Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 410-10-.01 - Standards of Practice for Registered Professional Nurses
(1) The Georgia Board of Nursing defines the
minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing nursing practice as including,
but not limited to the following enumerated standards of competent
practice.
(2) The Board recognizes
that assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation,
teaching, and supervision are the major responsibilities of the registered
nurse in the practice of nursing. The Standards of Practice for Registered
Professional Nurses delineate the quality of nursing care which a
patient/client should receive regardless of whether it is provided solely by a
registered nurse or by a registered nurse in collaboration with other licensed
or unlicensed personnel. The Standards are based on the premise that the
registered nurse is responsible for and accountable to the patient/client for
the quality of nursing care rendered. The Standards of Practice for Registered
Professional Nurses shall establish a baseline for quality nursing care; be
derived from the Georgia Nurse Practice Act; apply to the registered nurse
practicing in any setting; and, govern the practice of the licensee at all
levels of competency.
(a) Standards related
to the registered nurse's responsibility to apply the nursing process (adapted
from American Nurses' Association Code for Nurses and Standards of
Practice). The registered nurse shall:
1.Assess the patient/client in a systematic,
organized manner;
2.Formulate a
nursing diagnosis based on accessible, communicable and recorded data (which is
collected in a systematic and continuous manner);
3.Plan care which includes goals and
prioritized nursing approaches or measures derived from the nursing
diagnoses;
4.Implement strategies
to provide for patient/client participation in health promotion, maintenance
and restoration;
5.Initiate nursing
actions to assist the patient/client to maximize her/his health
capabilities;
6.Evaluate with the
patient/client the status of goal achievement as a basis for reassessment,
reordering of priorities, new goal-setting and revision of the plan of nursing
care;
7.Seek educational resources
and create learning experiences to enhance and maintain current knowledge and
skills appropriate to her/his area of practice.
(b) Standards related to the registered
nurse's responsibilities as a member of the nursing profession. The registered
nurse shall:
1.Function within the legal
boundaries of nursing practice based upon knowledge of statutes and regulations
governing nursing;
2.Accept
responsibility for individual nursing actions and continued
competence;
3.Communicate,
collaborate and function with other members of the health team to provide
optimum care;
4.Seek education and
supervision as necessary when implementing nursing practice
techniques;
5.Respect the dignity
and rights of the patient/client regardless of socioeconomic status, personal
attributes or nature of health problems;
6.Maintain each patient/client's right to
privacy by protecting confidential information unless obligated, by law, to
disclose the information;
7.Provide
nursing care without discrimination on the basis of diagnosis, age, sex, race,
creed or color;
8.Assign and
supervise only those nursing measures which the nurse knows, or should know,
that another person is prepared, qualified, or licensed to perform;
9.Retain professional accountability for
nursing care when delegating nursing intervention;
10.Respect and safeguard the property of
clients, family, significant others and the employer;
11.Notify the appropriate party of any
unprofessional conduct which may jeopardize patient/client safety;
12.Participate in the periodic review and
evaluation of the quality and appropriateness of nursing care.
(c) Standards related to the
registered nurse's responsibilities in assignment of patient activities to
unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). The registered nurse shall:
1.Determine that the care and/or activity to
be performed would be based upon orders or directions of a licensed physician,
licensed dentist, licensed podiatrist or person licensed to practice nursing as
a registered professional nurse.
2.Assign only care and activities that do not
require the skills and knowledge of a person practicing nursing as a registered
professional nurse or licensure of another health care professional. The care
and activities to be assigned must meet all of the following criteria:
a.The care and/or activities do not require
complex observations or critical decisions.
b.The care and/or activities can be safely
performed according to exact, unchanging directions.
c.The outcome and/or results of the
activities are reasonably predictable.
3.Verify that the UAP has the necessary
knowledge and skills to accept the assignment.
4.Periodically evaluate and review the
quality and appropriateness of the care provided by the UAP.
5.Not assign activities which require
licensure to an unlicensed assistive personnel.
Notes
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