Scope of practice

Definition: the variety of roles, functions, responsibilities and activities which a registered nurse is educated, competent and has authority to execute. The scope of practice framework inspires nurses to critically examine their scope of practice and expand exactly where appropriate. The framework fulfils a number of functions in that it: Acts as a background to underpin decision generating associated to nurses every day practice. Help nurses to identify specialist developmental wants.

Offers a foundation for the expansion of nursing roles. Encourage reflective practice to increase learning and the provision of safe, quality patient care. Nursing practice is underpinned by values that guide the way in which nursing care is provided. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland considers that the following values need to support nursing practice:

1. 1. In generating decisions about their individual scope of practice, nurses ought to keep to the fore the rights, needs and general benefit to the patient and the importance of advertising and keeping the highest requirements of top quality in the health solutions.
2. two. Nurses treat all patients as equals with out discriminating on the grounds of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, civil status, family members status, sexual orientation, disability (physical, mental or intellectual), or membership of the Traveller neighborhood.
3. 3. Fundamental to nursing practice is the therapeutic connection among the nurse and the patient that is primarily based on open communication, trust, understanding, compassion and kindness, and serves to empower the patient to make life alternatives.
4. 4. Nursing practice entails advocacy for the rights of thei person patient and for their family members. It also involves advocacy on behalf of nursing practice in organisational and management structures inside nursing.
5. five. Nurses recognise their role in delegating care appropriately and providing supervision to junior colleagues and other healthcare workers, where required.
6. six. Nursing care combines art and science. Nursing care is holistic in nature, grounded in an understanding of the social, emotional, cultural, spiritual, psychological and physical experiences of individuals, and is primarily based upon the very best available investigation and experiential evidence.
7. 7. Nursing practice should constantly be based on the principles of professional conduct stated in the newest edition of the Code of Expert Conduct and Ethics for Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives (2014).