1. Nursing’s Social Policy Statement
The Essence of the Profession

2. Essence of the Profession
Framework of nursing practice
Value to society
Definition of nursing
Direction to nursing educators, administrators and researchers
Scope and Standards of Practice and Professional Performance

3. Social Context of Nursing
Property of society
Reflects changing needs of society
Enduring leadership
Social concerns
Authority to practice
Social contract
Collaboration

4. Social Concerns in Nursing
Organization, delivery, and financing of quality health care
Provision of public’s health
Expansion of nursing knowledge and application of knowledge
Expansion of healthcare resources and health policy
Duties under extreme conditions

5. Definition of Nursing
Nursing is the protection, promotion and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering and through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, families, communities and populations.
(ANA, 2010a, p. 10))

6. Knowledge Base for Practice
A Science and an Art
Nursing science
Philosophy and ethics
Biology and psychology
Theoretical bases
Social, physical, economic, organizational, and technical sciences

7. Regulation of the Profession
Professional regulation
Legal regulation
Institutional practices and procedures
Self-regulation

8. Applications of Nursing’s Social Policy Statement for:
Practicing nurses
Nursing students
Nursing faculty
Nurse administrators
The public and healthcare consumers