Boards of Nursing (BONs) exist in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. Similar entities may also exist for different regions. The mission of BONs is the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice. BONs put into practice state/region regulations for nurses that, among other things, lay out the requirements for licensure and define the scope of nursing practice in that state/region.

It can be a valuable exercise to compare regulations among various state/regional boards of nursing. Doing so can help share insights that could be useful should there be future changes in a state/region. In addition, nurses may find the need to be licensed in multiple states or regions.

To Prepare:

• Review the Resources and reflect on the mission of state/regional boards of nursing as the protection of the public through the regulation of nursing practice.
• Consider how key regulations may impact nursing practice.
• Review key regulations for nursing practice of your state’s/region’s board of nursing and those of at least one other state/region and select at least two APRN regulations to focus on for this Discussion..

Post a comparison of at least two APRN board of nursing regulations in your state/region with those of at least one other state/region. Describe how they may differ. Be specific and provide examples. Then, explain how the regulations you selected may apply to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who have legal authority to practice within the full scope of their education and experience. Provide at least one example of how APRNs may adhere to the two regulations you selected. Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations

Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days and explain how the regulatory environment and the regulations selected by your colleague differ from your state/region. Be specific and provide examples.

Every state in the U.S is governed by a board of Nursing(Milstead and Short, 2019). In the state where I happen to live and work, the Texas Board of Nursing is in charge of regulating the scope of practice, educational requirements, and nurse practitioners’ licensure. I will compare the APRN board of nursing regulations concerning nurse practitioners’ licensure and practice authority in Texas and California.

In Texas,  APRN licensure costs $150 and is given to an individual that has completed an advanced practice nursing educational program from an institution that the Texas Board of Nursing recognizes. An individual is expected to submit a Texas Registered Nurse licensure and national certification in the role and population focus area. The applicant must have completed 400 hours worth of advanced practice in the role and population focus area within the last 24 months of the calendar or education program within the same period. They must also accomplish a minimum of 20 contact hours to ensure the nursing education program’s continuation in the NP’s advanced role and population focus area within the last 24 months of the calendar or completion of advanced nursing educational program within the same period. Nursing Practitioners must comply with the Nursing Practice Act. The following roles and population focus areas are considered for application:  Nurse Midwife, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Nurse Anesthetist(American Nurses Association, n.d.). In California, to become licensed, a practitioner must be a registered nurse.  The California Board of Nursing recognizes five graduate-advanced specialty areas, including nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, and mental health nurse.  Application for APRN licensure costs $75. Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations

Texas and California’s APRN Board of Nursing’s main difference is the prescriptive authority granted to nurse practitioners. In Texas, the supervising physician must write a “prescriptive delegation” for the nurse practitioner. A DEA registration for controlled substances and a registration with the Texas Department of Public Safety must be done.  The state recently removed the need for on-site supervision by a physician. In California, only a “furnishing number” is required when prescribing medication despite the need for supervision.

References

American Nurses Association(n.d.). ANA enterprise. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from http:www.nursingworld.com

Milstead, J.A and Short, N.M.(2019). Health Policy and Politics. A nurses guide,(6th ed). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning Professional Nursing and State-Level Regulations