Standardized Procedures
Explain what Standardized Procedures are, their function, and how Nurse Practitioners utilize them in California. Discuss how this practice is different if you live in a state other than California.
Standardized Procedures are a set of guidelines and administrative policies and protocols that establish the permissible functions, activities, and level of supervision of RNs and licensed nurses for practice beyond essential nursing education preparation. These Standardized Procedures authorized in the Business and Profession Code, Section 2725 in California Code Regulation CCR 1480 (Balestra, 2017). They give nurse NPs the ability to perform functions that they would otherwise be considered the role of a medical practitioner.
In California, Nurse Practitioners are governed by these procedures under the state nurse practice act, which requires the Nurse Practitioners to work under the standardized procedures for authorization to perform overlapping medical functions (CCR 1485) ( Spetz, 2018). Nurse Practitioners working under collaboration with physicians should stick to the standardized procedures that are in place. Other than that, Nurse Practitioners in California need to attain certification from the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) for them to able to prescribe drugs .under the standardized procedures developed by their supervising physician ( Spetz, 2018). The physicians are expected to take legal responsibility for the NPs’ practice and determine the right level of supervision as they oversee the Nurse Practitioner’s quality of care.
Standardized Procedures are essential to nursing practitioners if they are expected to perform tasks meant for physicians due to the strict nature of the Medical Practice Act effectively. Examples of such roles other than issuing prescriptions can diagnose mental and physical conditions, treat injuries, and treat diseases (Llamas, 2019). In California, these protocols are vital for the advancement of Nurse Practitioners and them to perform competently in the healthcare field. Flexibility and adaptability are core qualities for nurse practitioners in California, working under the Standardized Procedures to deliver the highest degree of quality care.
Reference
Spetz, J. (2018). California’s Nurse Practitioners: California Health Care Foundation; Healthforce Center.
Balestra, M. (2017). All About the SPs What to Know About Standardized Procedures. California Association for Nurse Practitioners.
Llamas, J. V. (2019). The Significance of NPs in Conceptualizing and Implementing Standardized Procedures in the Clinical Setting. MINORITY NURSE.