Compare the roles of state board of nursing with the role of professional organizations in regulating professional practice. What are the major methods of credentialing? List the benefits and weaknesses of each method from the standpoint of protecting the public and the protection of the professional scope of practice.

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The state board of nursing is governing body with the goal of protecting the public by overseeing licensing, compliance to state laws, and overseeing disciplinary actions (2021, 2003). Developing standards of nursing care and reviewing curriculums of nursing programs is one aspect of the board of nursing that helps to ensure that graduates are equipped with the tools to provide competent care. Students are required to take a states licensure exam called the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). By passing this test that is formulated by the board of nursing, the graduate is proving that they have the knowledge and skill to adequately care for patients. Additionally, it requires continued education for practicing nurses to promote growth and maintenance of knowledge.

Professional nursing organizations have grown with the profession as institutions that promote nursing as a profession. These organizations have grown from the Bellevue Hospital School of Nursing that was founded by Florence Nightingale and have developed and molded to fit the profession that it has become today. Such organizations today include but are not limited to the American Nurses Association (ANA) and American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). Additionally for advanced practice there is the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), International Council of Nurses (ICN), and the Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (Matthews, 2012). The ANA is a membership-based organization that represent the interest of nurses around the country. Like the board of nursing, it upholds a standard of care that is expected to be delivered by nurses. It also promotes and advocates for the rights of nurses. Looking back on the assignment for passing HR5223 and workplace violence, the ANA has developed a campaign called #EndNurseAbuse. The ICN is one of the oldest international healthcare federations with more than 130 national nurse associations. Similarly, to ANA, the ICN’s goal to ensure quality treatment of nurses, nurse empowerment, and nurse job satisfaction. Additionally, the ICN is involved in the development of health policy.

Credentialing is completed by licensure, registration, certification, and recognition (Loversidge, 2019). Each state is the determinant of what form of credentialing is accepted taking into consideration autonomy and accountability and potential for public harm. Licensure is the most restrictive form requiring legal authority to practice within the defined scope. Competency must be assessed with a licensing examination and maintained with continued education. Registration is enrolling for a review of credential for entry into a profession giving the title as registered. Certification is obtained after a specialty or focused education program, competency assessment, and practice hours is completed. The APRN is required to have a certificate of authority giving them the ability to practice as an NP, for example. Recognition is the confirmation of the status for the individual. The board of nursing accepts the APRN’s credentials for practice.

While each form of credentialing brings their own importance to the process, having a regulatory process across the nation could really help the profession be seen as consistent. In the state of Ohio to become a nurse practitioner completion of a graduate program and national certification are the two requirements (Licensure, 2021). Additionally, to obtain prescriptive authority the graduate program must contain an advanced pharmacology with 45 contact hours that are specific to that specialty chosen. The prospective NP must apply for prescriptive authority, it is not just given after completion of the graduate program. All these hoops that we jump through to be able to take care of people is how the governing bodies can protect the public. It ensures that it those who are practicing know what they are doing.

References

2021, N. (2003). State boards of nursing. Nursing2021, 33, 56-66.

Licensure, N. (2021). Advanced practice registered nurse license requirements in ohio. NursingLicensure.org: https://www.nursinglicensure.org/np-state/ohio-nur…

Loversidge, J. M. (2019). Health Policy and Politics A Nurse’s Guide. In J. A. Milstead, & N. M. Short, Health Policy and Politics A Nurse’s Guide (pp. 57-86). Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Matthews, J. H. (2012). Role of professional organizations in advocating for the nursing profession. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(1), Manuscript 3. doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No01Man03

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There are numerous professional nursing organizations in the U.S., but the American Nurses Association (ANA) is the largest. The ANA self regulates within the nursing profession by developing the nursing process, standards of professional practice, standards of performance, and professional competence (Robbins, 2021). Advocacy is the new standard added to the Standards of Professional Performance (ANA, 2021). The ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses establishes the ethical standards for the profession (ANA, 2015). Scopes of practice do vary among different states. However, both professional nursing organizations and state boards of nursing have established standards that guide nursing practice, ensure competency and safety, and optimize health. They both regulate nursing practice and promote excellence. The main methods of credentialing are licensing, registration, certification, and recognition. State boards of nursing regulate via licensure (Milstead & Short, 2019). The National League for Nursing (NLN) creates and controls the licensing exam (Milstead & Short, 2019). The state board also controls the license, registration, and accreditation renewal process. State boards of nursing accredit nursing education programs. Certification acquired through specialty focused education, competency, and practice hours is granted by professional nursing organization and state boards require APRNs possess nationally recognized certification to practice in their advanced roles (Milstead & Short, 2019). The ANA established the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to certify and recognize healthcare organizations and individuals. The ANCC is the largest and most prestigious nurse credentialing organization in the world (Cosme et al., 2021). The ANA advocates intensely and lobbies for the advancement of the nursing profession.

Unlike professional organizations, boards of nursing are governmental agencies. The potential for conflict of interest does exist within both entities. Boards of nursing have a duty to establish licensing standards while professional nursing organizations have the right to remain free of governmental influence (Milstead & Short, 2019). Public input is a positive aspect of the regulatory process. Built-in delays slow the process of regulatory implementation and are a weakness. Another issue arises when the regulation is misinterpreted as it imposes new meaning that does not coincide with the original intent of the regulation (Milstead & Short, 2019).

References

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements.

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th edition).

Cosme, S., DeGarmo, S., Graebe, J., Horahan, M., Lal, M. M., & Pabico, C. G. (2021). A framework for nursing excellence. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 51(2), 55–57.

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse’s guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Robbins, K. C. (2021). The New Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 48(3), 276–278.