations, values, and ideals explicit.

The American Nursing Association (ANA) guides nursing practice with the  Code of Ethics for Nurses. [ 12 ]  This code provides a framework for ethical nursing care and a guide for decision-making. The Code of Ethics for Nurses serves the following purposes:

• It is a succinct statement of the ethical values, obligations, duties, and professional ideals of nurses individually and collectively.
• It is the profession’s nonnegotiable ethical standard.
• It is an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society. [ 13 ]

The ANA Code of Ethics contains nine provisions. See a brief description of each provision in the following box.

Provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics [ 14 ]

The nine provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics are briefly described below. The full code is available to read for free at  Nursingworld.org .

Provision 1: The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person.

Provision 2: The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, community, or population.

Provision 3: The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.

Provision 4: The nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice; makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.

Provision 5: The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.

Provision 6: The nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains, and improves the ethical environment of the work setting and conditions of employment that are conducive to safe, quality health care.

Provision 7: The nurse, in all roles and settings, advances the profession through research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the generation of both nursing and health policy.

Provision 8: The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.

Provision 9: The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.

The ANA Center for Ethics and Human Rights

In addition to publishing the Code of Ethics, the ANA Center for Ethics and Human Rights was established to help nurses navigate ethical and value conflicts and life-and-death decisions, many of which are common to everyday practice.

Read more information about the  ANA Center for Ethics and Human Rights .

Check your knowledge with the following questions:

1.7. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Professional nursing organizations.

In addition to the ANA’s  Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice  and  Code of Ethics for Nurses , there are several professional nursing organizations that provide specialized standards for nursing care and promote continuous quality improvement. The following box contains examples of many organizations that significantly guide the overall nursing profession.

Examples of Professional Nursing Organizations

American nursing association.

As described previously in this chapter, the American Nurses Association (ANA) guides professional nursing practice with publications, in addition to establishing the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice and ANA Code of Ethics. The ANA also publishes a monthly journal on nursing topics for its members called  The American Nurse .

American Nurses Credentialing Center

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) credentials both organizations and individuals. ANCC certification provides individual nurses certification in specialized nursing knowledge.

The ANCC accreditation program recognizes the importance of high-quality continuing nursing education, interprofessional continuing education, transition to practice programs, and skills-based competency programs. Around the world, ANCC-accredited organizations provide nurses with the knowledge and skills to help improve care and patient outcomes.

Read more about the  American Nurses Credentialing Center

National league for nursing.

The focus of the National League for Nursing (NLN) is to promote excellence in nursing education. The NLN establishes standards and evaluates nursing education programs, promotes faculty development, funds nursing education research, and publishes the research journal  Nursing Education Perspectives . [ 1 ]

Read more about the  National League for Nursing .

Accreditation commission for education in nursing.

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) is one of the organizations that provide accreditation for nursing education to recognize educational institutions or programs that have been found to meet or exceed standards and criteria for educational quality. ACEN provides accreditation for each of the 16 technical colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System. As a nursing student, you may be asked to provide vital feedback to ACEN site visitors on your nursing program.

Read more about  ACEN accreditation .

Commission on collegiate nursing education.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.

Read more about  CCNE accreditation.

National student nurses’ association.

The mission of the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) is to “mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, and to convey the standards, ethics, and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.” [ 2 ]  NSNA holds national conventions and publishes the journal  Imprint .

Read more about the  National Student Nurses’ Association .

Specialty nursing organizations.

There are many specialty organizations that provide certification, publish scope of practice documents for that specialty, and issue position statements. [ 3 ] Read more about various specialty organizations using the following hyperlinks.

Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses

Wound, ostomy and continence nursing, perioperative nursing, association of women’s health, obstetric, and neonatal nurses, view the  amsn youtube video [ 4 ]  from the former president of the academy of medical-surgical nurses about important nursing issues..

Wisconsin Administrative Code. (2018).  Chapter N 6 standards of practice for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses .  https://docs ​.legis.wisconsin ​.gov/code/admin_code/n/6.pdf   ↵

National Student Nurses’ Association. (n.d.).  About us .  https://www ​.nsna.org/about-nsna.html   ↵

American Nurses Association. (n.d.).  Scope of practice .  https://www ​.nursingworld ​.org/practice-policy ​/scope-of-practice/   ↵

AMSN 6). MSNCB. (2020, May 6). AMSN...The Present. [Video]. YouTube. All rights reserved.  https://youtu ​.be/unRSCXdhCgk   ↵

1.8. QUALITY AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

The American Nursing Association (ANA), various professional nursing organizations, and federal agencies continually work to improve the quality of patient care. Nurses must also be individually dedicated to providing quality patient care based on current evidence-based practices.

Quality of Practice

One of the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Professional Practice is “Quality of Practice.” This standard emphasizes that “nursing practice is safe, effective, efficient, equitable, timely, and person-centered.” [ 1 ]  Quality is defined as, “The degree to which nursing services for healthcare consumers, families, groups, communities, and populations increase the likelihood of desirable outcomes and are consistent with evolving nursing knowledge.” [ 2 ]  Every nurse is responsible for providing quality care to their patients by following the standards set forth by various organizations, as well as personally incorporating evidence-based practice. Quality is everyone’s responsibility and it takes the entire health care team to ensure that quality care is provided to each and every patient. For example, turning an immobile patient every two hours to prevent pressure injuries requires the dedication of many staff members throughout the day and night. Quality actions can also be formalized on a specific unit, such as the review of data related to patient falls with specific unit-based interventions formally put into place. This commitment to quality practice requires lifelong learning after you have completed your formal nursing education to remain current with new evidence-based practices.

Learning how to provide safe, quality nursing practice begins in nursing school. The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project encourages future nurses to continuously improve the quality and safety of the health care systems in which they work. The vision of the QSEN project is to “inspire health care professionals to put quality and safety as core values to guide their work.” [ 3 ]  Nurses and nursing students are expected to participate in quality improvement (QI) initiatives by identifying gaps where change is needed and implementing initiatives to resolve these gaps. Quality improvement is defined as the combined and unceasing efforts of everyone – health care professionals, patients and their families, researchers, payers, planners, and educators – to make the changes that will lead to optimal patient outcomes (health), improved system performance (care), and enhanced professional development (learning). [ 4 ]  As a nursing student, you can immediately begin to contribute to improving the quality of nursing practice by participating in quality improvement initiatives.

Read more about the  QSEN project .

Evidence-based practice in nursing.

Evidence-based practice is a component of ANA’s “Scholarly Inquiry” Standard of Professional Practice. Evidence-based practice is defined as, “A lifelong problem-solving approach that integrates the best evidence from well-designed research studies and evidence-based theories; clinical expertise and evidence from assessment of the healthcare consumer’s history and condition, as well as health care resources; and patient, family, group, community, and population preferences and values.” [ 5 ]

Utilizing evidence-based practice means that nurses and nursing students provide patient care based on research studies and clinical expertise and do not just do something “because that’s the way we’ve always done it.” A simple example of nurses promoting evidence-based practice to help patients is using peppermint to relieve nausea. Throughout history, peppermint was used for an upset stomach and to relieve the feeling of nausea. This idea was frequently rejected in the medical field because there was no scientific evidence to support it. However, In 2016, Lynn Bayne and Helen Hawrylack, two nurse researchers, developed a peppermint inhaler for patients to use when they were feeling nauseated and found it was 93% effective in relieving nausea. [6]

Nursing students should implement evidence-based practice as they begin their nursing career by ensuring the resources they use to prepare for patient care are valid and credible. For this reason, hyperlinks to credible and reliable sources are provided throughout this textbook.

1.9. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Learning activities.

(Answers to “Learning Activities” can be found in the “Answer Key” at the end of the book. Answers to interactive activity elements will be provided within the element as immediate feedback.)

Apply what you have learned from this chapter by completing the following learning activities:

You are a nursing student observing the Critical Care Unit (CCU) as part of your clinical course. You have been assisting a critical care nurse with the care of a patient who has been experiencing significantly low blood pressures throughout the day. The nurse has to step away from the bedside to take a phone call and instructs you to increase the intravenous (IV) medication if the patient’s systolic blood pressure drops below 90 mmHg. What is the appropriate response to this instruction?

You are completing a clinical rotation on a medical surgical unit and are invited to join a few staff nurses in the breakroom for a lunch break. While you are in the breakroom, you notice one of the staff nurses complaining loudly about a patient and discussing sensitive patient care information. What is an appropriate response to this situation?

I. GLOSSARY

An RN who has a graduate degree and advanced knowledge. There are four categories of APRNs: certified nurse-midwife (CNM), clinical nurse specialist (CNS), certified nurse practitioner (CNP), or certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). These nurses can diagnose illnesses and prescribe treatments and medications. [ 1 ]

Authoritative statements of the duties that all registered nurses, regardless of role, population, or specialty, are expected to perform competently. The Standards of Professional Nursing Practice describe a competent level of nursing practice as demonstrated by the critical thinking model known as the nursing process. The nursing process includes the components of assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation. [ 2 ]

Standards that describe a competent level of behavior in the professional role of the nurse, including activities related to ethics, advocacy, respectful and equitable practice, communication, collaboration, leadership, education, scholarly inquiry, quality of practice, professional practice evaluation, resource stewardship, and environmental health. [ 3 ]

Care that can be performed following a defined nursing procedure with minimal modification in which the responses of the patient to the nursing care are predictable. [ 4 ]

The state-specific licensing and regulatory body that sets the standards for safe nursing care, decides the scope of practice for nurses within its jurisdiction, and issues licenses to qualified candidates.

A hierarchy of reporting relationships in an agency that establishes accountability and lays out lines of authority and decision-making power.

A code that applies normative, moral guidance for nurses in terms of what they ought to do, be, and seek. A code of ethics makes the primary obligations, values, and ideals of a profession explicit.

Impaired swallowing.

An ethical principle is a general guide, basic truth, or assumption that can be used with clinical judgment to determine a course of action. Four common ethical principles are beneficence (do good), nonmaleficence (do no harm), autonomy (control by the individual), and justice (fairness).

A lifelong problem-solving approach that integrates the best evidence from well-designed research studies and evidence-based theories; clinical expertise and evidence from assessment of the health consumer’s history and condition, as well as health care resources; and patient, family, group, community, and population preferences and values. [ 5 ]

The impaired ability to form words and speak.

An individual who has completed a state-approved practical or vocational nursing program, passed the NCLEX-PN examdination, and is licensed by their state Board of Nursing to provide patient care. [ 6 ]

A specific term that looks at a standard of care, as well as the professional status of the caregiver. [ 7 ]

Personal values, character, or conduct of individuals within communities and societies. [ 8 ]

A “general term that denotes conduct lacking in due care, carelessness, and a deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances.” [ 9 ]

Allows a nurse to have one multistate license with the ability to practice in the home state and other compact states.

Nursing integrates the art and science of caring and focused on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alleviation of suffering through compassionate presence. Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations in recognition of the connection of all humanity. [ 10 ]

Legislation enacted by each state that establishes regulations for nursing practice within that state by defining the requirements for licensure, as well as the scope of nursing practice.

Keeping your patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI) protected and known only by those health care team members directly providing care for the patient.

Care that is provided to patients to promote wellness and prevent disease from occurring. This includes health promotion, education, protection (such as immunizations), early disease screening, and environmental considerations.

A precise and detailed written plan for a regimen of therapy. [ 11 ]

A physician, podiatrist, dentist, optometrist, or advanced practice nurse provider. [ 12 ]

The degree to which nursing services for health care consumers, families, groups, communities, and populations increase the likelihood of desirable outcomes and are consistent with evolving nursing knowledge.” [ 13 ]

An individual who has graduated from a state-approved school of nursing, passed the NCLEX-RN examination, and is licensed by a state board of nursing to provide patient care. [ 14 ]

A culture established within health care agencies that empowers nurses, nursing students, and other staff members to speak up about risks to patients and to report errors and near misses, all of which drive improvement in patient care and reduce the incident of patient harm.

Services that a qualified health professional is deemed competent to perform and permitted to undertake – in keeping with the terms of their professional license.

Care that occurs when a person has contracted an illness or injury and is in need of medical care.

A type of care that deals with the long-term effects from chronic illness or condition, with the purpose to restore physical and mental function that may have been lost. The goal is to achieve the highest level of functioning possible with this chronic illness.

Any unlicensed person, regardless of title, who performs tasks delegated by a nurse. This includes certified nursing aides/assistants (CNAs), patient care assistants (PCAs), patient care technicians (PCTs), state tested nursing assistants (STNAs), nursing assistants-registered (NA/Rs) or certified medication aides/assistants (MA-Cs). Certification of UAPs varies between jurisdictions. [ 15 ]

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

• Cite this Page Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing Fundamentals [Internet]. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2021. Chapter 1 Scope of Practice.
• PDF version of this title (216M)

In this Page

• SCOPE OF PRACTICE INTRODUCTION
• HISTORY AND FOUNDATION
• REGULATIONS & STANDARDS
• HEALTH CARE SETTINGS & TEAM
• NURSING EDUCATION AND THE NCLEX
• LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS & ETHICS
• PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
• QUALITY AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
• LEARNING ACTIVITIES

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Home Clinician Life Blog Nursing 5 Nursing Professional Development Plan Essentials

5 Nursing Professional Development Plan Essentials

September 3, 2024 — 6 min read

September 14-20 is NPD Week — Nursing Professional Development Week! This special week is all about helping you become the best nurse you can be. It’s a time to recognize your growth and provide you with the resources you need to reach your career goals. For instance, your plan for nursing professional development.

To celebrate, let’s look at the best ways to learn and grow in your nursing career: Starting by creating an effective Nursing Professional Development Plan (NPDP).

What is a Nursing Professional Development Plan?

A Nursing Professional Development Plan (NPDP) is a strategic tool designed to help you advance your career, improve your skills, and expand your professional knowledge. As you know, healthcare is always changing. This plan helps you stay on top of the change and grow with it, all while achieving your specific goals.

What is Included in a Nursing Professional Development Plan?

Your Nursing Professional Development Plan focuses on the actions you’ll take to reach your educational and career goals. It might include:

Clear, specific goals that outline where you want to be in both the short term and long term.

• Example : “Become a Nurse Leader in the next 3 years.”

How are you going to make it happen? Write down each of the steps you’ll take to achieve your goals. For instance:

• Earn a master’s degree in Clinical Nurse Leadership (CNL). 
• Complete the CNL program.
• Pass the CNL certification exam.

Explain why you have the strength to make it happen. What unique traits or qualities do you have that support your goal?

Example : “Natural Leader: I’m always finding myself guiding, motivating, and teaching others.”

Think about nursing skills or areas you want to improve to help make your goals possible.

Example : “Conflict resolution skills, communication skills…”

Opportunities

What opportunities can you look for to gain experience and support your goal?

Example : “Volunteer for leadership roles on committees, look for assignments with increased leadership responsibility, sign up for leadership trainings/webinars…”

Are there any mentors, networks, or educational resources you can use to guide and support your professional development?

Example : “In-house continuing education, leadership webinars through the ANA…”

Remember: Your NPDP isn’t something you make once at the beginning of your nursing career and call it good. It grows with you and your goals. It helps you stay focused, motivated, and proactive in your professional growth, turning your goals from ideas into achievements !

How to Select Your Nursing Professional Development Activities

Start by setting a smart goal.

First, effective Nursing Professional Development Plans are action-oriented. Instead of saying, “I want to become a Team Lead,” specify how you’ll get there with concrete steps: “I want to become a Team Lead by completing X, Y, and Z.”

To guide your plan, start by setting a SMART goal :

• S pecific : Spare no detail! The clearer your goal, the easier it is to achieve.
• M easurable : How will you know when you’ve reached your goal? Determine how you’ll measure progress. For example, if you want to get “better” at a skill, set criteria for how you’ll gauge your improvement.
• A ttainable : Make sure your goal is within your reach. Dream big, but set yourself up for success.
• R elevant : Is your goal relevant to what you want to achieve in your career and life in the long run? Make sure it aligns.
• T ime-Bound: We all procrastinate. Without a deadline, it’s easy to put our goals off. Fight this by giving yourself a realistic deadline for your goal to keep yourself on track.

Talk with a Mentor

Not sure where to start? Talk with a mentor, unit leader, or someone you look up to at your facility. Share your goals and seek their advice on what to include in your Nursing Professional Development Plan.

Use Nursing Professional Development Plan Resources

There are endless resources out there to help you make your goals happen. The Association for Nursing Professional Development is a great place to start. Plus, we’ve compiled a whole list for you here !

5 Ways to Level Up Your Nursing Professional Development Plan

Want to take your Nursing Professional Development Plan to the next level? Here are some must-haves and best practices to help:

Look Into Continuing Education Opportunities

The more you learn, the more you grow. Continuing education (CE) is crucial for your NPDP.

• Check if your facility offers CE courses.
• Attend local or national conferences to expand your knowledge (and your network).
• Explore CE online courses and webinars through the American Nurses Association (ANA) .

Remember: Choose courses or conferences that tie back to your goals. For example, if you want to become a Nurse Leader, look for opportunities focused on leadership and management.

Get a Certification

Become an expert — and make it official! Getting a nursing certification is one of the most effective ways to level up your career and confidence.

Once again, go back to your main goal. What do you want to achieve in the long-term? What type of certification(s) will help get you there?

Explore More Advanced Roles

Plan your next career steps. Where can you grow and go next?

• Can you move into a Nurse Leader or Nurse Manager role?
• Could you become a specialist?
• Could you advance to a more specialized setting ?

Research advanced roles you’re interested in and see what education, experience, and steps are required to get there. Then, you’ll have your next action steps for your nursing professional development plan!

Participate in Committees

See if your facility has any committees you can join or volunteer with. This can help you rub shoulders with important leaders, increase your experience, and open advancement opportunities that support your nursing professional development plan.

Find or Become a Mentor

Lastly, wherever you are in your career, mentorship can help you get a step further.

• If you need a mentor, they can help you reach your goals, dream bigger, and overcome obstacles.
• If you become a mentor, you can help others do the same — all while building your own confidence, experience, and leadership skills.

Growing Your Nursing Career with New Experiences

The ultimate key to nursing professional development is always looking for and staying open to new experiences. Wherever you want to go in your career, CareerStaff can connect you with the right opportunities.

Curious about openings for your dream roles? Quick Apply to work with a dedicated recruiter today, or search hundreds of local, travel, and per diem nursing jobs nationwide now.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing as a Professional Nurse

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The field of nursing requires a great deal of swift, accurate writing. You will need to fill out reports and charts correctly and completely and record your interactions with doctors and patients fairly. In addition, you must always be prepared to defend the information you record. The material below is intended to help you get used to this type of writing both in school and in the field of nursing.

Three General Rules

This may seem to go without saying, but you should remember that accuracy is important even beyond the obvious areas like medication administration and treatment procedure. Accurately reporting sequences of events, doctor’s orders, and patient concerns will protect you from scrutiny. Example : “Did dressing change.” If this is the entire record of you performing a dressing change for a patient, then exactly what you did is up to interpretation. A more precise version would be:

“Performed dressing change, cleaned wound with NS and gauze, applied calcium alginate, covered with ABD, secured with silk tape. Patient tolerated well.” This revision provides a clear picture of every step of the procedure and explains use of all materials. (Note: even further explanation may be necessary to describe wound status and any changes or doctor notifications.)

Be Objective

Always try to remove personal emotions and opinions from the writing you do. Place yourself in a dispassionate mindset and record information, not feelings, hunches, or viewpoints.

Example : “Patient acting crazy.” This statement relies on the nurse’s subjective opinion of the patient’s mental state. A better version would be: “Patient pacing back and forth, breathing fast, clenching fists, yelling ‘Don’t touch me!’ repeatedly.”

This provides a clear picture of what actually happened during the incident, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.

Remember Your Critical Audience

Litigation and auditing are a fact of life in the medical field, and chances are good that readers of your writing will be actively looking for mistakes or inconsistencies. Scrupulous charting and reporting is the best way to satisfy such readers. Examples : “Did dressing change.” “Patient acting crazy.” Both of the examples in the above points could be used by a critical audience to have cause for correction or could be used negatively against you in court. The phrase “Did dressing change” details no necessity for specific materials, leaves room for doubt as to compliance with doctor-ordered treatments, and can provide space for accusations from expert witnesses. Writing “Patient acting crazy,” without quantifying statements and description of your actions, can be grounds for charges of negligence. Either one of these cases, in an extreme scenario, could be grounds for you to lose your license.

ANA Official Position Statements

The American Nurses Association (ANA) develops positions relevant to nursing practice, health policy, and social concerns impacting the health of patients and families. Position statements guide the profession, amplify the views of nursing, and educate consumers and decision makers.

One important process used for the development of a position statement is:

• When a relevant topic has been approved by the ANA Board of Directors, an ANA Professional Issues Panel is appointed to research and come up with a draft position.
• Once the panel has completed its work on the new position statement, a draft of the proposed position statement is then posted on ANA's website for public comment.
• Following public comment, the statement is revised if necessary and approved by the ANA Board of Directors, making it an established ANA position. 

This process allows each and every nurse to voice their views and opinions on the various dimensions of the issue at hand. The current position statements are as follows:

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

• Abuse of Prescription Drugs
• Drug Testing for Health Care Workers
• Emergency Care Psychiatric Clinical Framework
• Promoting Safe Medication Use in the Older Adult
• Substance Use Among Nurses and Nursing Students (Joint Statement by the Emergency Nurses Association and International Nurses Society on Addictions)
• Electronic Health Record
• Electronic Personal Health Record
• Inclusion of Recognized Terminologies Supporting Nursing Practice within Electronic Health Records and Other Health Information Technology Solutions
• Standardization and Interoperability of Health Information Technology: Supporting Nursing and the National Quality Strategy for Better Patient Outcomes

Ethics and Human Rights

• Capital Punishment and Nurses' Participation in Capital Punishment (Approved 2/24)
• Nurses' Roles and Responsibilities in Providing Care and Support at the End of Life (Approved 2/24)
• Privacy and Confidentiality (Revised 2/24)
• The Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice (Approved 12/20/22)
• The Nurse's Role and Responsibility in Unveiling and Dismantling Racism in Nursing (2022)
• Risk and Responsibility in Providing Nursing Care  (Approved 10/6/2022) 
• Therapeutic use of Marijuana and Related Cannabinoids  (Approved 5/4/2021) 

Nurses’ Professional Responsibility to Promote Ethical Practice Environments (Approved 5/4/2021)

• The Ethical Use of Restraints: Balancing Dual Nursing Duties of Patient Safety and Personal Safety  (Approved 11/23/2020)
• Nursing Care and Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) Decisions (Approved 2/19/2020) 
• Nurse’s Role in Providing Ethically and Developmentally Appropriate Care to People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Approved 10/10/19)
• Ethical Considerations for Local and Global Volunteerism (Approved 8/2/19) [VIDEO]
• The Nurse’s Role When a Patient Requests Medical Aid in Dying  (Approved 6/22/19)
• The Nurse’s Role in Addressing Discrimination: Protecting and Promoting Inclusive Strategies in Practice Settings, Policy, and Advocacy (Approved 10/3/18) [ VIDEO ]
• The Ethical Responsibility to Manage Pain and the Suffering It Causes (Approved 2/23/2018) [VIDEO]
• Interdisciplinary Guidelines for Care of Women Presenting to the Emergency Department with Pregnancy Loss  (Endorsed 2/23/2018)
• Nursing Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Populations (Approved 4/19/18)
• Non-Punitive Treatment of Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women with Substance Use Disorders (Approved 3/15/17)
• Nutrition and Hydration at the End of Life  (Revised 6/7/17)
• Frequently Asked Questions: ANA Position on Capital Punishment
• The Nurse’s Role in Ethics and Human Rights: Protecting and Promoting Individual Worth, Dignity, and Human Rights in Practice Settings (February 2016)

Retired ANA Position Statements

• Constituent/State Nurses Associations (C/SNAs) as Ethics Resources, Educators, and Advocates (Retired ANA Position Statement - Approved 11/11/11)
• Stem Cell Research  (Retired ANA Position Statement - Approved 1/10/07)

HIV and Viral Hepatitis

• Prevention and Care for HIV and Related Conditions
• HIV Infection and Nursing Students
• Equipment/Safety Procedures to Prevent Transmission of Bloodborne Diseases
• Personnel Policies and HIV in the Workplace
• Post-Exposure Programs in the Event of Occupational Exposure to HIV/HBV

Nursing Practice

• National Provider Identifier (NPI) as the Unique Nurse Identifier
• Academic Progression to Meet the Needs of the Registered Nurse, the Health Care Consumer, and the U.S. Health Care System  (Joint Position Statement by the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing and ANA)
• Retail-Based Nurse Practitioners
• Addressing Nurse Fatigue to Promote Safety and Health: Joint Responsibilities of Registered Nurses and Employers to Reduce Risks
• Assuring Safe, High Quality Health Care in Pre-K Through 12 Educational Setting
• Care Coordination and Registered Nurses’ Essential Role
• Competencies for Nurse Practitioners in Emergency Care
• Credentialing and Privileging of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
• Criminal Background Checks (CBCs) for Nurse Licensure
• Criteria for the Evaluation of Clinical Nurse Specialist Master’s, Practice Doctorate, and Post-Graduate Certificate Educational Programs
• Determining a Standard Order of Credentials for the Professional Nurse
• The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Advancing the Nursing Profession
• Elimination of Manual Patient Handling to Prevent Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Establishing a Culturally Competent Master's and Doctorally Prepared Nursing Workforce
• Immunizations
• Incivility Bullying and Workplace Violence
• Inclusion of Recognized Terminologies within EHRs and other Health Information Technology Solutions
• Nurse Practitioner Perspective on Education and Post-Graduate Training
• One Perioperative Registered Nurse Circulator Dedicated to Every Patient Undergoing an Operative or Other Invasive Procedure
• Procedural Sedation Consensus Statement
• Professional Role Competence
• The Role of the Registered Nurse in Ambulatory Care
• Safe Practices for Needle and Syringe Use
• Safety Issues Related to Tubing and Catheter Misconnections
• Substance Use Among Nurses and Nursing Students  (Joint statement by the Emergency Nurses Association and International Nurses Society on Addictions)

Patient Safety

• Patient Safety: Rights of Registered Nurses When Considering a Patient Assignment
• Privacy and Confidentiality

Social Causes and Health Care

• Adolescent Health
• ANA and AAN Joint Statement on Family Separation Policy  (February 2019)
• Elimination of Violence in Advertising Directed Toward Children, Adolescents and Families
• Essential Care and Coverage for Those Living with Obesity: Nurses Obesity Network Joint Statement
• Fluoridation of Public Water Drinking Systems
• Lead Poisoning and Screening
• NAPNAP Position Statement on Immunizations
• Nurses’ Role in Addressing Global Climate Change, Climate Justice, and Health
• Nursing Leadership in Global and Domestic Tobacco Control
• Pharmaceutical Waste
• Prevention and Cessation of Tobacco and Other Nicotine Products
• Promoting Tobacco Cessation in Pharmacies
• Promotion and Disease Prevention
• Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Use of Placebos for Pain Management in Patients with Cancer
• Violence Against Women

Role of the Registered Nurse

• Care Coordination and Registered Nurses’ Essential Role
• Registered Nurses Utilization of Nursing Assistive Personnel in All Settings
• Role of the Registered Nurse in Ambulatory Care

Workplace Advocacy

• Just Culture
• Nursing Staffing Requirements to Meet the Demands of Today’s Long Term Care Consumer Recommendations from the Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations (CGNO)
• Promoting Nurses’ Mental Health
• Sexual Harassment
• Work Release During a Disaster - Guidelines for Employers
• Work Release During a Disaster - Registered Nurses' Rights and Responsibilities

ANA Principles

Related resources.

• Oncology Nursing Society: “Ensuring Healthcare Worker Safety When Handling Hazardous Drugs" pdf (0.26MB)
• Retired ANA Position Statements (Members only)
• Archived HOD Resolutions 1999 to 2012 (Members only)

Read about how ANA is leading the health care debate through our Expert policy analysis

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Revised nursing profiles set to be published in 2025

03 September, 2024 By Ella Devereux

Source:  Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

The revised national NHS job profiles for nursing and midwifery will not be published until early 2025, to allow time for more bands to be reviewed, it has been announced.

The NHS Staff Council’s job evaluation group (JEG) has been reviewing the profiles for bands 4, 5 and 6 since 2022, after concerns had been raised by unions that they do not reflect the modern nursing and midwifery landscape.

A consultation on proposed revisions to the profiles ran from April to June 2024 and gathered mixed reviews from nurses and midwives.

Some argued that the proposed revisions better reflect the level at which nurses in each band are working, while others said they think it could make it harder for nurses to be renumerated for their work.

The Royal College of Nursing was among those that were unhappy with the new profiles, warning in July that the proposed changes do not go far enough to recognise the skills and expertise of some staff.

In a statement this week , the JEG said it was grateful to all those who had responded to the consultation, and that it was “working its way through the feedback over the coming weeks”.

It noted that the group would begin consulting on revised national profiles for bands 7 and above “later in the autumn”.

The joint chairs of the JEG have agreed that the final revised profiles will now only be published once the review of all the bands, from 4-9, has been completed.

This would likely be in early 2025, the group said.

The NHS job evaluation scheme ensures that all jobs advertised in the health service are matched to nationally evaluated profiles.

These profiles are supposed to reflect the knowledge, skills and responsibilities for common roles in the NHS.

The revised profiles for bands 4-6, first published in draft form by the JEG in April, had included further detail about the remit of jobs, with more current examples of the skills and responsibilities they might have.

Related articles

• RCN renews calls for nurses to become band 6 after preceptorship
• Mixed views on proposed new national nursing profiles
• Consultation launched on revisions to national nursing job profiles
• Pay banding of nursing roles ‘way out of date’
• Review of UK nursing and midwifery job profiles to be launched
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