Board of Nursing vs. Professional Nurse Association

Board of Nursing vs. Professional Nurse Association
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Board of Nursing vs. Professional Nurse Association
Boards of Nursing vs. Professional Nurse Associations
The difference between a board of nursing and a professional nurse association is mainly on account of the scope and the issues that both are pushing for or represent. The board of nursing of any state regulates the nursing practice. Their role is to ensure that the public is protected and that their safety is ensured. Their allegiance is to the public. On the other hand, nursing associations advocate for nursing issues. Their allegiance is to the nurses and their well-being. They work to ensure the “advancement of the profession” (ThriveAP, 2017).
Maryland Board of Nursing
Every state has a nursing regulation body that ensures the nursing staff delivers on their deliverables. For Maryland, the board of nursing is known as the Maryland Board of Nursing.
As per the Nurse Practice Act – Maryland Health Occupations 8-202, the board of nursing in Maryland has 14 members. Of the 14 members, nine are expected to be registered nurses, two should be licensed practical nurses, two must be consumers, and one must be licensed nurses. This lot makes up the total number of members of the board (MBON, 2021). Currently, the board is led by Gary N. Hicks, whose term expires in 2024. Gregory David Raymond is the board secretary, with his term set to expire in 2022 (MBON, 2021).
It is crucial to note that the tenure for all members is four years. And that the governor of the state selects worthy individuals to be a part of the board. However, there are a few requirements that every interested person must meet before they can be considered for a position on the board. Some of these requirements include being a U.S. citizen as well as a state resident. One must also be an active nurse in Maryland with a Maryland-issued RN license. Finally, one must “have at least five years of experience, including at least three years immediately before appointment” (MBON, 2021).
As indicated, the Maryland governor makes the last call on who gets to be on the board. However, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene also has an input on the same. Any interested parties need to submit their application with their biographical information, the resume, an appointee exemption disclosure form, and a nomination form (MBON, 2021).
The Impact of State Regulation on Nurse Practice
State regulation greatly influences nursing practice. The deliverables for the nursing staff happen to be influenced by how much freedom they are allowed by the state regulations. For example, the scope of practice for nurses influences their effectiveness. The states that allow nurses to have a greater scope of authority end up having greater access to healthcare and enhanced healthcare utilization (Xue et al., 2016). In the end, nurses end up having a much greater impact in the healthcare sector. As Xue et al. (2016) note, such a move could help enhance primacy care capacity. Adopting such a move could ...