Does a nurse’s scope of practice change in a pandemic?
A nurse’s scope of practice is related to the nurse’s education, experience, knowledge, and physical and emotional ability. In addition, the practice setting of the nurse influences the nurse’s scope of practice through the policies and procedures as these reflect the regulations for the practice setting. Nurses follow the Nursing Practice Act (NPA) and Board rules as well as any other laws, rules, or regulations affecting the nurse’s area of practice. The Six-Step Decision-Making Model for Determining Nursing Scope of Practice guides a nurse in making good judgments about the tasks or procedures a nurse chooses to perform. Nurses have a duty to promote safety for their patients. Position Statement 15.14, Duty of a Nurse in any Practice Setting further explains the responsibility of the nurse to advocate for patient safety.
