Regulatory and Accreditation: the Effects on Nursin Faculty Essay

Nursing is a health care practice that is more directed onto care of individuals by ensuring their recovery and quality assurance in health. Their scope of practice is differentiated by their approach methodologies. Nursing has diversified and in response to the rise of practice, prior education and training is now effected in many states in America. One of the states, Kentucky, has well-established schools, frontier schools, and colleges to facilitate the dependability of nursing practitioners. In conjunction to the status requirements of nursing and certification of the American nurses Association, the state of Kentucky has formed the Kentucky Board of Nursing, a Commonwealth agency of Kentucky. The board is a distinctive entity in the nursing profession whose objective is to protect the public's health welfare through the development and reinforcement of laws and regulations that govern safe health practice through nursing.

A profession can be defined as a “prestigious occupation with a high degree of identification among its member that requires a length and rigorous education in an intellectually demanding and theoretically based course of study; that engages in rigorous self-regulation and control; that holds authority over clients; and that puts service to society above simple self interest” (Schwirian, 1998, p. 6). Nursing is just that, and with its specific body of knowledge, standards, and codes of ethics, it is only fitting that it be self-regulated (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2012). The College of Nurses works with registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and nurse practioners to determine whether or not standards and best practices are met and that the public’s safety is protected.

An ongoing debate for the requirements to become a Registered Nurse (RN) has been unsettled. Several different educational pathways lead to an RN licensure; however, the minimum educational requirements must be standardized at the baccalaureate level for several reasons. Spetz and Bates (2013) published that a growing number of hospitals prefer hiring nurses with a Bachelor Science in Nursing (BSN) as this increases the status of the nursing profession (p. 1). Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), as well as a certificate on-the-job training Diploma are two other educational pathways to become an RN, which can be disadvantageous to the nursing profession in several ways (Tollick 2013; Spetz and Bates 2013). If entry-level nurses

Healthcare systems and the way safe, quality health care is delivered are continually changing to better serve patients and communities. Professional nursing practice is a large component in the healthcare system today. Back in the 1960s, professional nursing leaders tried to adopt the bachelor degree programs as the only educational track to become a registered nurse (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). Due to nursing shortages and demands this motive did not hold fast. Individuals entering the nursing profession today must first decide which educational pathway to take to become a Registered Nurse (RN).

Nursing education in the United States offers many levels of competency falling under the licensed title of registered nurse (RN). These levels offered in a continuum, begin with nursing as a vocation in the form of licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) followed by an associate degree (ADN), baccalaureate of science degree (BSN), masters of science degree (MSN) and doctorate. All have curriculums that build upon the previous designation in hopes of creating a highly

Nurse educators (NEs) possess competencies such as facilitation of learning, fostering development of the learner, socialize the learner to integrate behaviors and values within the nursing profession, use of assessment and evaluation strategies, develop and

The BSN curriculum fosters the development of these skills. The nurse obtains knowledge regarding public health and community issues. Additionally, the nurse develops skills in nursing administration and research in order to provide optimum health care for the patient and organization, thus carrying out expert assessment and evaluation (Forster, 2008).

Nursing is a crucial field, which affects the lives of people. The public does not have enough information pertaining those who practice nursing this led to the introduction of nursing licensure to protect the public from unqualified persons. This license sets qualifications and competence of nursing professionals. Compared to state nursing licensure, national nursing licensure advocates for a more effective practice for nurses. It reduces or lessens nursing shortage by promoting mobility of the nursing professionals. National nursing licensure has a number of advantages over individual state nursing licensure. These include enhanced patient access to quality nursing care, improved discipline and information distribution amongst the states, physical and electronic provision of care by competent nurses, and ease of employers to more movable and proficient nurses (Fraziea, 2012).

The second category of provisions relates to the nurse’s responsibility to maintain their own proficiency and health environments, delegate appropriately, preserve integrity, and keep their practice and competence current. It is crucial that nurses are proficient and maintain competency in order to deliver high quality care to patients. "The virtue of professional competence calls for continual professional growth and a commitment to lifelong learning. You must practice nursing that’s evidence-based, be knowledgeable about the scope and standards of nursing practice, and have the necessary skills to perform nursing tasks effectively” [ (Lachman, 2008, p. 44) ].

Review the competencies for the nurse educator role of your choice (either hospital-based or academic; ANA or NLN) in the assigned readings. Select one competency and share it with your classmates. Be sure to address why you selected the one you did. Discuss how you have already met it or how you plan to meet it as you embark on your journey as a nurse educator. Support your response with literature.

American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Professional Performance explains how all registered nurses do their work and activities consistently according to their professions that promote the wellbeing of their patients and communities (ANA, 2010a). The standards provide a mechanism to patients that they are been taken good care of and that the nurses know exactly what to do so as to provide high-quality care and the measures are in place to determine whether nursing care meets the standards. These activities are related to performance like ethics, quality of practice, education, communication, resources, leadership, environmental health, professional practice evaluation, and evidence-based practice and research. Registered nurses are responsible for their professional actions to themselves, their patients, their peers, and the community at large.

214) “The ACA and the need for APRNs, nurse faculty, and nurse researchers would have increased dramatically under any scenario.” (L R Cronenwett [RWJF Iniative on the Future of Nursing], 2010, table 1). “Not only must schools of nursing build their capacity to prepare more students. Nursing need to focus on fundamental improvements in the delivery of nursing care to improve patient safety and quality is key.” (IOM, 2010, p. 208)

National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is an examination administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. to graduate nurses in the United States before they can obtain a practicing license. An NCLEX test blueprint is a document produced by NCSBN, which contains a summation of what is assessed in the NCLEX examination as well as the core values of nursing practice. The blueprint serves as a guide for aspiring nurses and nursing student who need to learn the basic requirements of nursing and nursing examination. The blueprint is valuable in exam preparation and as a study guide.

Furthermore, licensing and accreditation standards must be heightened to insure the quality of the nurses that enter the workforce. Certifying organizations must therefore mandate the proper demonstration of core competencies and skills prior to endowing students with the nursing title. The nursing profession, according to the IOM report, must undergo fundamental changes within the overall education of nurses. In many respects the basic

Nursing lacks the standardization requirements that other professions require which leads to failure to unify nurse’s identity in allocating the furtherance of education in the profession (Black, 2014). Lack of resolution in these educational requirements undermines the nursing development as