Introduction

As a general rule, nurses graduate from nursing school, seek and find employment, and are so focused on being good caregivers that they forget there are legal, ethical, and moral aspects to being a nurse. One thing a nurse can be heard saying is that as long as they perform according to the requirements of their employer, they will not get “in trouble” with the Board of Nursing. The other misunderstanding often verbalized is that if they get in trouble, they can go to the Board for help. The Texas Board of Nursing’s mission is to protect and promote the welfare of the people of Texas. They ensure that each person holding a license to practice nursing in the state is competent to practice safely. This mission is clearly stated in the Nursing Practice Act (NPA)1. It is important to note that the Board is clear in stating that this mission supersedes the interest of any individual, the nursing profession, or any special interest group.
This continuing nursing education activity will give an overview of several topics as identified by the Texas legislature to be covered. In the passage of the law, the topics to be covered are the Texas Nursing Practice, the Board of Nursing rules including rule 217.112, Standards of Practice, Board of Nursing position statements, principles of nursing ethics including professional boundaries which is covered in Rule 213.273. This continuing nursing education activity meets the mandated course content from the Texas legislature and the Board of Nursing and will award 2.0 contact hours upon completion.

In addition to addressing the specific requirements, it is hoped that nurses will take away from this CNE activity, a broader appreciation and understanding of the laws, rule, and requirements laid out by the Board to ensure that each nurse is a safe practitioner. Also, the nurse should be better equipped to recognize areas in which more study is indicated. This CNE activity is about how to protect your license so you can continue to be excellent caregivers.

If you compare the Board of Nursing to other professional organizations for nurses, you will find some significant differences. Some examples of groups or organizations to which nurses can belong include but are not limited to organizations or associations that are dedicated to your specialty area of practice. To name a few, Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses, American Forensic Nurses, American Holistic Nurses Association, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and American Nurses Association are examples of an organization that address the needs of the nations registered nurses while the National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses seek to be the primary organization for vocational and practical nurses. Here are some differences between the board of nursing and other nurse-focused organizations.

Course Information

Course Instructor

Dierdre Fisher Dierdre Fisher Author

One-Time Payment

$15.00