Scope of Practice In the simplest terms, scope of practice in the health care context means what health care workers actually do in the course of their employment. Nursing’s scope of practice therefore encompasses all of the nursing and health care activities undertaken by all nurses in the full range of environments in which nurses work. Elements of nursing’s practice are shared with other health professionals. This creates links which enhance mutual understanding of roles and facilitate the delivery of quality multidisciplinary health care. Nursing and nurses are responsible for articulating and disseminating clear definitions of nurses’ roles and the profession’s scope of practice to governments and other employers, and the community.
Nurses’ scope of practice The profession of nursing has a single scope of practice, which encompasses the full range of nursing activities. An individual nurse’s scope of practice refers to the activities which that nurse is educated and authorised to perform. The depth and breadth of an individual nurse’s engagement in the profession’s total scope of practice is dependent on their educational preparation, experience, role and the context of their practice. The national competency standards for registered nurses, enrolled nurses and nurse practitioners outline the knowledge, skills, judgement, values and attributes required by
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Nursing and Midwifery in NSW
the RN, EN or NP on entry to practice1. These standards form the minimum core for nurses’ commencing scope of practice and are the basis on which nurses build their practice and expand their scope of practice. As licensed professionals, registered and enrolled nurses are expected to be able to assess and articulate their own competence and scope of practice.
Midwives’ scope of practice The midwife is recognised as a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period, to conduct births on the midwife’s own responsibility and to provide care for the newborn and the infant. This care includes preventative measures, the promotion of normal birth, the detection of complications in mother and child, the accessing of medical care or other appropriate assistance and the carrying out of emergency measures.
1 National Competency Standards for the Enrolled Nurse, available online at: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/CodesGuidelines-Statements/Codes-Guidelines.aspx National Competency Standards for the Registered Nurse, available online at: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/CodesGuidelines-Statements/Codes-Guidelines.aspx National Competency Standards for the Nurse Practitioner, available online at: www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/CodesGuidelines-Statements/Codes-Guidelines.aspx