What Nurses Need to Know About License - Essay Example

According to Guido (2014), the scope of registered nurses is outlined by the Nursing Practice Act (NPA). For this reason, it is necessary for nurses to be aware of various clauses documented in the NPA because they indicate the scope of their activities.  Of more importance, the regulations also stipulate factors that determine the working conditions for nurses (Bae, 2012).

Nurses should also be aware of the implications of violating the NPA policies. Like in other professions guided by standard practices, nurses are subjected to varying forms of punishment in the event of violating NPA. According to NCSBN (2011), incidences of malpractices violating the NPA are reported to the Boards of Nursing (BON) in the respective jurisdictions. Investigations into the concerned issues are done, and convicted nurses are subjected to a legal prosecution process. Therefore, nurses should be aware that their licensures can be questioned or even revoked following the violations of NPA.

Lastly, licensed nurses should be aware that they can perform activities beyond their scope of RN practice. According to Guido (2014), nurses can perform activities beyond their scope based on standards developed by nursing, medicine, and administration. In addition, nurses should be aware that additional factors such as the status of healthcare administration can affect their effectiveness in service delivery (Auerbach, Staiger, Muench & Buerhaus, 2012).

In conclusion, nurses should be aware of various factors affecting their licensures. In particular, nurses are subjected to various regulations that oversee the quality of their services. In addition, nurses are given additional mandates, such as healthcare administration and performance of activities beyond their usual scope after being licensed.