Role and Scope of Nursing
Introduction to the assignment role of the nurse, scope of practice compare and contrast scope of practice.
_Describe the role of the nurse in the program.
_Identify the scope of practice for nurse in Minnesota
-Using the nurse practice Act in Minnesota compare and contrast the scope of practice for the LPN and RN
-conclusion (reflect on the assignment including how you will use the scope of practice to support your role
use at least two credible resource.
Sample Answer
Describe the role of the nurse in the nursing program
Nursing programs refer to formal training and learning in science to equip the nursing students with the necessary skills and knowledge required to provide adequate care to the patients ensuring rapid return to one’s health. The primary goals of any nursing program include preparing the nurse students to meet the diverse needs of their patients in the future, equipping the students with the necessary leadership skills to advance the field of nursing science, and the capacity of nurse professionals to provide quality and safe care to their patients. Some of the roles of nurses in nursing programs include the development of the nursing education curriculum. Nurses play a crucial role in developing the nursing curriculum to be taught in the nursing programs for the nursing programs to be effective and ensure that nurses who graduate from such courses have the necessary skills and knowledge to deal with real-life challenges. It requires inputs from practicing nurses and those with an advanced level of education, for example, DNPs, who guide and evaluate the curriculum contents to ensure that students are taught on relevant issues they will meet in real life (Powers et al., 2019).
Nurses also play a critical role in the training of nurse interns during their internships in the clinics. During the internship, nurse interns are usually under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RNs), who guides them on translating the theoretical knowledge acquired in school to practical procedures that can be used to provide care to the patients. For example, during the internship, trainee nurses are guided by the RNs on performing clinical procedures such as minor surgery procedures, including wound cleaning and dressing. Nurses also act as educators/instructors; most lecturers that train nurses in different nursing programs are nurses themselves. Nurses are also involved in developing policies and standards that regulate those who enroll in various nursing programs. Nurses are involved in setting the standards that determine those who qualify for certain nursing programs and those who do not. The aim of setting the standards is to regulate the profession and ensure that it maintains a specific level of performance and competence to meet society’s demands and future requirements. Nurses also provide other supportive services, such as the provision of healthcare services to nursing students (Trautman et al., 2018).
Identify the scope of practice for nurse in Minnesota
In Minnesota, the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act and the Minnesota Board of nursing do not provide a specific list that outlines the functions of different levels of nurse practitioners. Rather, nurses are professionally responsible for nursing practice which includes a range of activities, responsibilities, and tasks for which a nurse is educated, competent, and authorized to perform. In this state, the scope is determined by standards of practice and further refined based on the employer’s policies and procedures within the organization and are consistent with the laws, rules, and practice standards. However, registered nurses are authorized/allowed to diagnose, prescribe, and institute therapeutic regimes for their patients (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2021).
Compare and contrast the scope of practice for the LPN and RN
There exist several similarities and differences between the scope of practice for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and Registered nurses (RNs) in Minnesota. Some of the similarities between the two levels of nursing include; both RNs and LPNs can collaborate/ participate in collaboration teams with other care providers to develop and modify the plan of care. Both RNs and LPNs function to promote a safe and therapeutic environment, and both can act as advocates for their patients. Both LPNs and RNs are also involved in policy and procedure developments. While both RNs and LPNs can perform focused assessments of the patient’s health status, LPNs cannot evaluate the data obtained, and they have to report the findings to either an RN or an appropriately licensed care provider. However, RNs are allowed to collect, analyze, and interpret the data to establish the health status of their patients and address the identified changes. Another major difference is that the RNs can develop interventions to be implemented in the patient’s plan of care and independently execute the developed interventions (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2021).
In contrast, LPNs cannot independently implement intervention unless delegated by other care providers such as RNs. Another major difference in the scope of practice is that RNs can teach theory and practice of nursing, supervise, manage, and evaluate nursing practice; however, LPNs are not allowed to teach or manage the nursing practice. RNs can also design and implement teaching plans, provide health promotion, care coordination, and case findings; however, LPNs can only provide health information to individual patients (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2021).
Conclusion
Nurses play an essential role in the nursing program; they are involved in curriculum development and course evaluation to ensure that nursing students acquire practical knowledge to solve real-world problems. Nurses also train nursing students during their internships in clinics; in school, nurses are the instructors and educators for the students. Nurses are also involved in the development of policies and standards that regulate nursing programs. The scope of practice determines what the nurse is limited to carrying out. In Minnesota, the scope of practice for different levels of nurses is not clearly defined and is mostly determined by the level of a person’s education and the organization they work in. Several differences exist between the scope of LPNs and RNs, mainly in autonomy, RNs have more autonomy compared LPNs, and they can implement several health care interventions without consulting physicians while LPNs have to consult with other care providers such as RNs.
