NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

Walden University NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing– Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

How to Write the Body for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

Stuck? Let Us Help You

Completing assignments can sometimes be overwhelming, especially with the multitude of academic and personal responsibilities you may have. If you find yourself stuck or unsure at any point in the process, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional assistance. Our assignment writing services are designed to help you achieve your academic goals with ease. 

Our team of experienced writers is well-versed in academic writing and familiar with the specific requirements of the NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing assignment. We can provide you with personalized support, ensuring your assignment is well-researched, properly formatted, and thoroughly edited. Get a feel of the quality we guarantee – ORDER NOW. 

Sample Answer for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

The Illinois state board of nursing has made several amendments to advanced nursing practice regulations. The board created a pathway for APRNs working in hospitals, hospital-affiliated settings, and ambulatory surgery centers to offer most advanced practice nursing care with no career-long collaborative agreement (Illinois General Assembly, n.d.). A written collaborative agreement is needed for all APRNs engaged in clinical practice, except those privileged to practice in a hospital, hospital affiliate, or ambulatory surgical treatment center. However, if an APRN engages in clinical practice outside of a hospital, hospital affiliate, or ambulatory surgical treatment center must have a written collaborative agreement (Illinois General Assembly, n.d.). Besides, APRNs must have an ongoing relationship with a physician to prescribe benzodiazepines and some other scheduled agents. 

The state regulations are supported in my current place of employment since the organization’s leadership allows APRNs to practice within their full scope of education without a collaborative agreement with a physician. APRNs in our organization are authorized to: conduct patient assessment; diagnose; order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests; order treatments; provide palliative and end-of-life care; provide advanced counseling, patient education, and patient advocacy. 

The scope of APRN practice differs across various states in the US. Various states grant APRNs Full practice authority, while others have Reduced and Restricted practice. States with Full practice allow APRNs to practice within their full scope of education (Peterson, 2018). APRNs with Reduced practice are required to have a collaborative agreement with a physician to engage in the elements of APRN practice. Besides, states with restricted practice need supervision and delegation to practice. The APRN scope of practice disparity negatively affects APRN professional practice since APRNs in some states are not allowed to practice as their counterparts in other states. Patients in states with Full practice have more access to healthcare since APRNs act as primary care providers (Ortiz et al., 2018).  

References 

Illinois General Assembly. (n.d.). Nurse Practice Act. https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4 

Ortiz, J., Hofler, R., Bushy, A., Lin, Y. L., Khanijahani, A., & Bitney, A. (2018). Impact of Nurse Practitioner Practice Regulations on Rural Population Health Outcomes. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 6(2), 65. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare6020065 

Peterson, M. E. (2018). Barriers to Practice and the Impact on Health Care: A Nurse Practitioner Focus. Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology, 8(1), 74–81. 

Also Read

NURS 8100 Week 10 Discussion Nursing and Health Policy in Other Nations

NURS 8100 WEEK 11 Discussion 1 Policy Analysis Summary

NURS 8100 WK 11 Discussion 2 Advocating Through Policy

Sample Answer 2 for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

The goal of the state boards of nursing is protect the safety of the community by ensuring nurses who practice are competent and have received the required training to provide care (Thomas, Benbow, & Ayars, 2010).  Since this scope of practice is defined at the state level, there can be a discrepancy in what nurses are allowed to do state-to-state and the license needed to practice in that state.  There has been tremendous effort to form legislature around the compact nursing license to allow nurses reciprocity in participating states.  However, this is not the standard with advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) (Watson & Hillman, 2010).  In the state of New Mexico, the board of nursing is actively involved in promoting and encouraging the expansion of the APRN Compact (New Mexico Board of Nursing, n.d.).  Currently, the only two states involved in the APRN are Utah, North Dakota, and Delaware (APRN Compact, n.d.).  States not involved in the APRN Compact can vary greatly in terms of scope of practice.  For example, recently in Florida it was passed that nurse practitioners have full practice authority while in many other states that has been the norm for years.  This type of discrepancy can disrupt the distribution of qualified providers across the country due to scope of practice limitations.  Additionally, it can cause confusion among practitioners on what they can/can not do by law.     

            At my organization, the state regulations are supported within my place of employment through the Professional Nursing Practice Department who advocate for state and federal legislature involving nursing and support the state regulations around registered nurses and APRNs.  This department looks at our nurse residency program, nursing credentials, nursing accreditations etc. for the academic hospital.  This department works in collaboration with several other complimentary nursing departments and reports directly to our Chief Nursing Officer.          

References 

APRN Compact. (n.d.) https://aprncompact.com/about.htm  

New Mexico Board of Nursing. (n.d.) https://www.ncsbn.org/policy-and-government.htm  

Thomas, M. B., Benbow, D.A., & Ayars, V. D. (2010). Continued competency and board             regulations: One state expands options.  Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(11), 524-528.   

Watson, E., & Hillman, H. (2010). Advanced practice registered nursing: Licensure, education,  scope of practice, and liability issues. Journal of Legal Consulting, 21(3, 25-29.  

Sample Response 3 for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

Hello . Thanks for the insightful discussion. From your discussion, I have learned that in the state of New Mexico, the board of nursing is actively involved in promoting and encouraging the expansion of the APRN Compact. However, in order to become a registered nurse in our state (Florida), one must first graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) (Toney-Butler & Martin, 2018). They must also complete a number of hours of continuing education each year in order to maintain their license. Our state board of nursing is responsible for promulgating all the regulations that govern the profession of nursing, including requirements for licensure and continuing education (Kumar & Williams, 2018). The state of Florida nursing regulations can be found on the website of the Florida Board of Nursing. There are a variety of regulations related to nurses, including requirements for licensure, practice standards, and continuing education (Delgado et al., 2021). Nurses are also required to renew their licenses every two years, and must complete 20 hours of continuing education in order to do so. 

References 

Delgado, A., Hale, E., Schulkin, J., Macri, C., & Fryer, K. (2021). Provider Perception and Office Practices of the Initial Prenatal Visit Pre–Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic. Florida Public Health Review, 18(1), 4. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/fphr/vol18/iss1/4/ 

Kumar, C. D., & Williams, D. A. (2018). Florida One Step Closer. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 44(6), 645-646. https://www.intljourtranur.com/article/S0099-1767(18)30407-0/fulltext 

Toney-Butler, T. J., & Martin, R. L. (2018). Florida Nurse Practice Act Laws and Rules. https://europepmc.org/books/n/statpearls/article-41861/?extid=29083631&src=med 

Sample Answer 4 for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

Obtaining a license is just the beginning of any nurse’s career. Just as medical technology is evolving, so must we. Most state boards of nursing require the ongoing safe and competent practice of licensees. Texas Board of Nursing has identified specialty nursing certification as one method of demonstrating continuing competency in the nurse’s specialty or area of practice (Texas Board of Nursing – Laws & Rules – Nursing Practice Act, n.d.). Both professional and practicing nurses are affected by the rule changes. 

Continuing education is essential to maintain patient safety by keeping knowledge, skills, and abilities. Forty-two state boards require national nursing certification to practice as an advanced practice nurse (Watson & Hillman, 2010). Houston Methodist hospital regulates advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) by providing written verification of recertification to continue practicing.

One of the most significant issues is that state boards of nursing are held to legislative mandates that vary from state to state—determining who should be held responsible in payment for certification and renewal. For example, should the public/organization be obliged to fund regulation to implement measures for individual nurses (Thomas, Benbow, & Ayars, 2010)? For some, this may cause an additional financial burden. 

Reference

Texas Board of Nursing – Laws & Rules – Nursing Practice Act. (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://www.bon.texas.gov/laws_and_rules_nursing_practice_act.asp

Thomas MB, Benbow DA, & Ayars VD. (2010). Continued Competency and Board Regulation: One State Expands Options. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(11), 524–528. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20100701-04

Watson E, & Hillman H. (2010). Advanced practice registered nursing: licensure, education, scope of practice, and liability issues. Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting, 21(3), 25–29.

Sample Response 5 for NURS 8100 Week 9 Discussion Policy and State Boards of Nursing

In the state of Maryland some of the advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) include certified midwives, nurse anesthetist, certified nurse practioner (NP) and a clinical nurse specialist. This should be similar to other states too. At a minimum and from personal experience Maryland board of nursing has to give permission to practice as an NP and there are basic requirements that have to be met to qualify to be certified. Not all the regulations that are set forth by the state of Maryland for APRN to practice are recent but they are however all currently used.

Code of Maryland regulations (COMAR) are the compilation of the state of Maryland regulations that help govern the state, (Maryland.org, n.d). Health care is not an exception and APRNP have to abide by the COMAR regulations. According to COMAR, (2020), APRNs can perform multiple functions independently. These include comprehensive assessments, complete a death certificate, do not resuscitate orders, interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, prescribe medications, provide care and give referrals to other providers. An NP can also practice as a registered nurse and for those who have certifications for mental health, they can admit a client on an involuntary basis for treatment.

How State Regulations Are Supported within Place of Employment

The place of employment has set standards at the same level of practice as expected by the state but for some treatment approaches the expectation is to defer to the primary physician or the medical director.  Establishing this baseline helps achieve the expected standards and also remain in compliance with the COMAR and federal regulations. The place is very supportive that when the NP completes an admission assessment, the doctor does not have to double check unless there is a concern.

As a nurse practioner, at the place of work there are multiple activities that can be performed independently. These tasks include but not limited to giving orders for medications and treatment, reviewing diagnostic tests, and responding to families as required. One task that is permitted by the state of Maryland but not encouraged at the place of work is signing of certificates of incapacity. (A. Speer, personal communication, July 26, 2021). The primary physician and the psychiatrist sign the Maryland order for life sustaining treatment (MOLST) also and only encourage the NP to sign it if they are not available. This is a task that is authorized by COMAR regulations.

How States Differ in Terms of Scope of Practice

Different states have different prescriptive authorities and conditions that they give to their APRNs. There are those states that are referred to as independent states which allow APRN independent prescribing and there are those which do not, (Schirle & McCabe, 2016).  Barriers to practice are not uncommon even when the states are flexible, health care settings can still impose different strict policies and procedures. This leads to restriction of some aspects of patient care and limited access to providers despite the states having full practice authority, (Schorn, Myers, Barroso, Hande, Hudson, Kim & Kleinpell 2022).

Impact on Professional Nurses across the United States.

Some nurses have opted to relocate or work where there is more prescriptive authority. Some nurses also have opted not to relocate but get licensures in neighboring states that can give them more autonomy. There are also nurses who have opted to work in other areas where they are needed. These areas include working as lobbyists, researchers, nurse educators and consultants. In this aspect their full potential is more effectively utilized.

References

COMAR 10.27.07.00 (2020) Practice of the Nurse Practitioner​ , http://www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/comarhtml/10/10.27.07.03.htm

Maryland.org (n.d), Division of state documents. http://www.dsd.state.md.us/COMAR/ComarHome.html

Schirle, L., & McCabe, B. E. (2016). State variation in opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions between independent and nonindependent advanced practice registered nurse prescribing states. Nursing Outlook, 64(1), 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2015.10.003

Schorn, M. N., Myers, C., Barroso, J., Hande, K., Hudson, T., Kim, J., & Kleinpell, R. (2022). Results of a National Survey: Ongoing Barriers to APRN Practice in the United States. Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice, 23(2), 118–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/15271544221076524

NURS 8100 Week 10 Discussion Nursing and Health Policy in Other Nations

There is no health care without mental health care and “access to mental health services is one of the most important and most neglected civil rights issues facing the Nation” (Haffajee et al., 2019). There are two policies addressing mental health in the United States (US), the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA), enacted in 1996, to eliminate discriminatory insurance practices, and establish the no disparity principle, in health insurance between mental health and general medical benefits. The second was the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) of 2008 to cover preventative services, mental health screenings and, eliminate the annual and lifetime benefit caps (Busch, 2012). The comparison policy is the Mental Health Act (1983) of the United Kingdom (UK), the main legislation that covers the mental health assessments, treatments, and the rights of these patients. This was amended to the Mental Health Act of 2007 mandating the health professionals, to detain, assess and treat these patients as needed, in the interests of their health, safety, or public safety (Keown et al., 2018). 

The mental disorder still has associated stigma in both countries but has improved some. There are some notable differences in the policies: In the US a visit to a psychologist is perceived as routine, however, in Britain, the same visit is a major step, and an admission of an illness, which is still considered shameful, so these mental visits are publicized (Mills & Phull, 2017). This is mostly rooted in Britain’s reserved culture that, if a person is depressed, he should not make a fuss, but get on with it, or simply sort it out, so, these mental patients cannot share this information at work, fearing it would hamper their careers, and, if claiming that the job itself was contributing to that state, could be construed, as an admission that one is simply not up to the job (Mills & Phull, 2017). The U.S. has lesser mental health professionals, about 105 professionals per 100,000 people, while the UK has twice that number of mental health workers. In the UK, mental health services are available, and free for everyone through the National Health Service (NHS), with both psychiatrists and psychologists being part of the system, however, the consultant-led medical services have an 18-week maximum wait that is mandated by law. To be able to obtain mental health care under the NHS system, patients must be referred to a psychiatric specialist by their General Practitioner (GP), because mental health care is regarded as part of a patient’s overall health care and is approached in the light of their full medical history, with no reported issues or any care denial (Mulvaney-Day et al., 20 19) This applies to all mental patients, except those experiencing mental issues related to drug and, or alcohol abuse, who do not require a referral from a GP to obtain treatment. There is flexibility in the choice of practitioner, and the patients have the right to choose their first mental health practitioner, and if unsatisfied, can opt for a second opinion. There are still waiting lists for some treatments, like inpatient treatments, but most services are outpatient, similar to the US (Keown et al., 2018). The U.S mental health policies have been described as being in the dark ages because, they were not covered, and it was legal for the insurance companies to completely deny them, just because they could, and. It was only with the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in 2008, that the U.S system was slightly comparable to the U.K system. The UK system is considered very superior due to easy and free access through primary care, to the US system,  because its care access depends on the sick person’s ability to pay, leaving the patients at the mercy of the expensive inaccessible insurance coverage plans. US citizens in comparison to the UK citizens are among the most willing individuals, to seek mental health treatments, but they are the least likely to report access or affordability issues, which results in high unmet needs. This reflects a limited health system capacity, inability to meet the required needs, with data reporting that the US has some of the worst mental health-related outcomes, the highest suicide rates in the industrialized world, and the second-highest drug-related death rates in the world (Mulvaney-Day et al., 20 19). 

Every U K resident has some form of health coverage, even before dissecting mental health services, which is distinctive, and their definition of health coverage includes mental health services. Nothing in the US mental system is free, and the patients solely depend on their insurance, and access to care depends on the affordability of the premiums, hindering much-needed care access. The NHS England expanded access to talk therapies in primary care settings more than a decade ago, through the Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies program. It now has more than 1.4 million patients in the program, served by specialized, nonclinical mental health practitioners, which has been described as the world’s most ambitious effort to treat depression, with reported favorable favorable outcomes (Keown et al., 2018). The US. leaders could learn from the UK, in terms of prioritizing mental health on the policy agenda, initiating interventions to reduce cost, and related access barriers, and overall improving and promoting the availability of community-based needed care.  

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a global, technical, and normative agency that encourages research sets standards, and develops a wide range of advisory for governments and other stakeholders in its active Mental Health Division. The WHO through its division of the Plan of Action on Mental Health (PAHO), engages in the development and implementation of programs for the promotion and prevention of mental health systems and services. It then approves and adopts them through the World Health Assembly, an example is the adoption of the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020 by the 66th World Health Assembly, with a goal to promote further development of mental health policies across the world (Jenkins et al., 2011). These were broad strategies for mental health promotion, prevention of mental illness, promotion of rights, early childhood programs, life course skills, healthy working conditions, protection against child abuse, and domestic and community violence among others.  In its 2001 Report, the WHO, functioned as a catalyst, setting out the rationale, with a broad framework for the development of mental health programmers (Jenkins et al., 2011). 

References 

Busch S. H. (2012). Implications of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The American journal of psychiatry, 169(1), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2011.11101543 

Haffajee, R. L., Mello, M. M., Zhang, F., Busch, A. B., Zaslavsky, A. M., & Wharam, J. F. (2019). Association of Federal Mental Health Parity Legislation with Health Care Use and Spending Among High Utilizers of Services. Medical care, 57(4), 245–255. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000001076 

Jenkins, R., Baingana, F., Ahmad, R., McDaid, D., & Atun, R. (2011). International and national policy challenges in mental health. Mental health in family medicine, 8(2), 101–114. 

Keown, P., Murphy, H., McKenna, D., & McKinnon, I. (2018). Changes in the use of the Mental Health Act 1983 in England 1984/85 to 2015/16. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 213(4), 595-599. doi:10.1192/bjp.2018.123 

Mills, J., & Phull, J. (2017). The Mental Health Act 1983. InnovAiT. 2017;10(11):638-643. doi:10.1177/1755738017727021 

Mulvaney-Day, N., Gibbons, B. J., Alikhan, S., & Karakus, M. (2019). Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the Use of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services in the United States, 2005-2016. American journal of public health, 109(S3), S190–S196. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305023