Report on Scope of Practice, NMBA Framework for Enrolled Nurses

This report provides a detailed analysis of the scope of practice for enrolled nurses, focusing on their defined roles, responsibilities, and decision-making abilities within the healthcare system. It emphasizes the significance of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) framework in guiding enrolled nurses' practice, ensuring patient safety and effective care delivery. The report explores the factors influencing the scope of practice, including education, legislation, and competency, and highlights the importance of the NMBA's decision-making framework. It also examines the crucial role of education, competency, and authority in enabling enrolled nurses to perform their duties effectively. Furthermore, the report discusses the principles of best practice, emphasizing the importance of careful decision-making, adherence to regulations, and a collaborative approach to patient care. The conclusion underscores the significance of the scope of practice, NMBA guidelines, and the essential components of education, competency, and authority in maintaining high standards of healthcare for enrolled nurses.

Running head: ENROLLED NURSES 1
Enrolled Nurses
Institution’s Name
Date

ENROLLED NURSES 2
Introduction
Scope of practice for enrolled nurses denotes the task that they are authorized or has the
knowledge to undertake. Its importance includes ensuring enrolled nurse’s practice and offer
services that they are competent on and thus, providing effective care. In so doing, the nursing
board has come up with a decision-making framework for use by enrolled nurses (Gill et al.,
2012). Additionally, enrolled nurses’ educational attainment, authority and competency help to
perform given tasks. Lastly, for best practices, NMBA decision-making framework sets out
principles that enable enrolled nurses not to compromise safety.
Scope of practice for Enrolled Nurses
Enrolled nurses have broad but specified functions, activities or responsibilities and
decision-making ability that they are tasked with often dependent on their profession, authority
and competency (Ruth et al., 2013). This is referred to the scope of practice and determines most
of their decision making. There are some factors that dictate the scope of practice among
enrolled nurses. These include but are not limited to education, the wider environment,
legislation, the specific setting, health needs of the given population and policy. However,
coming up with decisions relating to their scope of practice, enrolled nurses are guided by
decision- making tools. In particular, the scope of their practice expects them to recognize and
also apply all domains in addition to the contexts of practice. Additionally, the scope must be one
that guides enrolled nurses to acknowledge individual ability, for instance, skill, knowledge, and
competence during the practice (Halcomb et al., 2014). Lastly, enrolled nurses’ scope of practice
is aimed at enhancing quality and safety when integrated with a method that that can manage
risk.

ENROLLED NURSES 3
NMBA framework and its guidance to Enrolled Nurses
The Board provides several pieces of advice to enrolled nurses that act as their guide.
These are provided in the form of principle which forms the bases of their practice. Firstly, the
board advice enrolled nurse that the main aim for decision is to meet the patients’ needs to
enhance his or her health status (Skår, 2010). In addition to that, the board elaborates that
enrolled nurses must ensure that they do not make a judgment on their own or in isolation in
matters that they may be incapable of solving but rather seek consultation from team members
either through collaboration or consultation (Jacob, McKenna, & D'Amore, 2014). Moreover, all
the decision that nurses make must be done together with the client and have to be responsible
for the services provided to the client. Therefore, it requires that the practices must be backed by
legislations, the level of skilled that the nurses possess or be willing and be willing to perform
the task.
The Importance of Competency, Education, and Authority
It is known that there must be a certain level of skills, legislation or experience that must
govern one in administering services. For enrolled nurses, education plays a key role in that it
provides the necessary knowledge that they need to carry on with their duties (Cant, & Cooper,
2010). The boards thus expect enrolled nurses to have certain qualification for them to start
practicing. In addition to that, education offers nurses with the right to carry on a certain duty.
According to the regulations provided by the Board, it highlights the scope of practice where one
has to possess certain educational attainment (Pulcini et al., 2010). On the other hand, an
enrolled nurse must be competent to perform a duty. This is because the outcome of the activity
may need to be evaluated and if it falls below the expected standards, then, she or he must be

ENROLLED NURSES 4
held accountable for the same (Jacob, Sellick, & McKenna, 2012). Lastly, having authority to
either undertake or transfer duties, for enrolled nurses, authority gives them the mandate to
perform a duty.
Decision Making Framework and Best practice.
The framework sets out principles that, when adhered to, helps enrolled nurses to
maintain and achieve best patient’s outcome. Firstly, the board recommends that all decision
must be made in a careful manner that enhances health outcome (Hayes, Bonner, & Pryor, 2010).
It can be done through comprehensive evaluation of the woman’s health needs. Secondly, the
decision ought to be based on justifiable and be supported by thorough acknowledgment of
specific regulations or professional requirements that are applicable (Lubbe, & Roets, 2014).
Another thing that ensures best practice is that all the people in the organization, which includes
the manager, health practitioners or midwives share responsibility in ensuring that there is a safe
environment for the working of people, or that there is continuance education for health workers
to improve their skills and competency especially in emerging issues (McMullan, Jones, & Lea,
2010). Lastly, decision-making process helps in analyzing shortage of staff, the risk and quality
management or whether professional standards are adhered to by enrolled nurses. These are
some of the many ways that help in maintaining best and quality practice for patients.
Conclusion
Thus, it is evident that the scope of practice for enrolled nurses in important and tries to
elaborate on the roles or rather, their area of specialization. Moreover, NMBA provides guidance
that helps enrolled nurses to base most of their decisions. In addition to that, in nursing, just like
in any other profession enrolled nurses must have requisite education, competency, and authority

ENROLLED NURSES 5
to carry on a specific task. Lastly, decision-making framework sets out principles that help in
maintaining the best health care practice for enrolled nurses.

ENROLLED NURSES 6
References
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Halcomb, E. J., Salamonson, Y., Davidson, P. M., Kaur, R., & Young, S. A. (2014). The
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