| The Nurse Practice Act is a set of state
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| | to have a personal up-to-date copy of
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| laws that govern specific aspects of the
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| | "the Act" available for easy reference.
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| nursing profession. The statutes are
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| | Regulations are generally published in a
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| generally grouped with a chapter of state
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| | compilation known as the administrative
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| laws, referred to in its entirety as the
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| | code. They should also be available from
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| Nurse Practice Act "the Act". The Act
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| | the same sources. Some of the board's
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| aims to protect the public from an unsafe
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| | written opinions may be public record, so
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| nurse by ensuring minimum levels of
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| | you may want to give the boards' office a
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| performance.
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| | call to determine if these documents
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| Individual state legislatures' determine
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| | exist and how to obtain them.
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| the Acts content, so "the Act" may differ
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| | Being Licensed in Multiple States
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| a bit from state-to-state. Nonetheless,
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| | Most states require that a nurse obtains
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| many acts address common issues such as
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| | a license to practice nursing by the
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| establishing the composition and scope of
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| | state in which they are practicing, with
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| authority for the board of nursing;
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| | an obligation to abide by that state's
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| defining the practice of professional,
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| | laws and regulations, as the condition of
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| practical or vocational nursing and
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| | accepting a license in the state.
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| advanced practice nursing; setting the
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| | As a result, in most situations, the
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| requirements to obtain a nursing license;
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| | travel nurse is bound by the Act of the
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| limiting use of the title, "nurse" and
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| | state in which the deed under review
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| listing the grounds for discipline
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| | occurred. Nevertheless, if one state
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| against a nurse's license.
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| | should discipline a nurse for an act that
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| And to encourage consistency across state
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| | occurred in its borders, the discipline
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| lines, the National Council of State
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| | itself (regardless of the grounds) may
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| Boards of Nursing developed a Model
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| | serve as the basis for additional
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| Nursing Practice Act, available at
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| | discipline in each of the other states
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| Individual State Boards of Nursing can
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| | where the nurse is licensed.
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| exercise a great deal influence over the
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| | Consequently, a nurse may be disciplined
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| Act, although they don't author "the Act"
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| | in multiple states stemming from one
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| because they are the administrative
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| | incident.
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| agency charged with implementing and
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| | Some states have entered into a Nurse
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| interpreting "the Act" within the scope
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| | Licensure Compact, which permits a
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| of authority granted to them by the
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| | licensed nurse to practice nursing in
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| legislature.
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| | other states without obtaining a separate
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| A nurse needs to be knowledgeable about
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| | license. Visit the National Council of
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| their legal obligations associated with
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| | State Boards of Nursing at the domain
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| "the Act". In addition, "the Act" may
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| | listed earlier for more information.
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| allow a licensed nurse to seek the
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| | The nurse must abide by the laws of the
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| boards' written opinion regarding "the
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| | state where he or she is practicing, so
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| Acts" interpretation, which the nurse may
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| | complaints about the travel nurse would
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| consider when evaluating legal options.
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| | be processed by the state where the
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| On the other hand, not all laws governing
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| | alleged violation occurred, but would
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| the practice of nursing are found in "the
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| | also be reported to the travel nurse's
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| Act" or its' regulations. Legal
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| | home state.
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| obligations common to various licensed
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| | Licensed nurses should be familiar with
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| healthcare professionals will apply to
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| | the Nurse Practice Act of whatever state
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| nurses, such as confidentiality
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| | or states they hold a license. The maxim
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| requirements or mandatory reporting of
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| | "Ignorance of the law is no excuse"
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| suspected child abuse but these
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| | clearly applies in this arena. Remember,
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| obligations are generally found outside
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| | nurses can be held accountable for
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| "the Act".
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| | compliance with all laws governing their
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| Most public libraries should have a copy
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| | performance.
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| of the state statute books which should
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| | All nurses are strongly encouraged to
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| have a copy each individual states act.
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| | obtain and review a copy of the current
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| However, be sure to get a copy of the
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| | act(s) governing their practice and to
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| most current version and check for the
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| | become knowledgeable about the boards
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| latest amendments that may not be
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| | overseeing those acts.
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| included in the format you're using. It
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| | This article may be reproduced only in
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| also wouldn't hurt every licensed nurse
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| | its entirety.
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