Peer Responses:
- Length: A minimum of 170 words per post, not including references
- Citations: At least two high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years
- Relate to another journal article/literature
Standardized Procedures are guidelines and protocols that ensure nurse practitioners function within their scope of practice to address the needs of patients. A nurse practitioner can perform procedures set forth under the guidelines but must show proficiency through education, experience, and training (State Law Chart: Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority, 2017). These guidelines dictate when clinicians should seek a second opinion, refer a patient, education requirements, and practice evaluation. The healthcare system requires collaboration between nursing, medicine, and administration to develop standardized procedures, which are considered independent once doctor approval is obtained and must meet agency standards (State Law Chart: Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority, 2017).
Standardized procedures dictate specific roles and responsibilities for advanced practice practitioners. Practice is also governed by specifications dictated by the healthcare facility or system. In California, these standards may permit nurse practitioners to carry out specific tasks, such as signing off on home health services after being evaluated by a physician.
In North Carolina, advanced practice providers must maintain a collaborative agreement with an overseeing physician. Guidelines are typically outlined in the collaborative agreement, including ongoing supervision, consultation, collaboration, referral, and evaluation of care the nurse practitioner provides (Logic, 2021). The supervising physician is not required to be on-site but must be available through some mode of communication.
The North Carolina Board of Nursing and the North Carolina Board of Medicine jointly regulate nurse practitioners through the Nurse Practitioner subcommittee (Logic, 2022). Despite maintaining separate rule codifications, the scope of practice and requirements for nurse practitioner practice are identical (Logic, 2022).
References
Logic, S. (2022). Nurse Practitioner Laws & Rules | North Carolina Board of Nursing. https://www.ncbon.com/practice-nurse-practitioner-…
Logic, S. (2021). Nurse Practitioner | North Carolina Board of Nursing. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.ncbon.com/news-publications-statistics-frequently-asked-questions-nurse-practitioner
State Law Chart: Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority. (2017). American Medical Association. Retrieved February 28, 2024, from https://www.ama-assn.org/sites/ama-assn.org/files/…
