Topic > Understanding the scope of nursing practice

Definition: The variety of roles, functions, responsibilities, and activities that a professional nurse is educated, competent, and has the authority to perform. The scope of practice framework inspires nurses to critically examine their scope of practice and expand it where appropriate. The framework performs several functions as it: Acts as a basis to support decision making relating to nurses' daily practice. Help nurses identify professional development needs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Provides a foundation for expanding nursing roles. Encourage reflective practice to improve learning and the provision of safe, quality care to patients. Nursing practice is underpinned by values ​​that guide how nursing care is provided. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland believes that the following values ​​should support nursing practice:1. In making decisions about their personal scope of practice, nurses should keep in mind the overall rights, needs and benefits of the patient and the importance of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of quality in health services.2. Nurses treat all patients as equals without discrimination based on age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, disability (physical, mental or intellectual) or membership of the Traveler community.3. Fundamental to nursing practice is the therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the patient which is based on open communication, trust, understanding, compassion and kindness and serves to give the patient the opportunity to make life choices.4. Nursing practice involves defending the rights of the individual patient and his family. It also involves advocacy for nursing practice in organizational and management structures within nursing.5. Nurses recognize their role in delegating care appropriately and providing supervision to junior colleagues and other healthcare professionals where required.6. Nursing combines art and science. Nursing care is holistic in nature, grounded in understanding the social, emotional, cultural, spiritual, psychological and physical experiences of patients, and is based on the best available research and experiential evidence.7. Nursing practice must always be based on the ethical principles set out in the latest edition of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Professional Nurses and Midwives. (2014).