Natasha Hill
Breckenridge School of Nursing
Abstract
Nursing is a medical profession that is highly regulated by the states Board of nursing. The Board of nursing consists of experienced professionals and civilians who are responsible for formulating and regulating laws governing various aspects of the profession. Principles include details pertaining to nursing education requirements, licensure qualifications, and rules governing the practice of nursing. The code of Virginia includes the Nursing Practice Act (NPA) which encompasses these laws in extensive detail as a reference for current and prospective practitioners. It defines several aspects of the scope …show more content…
Any institution wanting to offer a nursing education program must receive approval by the Board prior to establishment. They must prove that they are prepared to meet minimum standards outlined by the Board for a professional nursing curriculum. It must also meet other standards as may be established by law. Some regulations imposed to become board approved include core curriculum, administrative and clerical responsibility, and the accurate reporting of activities (§54.1-3006.1). The Board of Nursing is composed of thirteen members of various nursing professions and three citizens, all with a term length of four years. Each board member is subject to the conditions listed in §54.1-3003 which includes citizenship and being a practicing nurse with recent experience (§54.1-3003). The board is responsible for upholding the regulations and standards that have been discussed throughout this essay; requirements for licensing, scope of practice, approval of programs, and much more. The board is required to keep detailed records and is responsible for the expedition of processes within reason. Privacy is a huge concern within the medical community, and the practice of nursing is no exception. This body essentially chooses what upcoming nurses are capable of by setting the guidelines for training and approving the programs that produce them. They have the power and duty to provide periodic surveys of educational programs, deny or withdraw approval from educational programs for failure to meet prescribed standards, and set guidelines for the collection of data by all approved nursing education programs and to compile this data in an annual report (§ 54.1-3005). They conduct surveys and consult for different education programs so that the best possible service is attained at all times