Like any other professional fraternity, nursing is managed and controlled by a certified body. Though there are various specialties in nursing, they all fall under one management. A lawful Board of Nursing (BON) is the superior most organ that controls nursing (Cassiani et al., 2020). In some states, this body is referred to as the Nursing Council. Such an organization governs nursing practice based on the country’s laws, legislation, and policies. The BON is responsible for administering licensing exams to all practitioners and giving them work permits (Cassiani et al., 2020). The Nursing Practice Acts empower the BONs to protect the nursing conduct and the public from harm during care delivery. The law allows the organ to revoke licenses for any staff involved in malpractice.
The nursing councils and Boards manage nurses at a national level. At the healthcare facilities, there are other nursing management ranks. Hospitals have the position of chief nursing leaders, nurse managers, and units in charge (Hemberg & Salmela, 2021). The nurse leaders are responsible for controlling the nurses and overseeing nursing units. They ensure that nurses adhere to the laid protocols and procedures. This is primarily aimed at enhancing the of quality care and patient satisfaction (Hemberg & Salmela, 2021). The nurse managers handle nursing services and human and financial resources. Further, they must align the nursing department goals to meet the facility’s strategic objectives.
The unit in charge controls the working staff operating in a ward. They balance and allocate nurses’ duties as per their skills. They also ensure that the patient-to-nurse ratio is appropriate and that quality care is guaranteed. The in-charges manage resources in the unit by ordering equipment and ensuring diligent usage (Hemberg & Salmela, 2021). The ward manager must support the clinical nurses as they execute their roles. Additionally, they are responsible for mentoring junior staff members and nursing students.
References
Cassiani, S. H. D. B., Lecorps, K., Cañaveral, L. K. R., da Silva, F. A. M., & Fitzgerald, J. (2020). Regulation of nursing practice in the Region of the Americas. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 44.
Hemberg, J., & Salmela, S. (2021). Integrity and Efficiency in Nursing Leadership: An Integrative Review. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 14(2), 1496.