Is there a Need for National Standards of Practice?

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Newly designated positions are popping up all over. Med-Techs, Med-Aids, Medical Asst, and others I am not aware of? With 50 states of Health-Alliance Boards the confusion is all over the map. These all are different from CNA's, LPN's, etc. What is preventing the moving forward with national standards and national designations? Your thoughts?

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The United States Constitution.

We are the United States of America, not the country "America."

Each State has the right to self regulate and self license. This is why only some of the States are compact States. State "A" has no right to say what State "B" does.

Although this could be regulated via Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the USC and via the withholding of Fed money to non cooperating States.

I say let California have LVNs and Arizona LPNs and what not. Let their own individual Board of Nursing and Dept of Health and Human Services decide what they do.

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The designations don't matter, but reciprocity does, especially since hard times bring on lots of migration to find work. Other fields might want to try for the kind of portability enjoyed by nurses licensed by the 24 Nurse Licensure Compact states (it wouldn't hurt for nurses in other states to push for their state's participation).

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

If you are referring to licensure, I agree with the first OP.

If you are referring to standards of practice as referring to care--both medical and nursing--I am all for evidenced-based practice.

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o.k. Maybe I should have been more specific. I live in the corner of a state. Two adjoining other borders allow for the designation of Med-Aid. This state does not. Rn's, LPN/LVN's seem to be nationwide. I don't have an opinion. Just wondering why these are not accepted nationwide.

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Could they theoretically enforce a national standardization of medical job titles/duties, yes. Will they be able to, no.

The problem is that even though many of us do not see it there is a war being waged for State rights. Peolpe thought the debate between Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (the Commerce Clause) and the 10th Amendment was resolved in 1865 but it only drew the battle lines.

This is the reason why we do not have a national drivers license. Very reason why only certain States participate in the Compact Agreement.

Unless there is a new Constitutional Amendment we will never see a national standardization.

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Could they theoretically enforce a national standardization of medical job titles/duties, yes. Will they be able to, no.

The problem is that even though many of us do not see it there is a war being waged for State rights. Peolpe thought the debate between Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (the Commerce Clause) and the 10th Amendment was resolved in 1865 but it only drew the battle lines.

This is the reason why we do not have a national drivers license. Very reason why only certain States participate in the Compact Agreement.

Unless there is a new Constitutional Amendment we will never see a national standardization.

From a Constitutional POV, mutual interstate recognitions are better than national anything.

We have universal mutual interstate recognition of driver's licenses.

So there's no reason we can't have the same for professional licenses.

It just won't happen overnight.

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From a Constitutional POV, mutual interstate recognitions are better than national anything.

We have universal mutual interstate recognition of driver's licenses.

So there's no reason we can't have the same for professional licenses.

It just won't happen overnight.

The main problem with license recognition (the Compact) is that an individual from State A is working in State B. The Nurse commits an offense worthy of professional punishment. State B cannot do anything to that Nurse's State A license except to bar him from working in State B.

The other issue is all States have different Scope's of Practice, different Nurse Practice Acts and different educational requirements. All which suit the needs of that particular State. State A may not find a Nurse from State B to be properly educated to their standards so they want to require that people coming in from State B apply for a license so that their education is evaluated.

What suits North Dakota (pop. 650,000) may not suit California (pop. 37,000,000).

States will recognize a foreign driver's license but all have provisions on a time frame of when a domestic license is to be obtained. Usually 1 year.

However, you cannot compare a DL (something my 17 year old brother may have) to a Professional Nursing License.

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The main problem with license recognition (the Compact) is that an individual from State A is working in State B. The Nurse commits an offense worthy of professional punishment. State B cannot do anything to that Nurse's State A license except to bar him from working in State B.

The other issue is all States have different Scope's of Practice, different Nurse Practice Acts and different educational requirements. All which suit the needs of that particular State. State A may not find a Nurse from State B to be properly educated to their standards so they want to require that people coming in from State B apply for a license so that their education is evaluated.

What suits North Dakota (pop. 650,000) may not suit California (pop. 37,000,000).

States will recognize a foreign driver's license but all have provisions on a time frame of when a domestic license is to be obtained. Usually 1 year.

However, you cannot compare a DL (something my 17 year old brother may have) to a Professional Nursing License.

Sure you can, no prob. Also if a RN from one state hoses a pt in another state, you don't think a BON-to-BON communication would be ignored, do you? Reciprocity facilitates communication. And speaking of education, how much rigid uniformity of educational requirements does a state have when it licenses graduates of associate, diploma, and bachelor nursing programs alike? So apparently states don't value cookie-cutter regularity as much as you do. You worry too much. A civil and workable system of information and credential exchange suiting all will arise between states needing to balance their nursing shortages and surpluses. Let it be.

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Follow the money. MAs are cheaper than LPNs are cheaper than RNs. And the infighting among NURSES as to who is qualified is our biggest barrier to progress. Look at the ANA. They don't even want me to have my job because I am an ASN, not BSN, and therefore "only" a bedside nurse. LPNs? They aren't even mentioned. And let's not forget the aides, who all perform nursing duties with, often, nothing but a sore back and contempt at the end of the day.

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Sure you can, no prob. Also if a RN from one state hoses a pt in another state, you don't think a BON-to-BON communication would be ignored, do you? Reciprocity facilitates communication. And speaking of education, how much rigid uniformity of educational requirements does a state have when it licenses graduates of associate, diploma, and bachelor nursing programs alike? So apparently states don't value cookie-cutter regularity as much as you do. You worry too much. A civil and workable system of information and credential exchange suiting all will arise between states needing to balance their nursing shortages and surpluses. Let it be.

No, the BoNs do not communicate. Even if they did an offense committed in another State is not a punishable offense in the home State. These issues are brought up all the time, no easy legal solution.

The reasons I have cited are the reasons the California Board of Nursing cited for not joining the other Compact States.

You act as though these are my issues and my rationales that I have just come up with. This debate has been going on for decades, old issues are new again lol.

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