Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1000-01-.14 - STANDARDS OF NURSING COMPETENCE
The Board requires all nurses to document evidence of competence in their current practice role. The Board believes that the individual nurse is responsible for maintaining and demonstrating competence in the practice role whether the recipient of the nursing intervention is the individual, family, community, nursing staff, nursing student body, or other.
(1) Standards of Nursing
Practice for the Registered Nurse
(a)
Standards Related to the Registered Nurse's Responsibility to Implement the
Nursing Process - The Registered Nurse shall:
1. Conduct and document nursing assessments
of individuals and groups by:
(i) collecting
objective and subjective data in an accurate and timely manner.
(ii) accurately sorting, selecting, reporting
and recording the data.
(iii)
validating, refining and modifying the data by utilizing available resources
including interactions with the client, family, significant others, and health
team members.
2.
Establish critical paths and teaching plans based on individual patient's plans
of care after prioritizing need upon completion of a comprehensive
assessment.
3. Develop the plan of
care/action based on a comprehensive assessment, desired outcomes, and current
knowledge.
4. Safely implement the
plan of care/action either directly or by delegation.
5. Establish and maintain a therapeutic
nurse/client relationship.
6. Seek
resources for patients/clients with cultural, physical or language
barriers.
7. Use appropriate
teaching skill for individual or group teaching.
8. Evaluate the responses of individuals or
groups to nursing interventions and revise the plan of care where appropriate.
Evaluation shall involve the client, family, significant others and health team
members.
9. Communicate accurately
in writing and orally with recipients of nursing care and other
professionals.
(b)
Standards Related to the Registered Nurse's Responsibilities as a Member of the
Nursing Profession - The Registered Nurse shall:
1. Integrate knowledge of the statutes and
regulations governing nursing and function within the legal and ethical
boundaries of nursing practice.
2.
Demonstrate personal responsibility for currency of practice and individual
nursing actions.
3. Identify
practice abilities and limitations and obtain instruction and supervision as
necessary when implementing essential functions of the practice role.
4. Consult with nurses and other health team
members and make referrals as necessary.
5. Report unsafe practice and unsafe practice
conditions to recognized legal authorities and to the Board where
appropriate.
6. Delegate to another
only those nursing measures which that person is prepared or qualified to
perform.
7. Supervise others to
whom nursing activities are delegated.
8. Retain professional accountability for
nursing care when delegating nursing interventions.
9. Conduct practice without discrimination on
the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual preference, national origin,
language, handicap or disease.
10.
Demonstrate a respect for the dignity and rights of clients regardless of
social or economic status, personal attributes or nature of health
problems.
11. Protect confidential
information unless obligated by law to disclose such information.
12. Demonstrate respect for the property of
clients, family, significant others and the employer.
13. Participate in activities designed to
improve health care delivery in any setting.
14. Exhibit ethical behavior.
(2) All applicants for
licensure, renewal of license, reactivation of license, or reinstatement of
license must demonstrate competency.
(a) For
new licensees, successfully completing the requirements of Rule .01 or .02, as
applicable, shall be considered proof of sufficient competence to constitute
compliance with this rule.
(b) For
Registered Nurses who are practicing full or part-time, attesting to having
practiced nursing during the past five (5) years and attesting to maintaining a
personal file documenting professional competence shall be considered proof of
sufficient competence to constitute compliance with this rule. Such personal
file shall include evidence of continued competency in the work setting which
shall consist of at least two (2) of the following parts:
1. Having had a satisfactory employer
evaluation.
2. Having had a
satisfactory peer evaluation
3.
Having a satisfactory patient/client relationship.
4. Having a contract renewal, re-appointment,
or continuing contract.
5. Having
completed a written self-evaluation based on the standards in paragraph (1).
6. Having initially obtained or
maintained, during the most recent biennial renewal period, certification from
a nationally recognized certification body appropriate to practice. This part
is required for advanced practice nurses pursuant to 1000-04.03.
7. Having identified two (2) or more areas of
interest or goals and subsequently having developed, implemented and evaluated,
during the most recent biennial renewal period, a plan to demonstrate
competency for these areas of interest or goals based on the standards in
paragraph (1).
8. Having performed
activities including, but not limited to:
(i)
Satisfactory volunteer work in a position using nursing knowledge, skills, and
abilities. Examples are:
(I) The Red
Cross.
(II) Homeless
clinics.
(III) Parish
nursing.
(ii) Service
relevant to nursing on local, state, or national boards, commissions,
foundations, or agencies.
9. Having participated in the education of
students in a program leading to licensure as a Registered Nurse or to an
advanced degree in nursing.
10.
Having successfully completed five (5) contact hours of continuing education /
in-service education applicable to the licensee's practice.
11. Having had an article published relevant
to nursing.
12. Having successfully
completed a two (2) week Board-approved nursing refresher program.
13. Having successfully completed a two (2)
week Board-approved comprehensive orientation program offered by a prospective
nursing employer.
14. Having
enrolled in an approved/accredited nursing program leading to licensure as a
Registered Nurse or to an advanced degree in nursing.
(i) The individual must have satisfactorily
completed two (2) hours of nursing credits or equivalent during the past five
(5) years.
(ii) An official
transcript verifying the completion of nursing courses shall be
maintained.
15. Having
retaken and successfully completed the examination required in Rule .01 of this
chapter.
(c) For
Registered Nurses who wish to maintain an active license who are not practicing
full-time, part-time, or are not self employed, attesting to any of the
following activities which require the expertise of the Registered Nurse shall
be considered proof of sufficient competence to constitute compliance with this
rule.
1. Having performed Board-approved
activities including, but not limited to:
(i)
Satisfactory volunteer work in a position using nursing knowledge, skills, and
abilities. Examples are:
(I) The Red
Cross.
(II) Homeless
clinics.
(III) Parish
nursing.
(ii) Service
relevant to nursing on local, state, or national boards, commissions,
foundations, or agencies.
2. Having participated in the education of
students in a program leading to licensure as a Registered Nurse or to an
advanced degree in nursing.
3.
Having successfully completed five (5) contact hours of continuing education
for each year of inactivity.
4.
Having had an article published during the period of inactivity in a
professional journal acceptable to the Board.
5. Having successfully completed a two (2)
week Board-approved nursing refresher program.
6. Having successfully completed a two (2)
week Board-approved comprehensive orientation program offered by a prospective
nursing employer.
7. Having
enrolled in an approved/accredited nursing program leading to licensure as a
Registered Nurse or to an advanced degree in nursing.
(i) The individual must have satisfactorily
completed two (2) hours of nursing credits or equivalent during the past five
(5) years.
(ii) An official
transcript verifying the completion of nursing courses shall be
submitted.
8. Having
retaken and successfully completed the examination required in Rule .01 of this
chapter.
(d) For
Registered Nurses who have not practiced for more than five (5) years and do
not intend to practice in the future, compliance with this subparagraph is not
required. For Registered Nurses who have not practiced for more than five (5)
years and are applicants for licensure, renewal of license, reactivation of
license, or reinstatement of license, the appropriate application and one (1)
of the following shall be submitted as evidence of continued nursing
competence:
1. Proof of successful completion
of five (5) contact hours of continuing education for each year of
inactivity.
2. Proof of having had
an article published during the period of inactivity in a professional journal
acceptable to the Board.
3. Proof
of successful completion of a two (2) week Board-approved nursing refresher
program.
4. Proof of successful
completion of a two (2) week Board-approved comprehensive orientation program
offered by a prospective nursing employer.
5. Proof of enrollment in an
approved/accredited nursing program leading to licensure as a Registered Nurse
or to an advanced degree in nursing.
(i) The
individual must have satisfactorily completed two (2) hours of nursing credits
or equivalent during the past five (5) years.
(ii) An official transcript verifying the
completion of nursing courses shall be submitted.
6. Proof of current certification in an
appropriate nursing specialty area.
7. Proof of retaking and successfully
completing the examination required in Rule .01 of this chapter.
(e) Documentation of compliance
1. Each licensee must retain documentation of
completion of all continued competence requirements of this rule for a period
of four (4) years from when the requirements were completed. This documentation
must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by
the Board during its verification process.
2. The licensee must, within thirty (30) days
of a request from the Board, provide evidence of continued competence
activities.
3. Any licensee who
fails to complete the continued competence activities or who falsely certifies
completion of continued competence activities may be subject to disciplinary
action pursuant to T.C.A. §§
63-7-115,
63-7-116,
63-7-120, and 637-207.
Notes
Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-7-101, 63-7-103, 63-7-114, 63-7-115, 63-7-116, 63-7-120, and 63-7-207.
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