Nursing degree requirement

State Board of Nursing Proposes Practice Requirement

The State Board of Nursing is proposing a change to the re-licensure rules that would add a requirement for nurses to work a minimum of 960 hours in 5 years. This decision was based on a study showing that nurses view active practice as the largest contributor to their current abilities (the study can be viewed at www.ncsbn.org). Licensees who do not meet the requirement may either place their license on inactive status or complete a refresher course.

In the proposed rule "practice" is interpreted to mean any job or position that requires or recommends an RN or LPN license as well as any activity performed as an employee or volunteer that is within the legal scope of nursing practice. In addition to bedside nursing, activities such as teaching nursing, supervising care, consulting, clinical experience in a nursing program, serving as a volunteer with a nursing organization or in health screening will qualify as practice. The legal definition of nursing includes the following:

a. Diagnosing and treating human responses to actual or potential health problems

b. Assisting individuals and groups to maintain or attain optimal health by implementing a strategy of care to accomplish defined goals and evaluating responses to care

c. Assessing the health status of individuals and groups

d. Establishing a nursing diagnosis

e. Establishing goals to meet identified health care needs

f. Prescribing nursing interventions to implement a strategy of care

g. Delegating nursing interventions to others who are qualified to do so

h. Providing for the maintenance of safe and effective nursing care that is rendered directly or indirectly

i. Evaluating responses to interventions

j. Teaching nursing knowledge and skills

k. Managing and supervising the practice of nursing

l. Consulting and coordinating with other health care professionals in the management of health care

m. Performing additional acts that require education and training as prescribed by the board and that are recognized by the nursing profession as proper to be performed by a professional nurse.

Response to "Question of the Month" July 2003

The following is one of the responses to an article featured in the july 2003 issue titled Staffing Ratios Threaten Patient Safety. The Arizona Nurse asked, "What is your response to this article on nurse/patient staffing?" The member has chosen to remain anonymous.

"I am concerned about ratios having worked them myself. I returned to the bedside after primarily working home health for years and completing a masters degree. I continue to be overwhelmed by ratios in acute care. The ratios are worse in sub-acute floors of nursing homes. I was the evening supervisor for a huge facility, carrying a load, and I was the only RN in house with LPNs. My loads were usually 13:1 without the supervisory status and had to do my own orders and treatments, and pass all the medications. The medications were up to 15 per patient. Who has time to look up the side effects when you are trying to get all of the work done? Many times I could not complete all of my tasks and attempting to do the job in only eight hours plus charting is completely dangerous. Not to mention admissions and discharges."

The question of the month for the next issue is:

What is your response to the article on this page about the new practice requirement?

Please send your responses to the Editor, Barbara K. Miller at barbara.k.miller@asu.edu or to Mary Faken at mary@aznurse.org.

The Arizona Nurse is seeking your suggestions for future "Questions of the Month". Please send your ideas to the e-mail address indicated above.