NC State BON RN regulations and position statements??

elkpark · Feb 7, 2015

There is a section on the NC BON website labelled "Practice" that has links for the rules and regs for RNs, LPNs, and all the advanced practice roles. Have you looked there?

jodyangel, RN · Feb 7, 2015

I've looked all over their site. Very poor compaired to the stste I moved from..thanks I'll look again.

jodyangel, RN · Feb 7, 2015

No I don't see that link?

jodyangel, RN · Feb 7, 2015

Laws and Rules under RN.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 7, 2015

Info is found on NC BON website under Nursing Practice link.

jodyangel, RN · Feb 8, 2015

Yes it is vague. Does not list anything.

jodyangel, RN · Feb 8, 2015

Actually I don't know where you found the position statements..But that's at least Some direction! I guess I'm wanting to make sure I'm practicing within my scope of practice in my specialty. It's sure not easy to find any real information! Thanks!

elkpark · Feb 8, 2015

In my experience (in several different states over the years, including NC), state NPAs and the BON rules/regs are intentionally broad, general, and "vague" because the BON does not want them to be so specific and particular that they have to go through the process of changing the rules and regs (a long, tedious, complicated process) every time some new advance or development in nursing practice happens. The individual hospitals and other healthcare employers tend to have specific, concrete policies and procedures which have been approved by the state healthcare licensing agency. You're saying you moved from a state which does promulgate a specific, detailed list of what RNs can and can't do? Where was that?

elkpark · Feb 8, 2015

Actually I don't know where you found the position statements..But that's at least Some direction! I guess I'm wanting to make sure I'm practicing within my scope of practice in my specialty. It's sure not easy to find any real information! Thanks!

The links for 'Position Statements & Decision Trees" and "FAQ - Nursing Practice" are under the "Nursing Practice" tab on the BON website homepage ( Home | North Carolina Board of Nursing).

jodyangel, RN · Feb 8, 2015

No I honestly have always gone by my facilities policies, but thought that the specific scope of practice was suppose to be laid out. My mistake : )

cayenne06, MSN, CNM · Feb 9, 2015

Yes it is vague. Does not list anything.

Scope of practice is intentionally vague, because there are very few things that nurses are *prohibited* from doing. Generally your scope is limited by your expertise and your facility protocols. Intubation is a good example, as is first assist in surgery.

Certain things, like diagnosing and performing surgical procedures, are hard and fast outside of our scope, but it is not as easy as making a list of what we can and cannot do, you know?

For example, plenty of nurses can start PICC lines. If I tried to start a PICC line, it would be well outside my area of expertise and therefore my scope, and would be considered malpractice.