NURSE PRACTICE ACT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

NURSE PRACTICE ACT - Essay Example In order to be aware about the legal obligations, a nurse must be familiar with both the Act and also with the regulations associated with it, which will in turn help the nurse practice nursing safely at any location. It is also a fact that despite changes in the Nurse Practice Acts in many states, barriers to nursing practice remain. In the future, clearly stated and uniform standards, scopes of practice, educational requirements, and evaluation of competencies are required The state nursing practice act is an important legislation affecting nursing practice. The nursing practice acts defines nursing, gives guidance on the scope of practice, and sets standards for the nursing profession. The main purpose of nurse practice acts is to protect the public from unsafe practitioners. The ultimate goal of this act is to provide competent, quality nursing care by qualified nurse practitioners. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) was organized in 1901 with the intention of obtaining a legal credentialing mechanism for nursing practice, and thus protects graduate nurses. The title Registered Nurse, â€Å"R.N† was derived from the nurse registration act or the â€Å"Armstrong Bill† in 1903. The first license was issued in 1904, to the class of 1902 from the Rochester Homeopathic Hospital (The Nursing Practice Act, n.d.) Since the public does not have adequate information or experience to identify such a health care provider, they are particularly vulnerable. Thus it is vital that by means of proper regulatory processes, the government permits only those with proper credentials to practice nursing (NCSBN, n.d.) The Nurse Practice Act is a set of state laws, and the statutes are grouped with a chapter of state laws. By ensuring basic requirements for nursing practice, the Act aims to protect the public from an unsafe nurse. Since the legislature of each state determines the Acts content, each states Act may