The South African nursing council does a great job of defining the nursing scope of practice. It is described as “the actions or procedures that are permitted by law for a specific category of nurse to perform.”(Lubbe & Roets, 2014) In nursing today it is clear that the scope of practice is definitely expanding. It is important for the nurse to consider whether or not the action is within that scope before performing them. Healthcare is changing and the role of the nurse is evolving to where the nurse has more responsibilities. It is not just enough for the nurse to act blindly without making sure the action is acceptable.
It is important for each nurse to consider certain factors when considering whether actions are within their scope of practice. One factor is the nurse’s ability to perform the action safely and effectively. If the nurse is not trained properly to do a skill then that is beyond the nurse’s individual scope of practice. Another would be if the actions is within the nurses educational
For example in home healthcare the nurse’s scope may be pushed to and beyond its limits because of the nature of the setting. Some nurses are being asked to practice outside of that scope and that may be putting the patient in danger. The nurse must weigh all their options and remember not to do anything that is unlawful. This is important especially for the patient’s well-being.
References
Lubbe, J., & Roets, L. (2014). Nurses ' Scope of Practice and the Implication for Quality Nursing Care. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 46(1), 58-64. doi:10.1111/jnu.12058
References: Lubbe, J., & Roets, L. (2014). Nurses ' Scope of Practice and the Implication for Quality Nursing Care. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 46(1), 58-64. doi:10.1111/jnu.12058