“The practice of nursing requires specialized knowledge, skill, and
independent decision-making .......Because nursing care poses a risk of harm
to the public if practiced by professionals who are unprepared or incompe
...
“The practice of nursing requires specialized knowledge, skill, and
independent decision-making .......Because nursing care poses a risk of harm
to the public if practiced by professionals who are unprepared or incompetent,
the state, through its police powers, is required to protect its citizens from
harm. That protection is in the form of reasonable laws to regulate nursing. . . .
“All [U.S.] states and territories have enacted a nurse practice act (NPA).
Each state’s NPA is enacted by the state’s legislature. The NPA itself is
insufficient to provide the necessary guidance for the nursing profession;
therefore, each NPA establishes a board of nursing (BON) that has the
authority to develop administrative rules or regulations to clarify or make the
law more specific . . .
“All NPAs include:
• Authority, power, and composition of a board of nursing
• Education program standards
• Standards and scope of nursing practice
• Types of titles and licenses
• Requirements for licensure
• Grounds for disciplinary action, other violations, and
possible remedies”
(NCSBN, n.d.)
Currently in each U.S. state and territory, a law known as a nurse practice act designates an
authoritative body that defines and regulates the nursing practice of every nurse in every role.
This authoritative body, known as a board of nursing, is responsible for ensuring that nurses who
practice in that state are competent, safe, skilled, and knowledgeable about the standards set forth
in that state’s scope of practice for nurses.
This course discusses the standards for the safe practice of nursing in the state of Texas as
written by the Texas Board of Nursing in accordance with the Texas Statutes.
TEXAS NURSING LAWS AND RULES
Texas Nursing Practice Act
In Texas, nursing standards are codified in the Texas Statutes. The Texas Statutes are a
permanent collection of state laws organized by subj
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