1. Model of Professional Nursing Practice Regulation
By: Libby Bledsoe

2. What it Demonstrates
This model demonstrates the way nurses use the Standards of Practice, Standards of Professional Performance, Professional Competence, and Evidence Based Practice to achieve the goal of safe and quality nursing practice.
A nurse must incorporate all of these levels into their practice and using evidence to provide safe and quality care.

3. The Model
The four levels represent all of the regulations and rules nurses follow in their practice and how they are layered depicts the order in which they are to be used.

4. Lowest Level
The bottom, or lowest level, of this pyramid depicts all of the responsibilities, ethics, scopes of practice, and certifications a nurse must abide by in their practice.
The pyramid states, “ Nursing Professional Scope of Practice, Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, and Specialty Certification.”
All of these are separate aspects the ANA believes every nurse is responsible for, but they all play a large role in being the foundation of this pyramid that the other layers build on.
Standards of Practice Includes the Nursing Process: ADPIE

5. Second Level
This level defines the regulations nurses are upheld to by the Nurse Practice Act and Rules and Regulations.
Rules and regulations are from the institution the nurse is employed at and should be well aware of these before they begin working.

6. Third Level
This level is titled, “Institutional Policies and Procedures”
Each institution has made up their own standards of care that fall under the Nurse Practice Act
Rules and regulations are from the institution the nurse is employed at and should be well aware of these before they begin working.

7. Top Level This level is called Self Determination
A nurse must consider all previously stated levels to ensure professional nursing practice and meeting all regulations.
The definition of self determination is: “the power or ability to make a decision for oneself without influence from outside”
This is an important part of nursing because nurses have the right to refuse if they do not agree with following a doctor’s order. They are responsible for their own license and to make their own decisions while using their scope of practice, and all other Nurse Practice Act guidelines and regulations.

8. Summary
This model depicts the scope of nursing practice and how nurses are to decipher what they can or can not do in their profession.
A professional practice model describes how registered nurses practice, collaborate, communicate, and develop professionally.
Having this visual model can help show nurses their decision making process so they can provide clear, concise, educated, quality, safe, and effective care.

9. The ANA “Nurses advancing our profession to improve health for all.”
(American Nurses Association, 2013)

10. References: American Nurses Association. (2013). American nurses
association. Retrieved from
Components of nursing practice for the registered nurse.
(2002, August 1). Retrieved from content.aspx?id=34
Association, A. N. (2010). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). Amer Nurses Assn.