An RN’s primary role is to provide hands-on care to patients, whereas a PN’s is to assist in the care of patients under the supervision of an RN. A practical nurse’s role is to assist physicians and registered nurses in their daily tasks. A registered nurse may prescribe medication and provide medical diagnosis and treatment. A practical nurse can only carry out the tasks specifically delegated by a doctor (Kresevic et al., 2020). Also, RNs must pass a four-year bachelor’s degree program and the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses before they practice. After a short period of study (often 12–14 months), practical nurses are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN (Kresevic et al., 2020). Based on what has been said about the differences between an RN and a practical nurse, I will only be able to do some of the nursing tasks I have learned in school.
In response to the current opioid health crisis, the state of Ohio has followed the lead of other states and implemented a procedure that provides a nationwide signed agreement for naloxone to all pharmacists and practical nurses, along with information on how naloxone distribution programs can be implemented (Kresevic et al., 2020). Naloxone may now be given to anyone in Ohio who is in danger of an opioid overdose without requiring direct prescriptions (Kresevic et al., 2020). The National Council of Nurses says that dealing with the opioid crisis needs a multidisciplinary approach that looks at the problem from many angles.
According to Ohio state policy, all diseases should be treated with nursing, medical, therapeutic, and proper treatment methods (Kresevic et al., 2020). Initiatives toward registered nurses, licensed nurses, and unlicensed personnel are authorized, followed by detailed nursing assessments that include roles such as determining the patient’s condition and consistency, observing the intervention strategies delegated, and predicting the outcome encountered. The nurse must make sure that the people they are treating are competent (Kresevic et al., 2020).
The Good Samaritan law in Ohio indicates that a licensed professional nurse or practical nurse acting in good faith is allowed to refuse to provide care during times of emergency without being compensated, provided that the refusal is not motivated by the nurse’s preparedness and malicious misconduct (Rees et al., 2019). Since this Good Samaritan statute is premised on ensuring nurses are taken care of no matter where they are or what they are going through, it affords them protection even while they are away from home on business or vacation (Rees et al., 2019).
First and foremost, a criminal history that taints the nurse’s professional reputation disqualifies them from applying for or holding a nursing license in Ohio (Kresevic et al., 2020). Second, a nurse who applies for a license but has a history of drug crime convictions will be denied (Kresevic et al., 2020). Third, a license could be denied if the applicant has a criminal record that includes sex offenses or crimes that are directly related to the job of a nurse.
Several cases can be considered unethical for nurses. Most of the time, these things aid in restraining the nurses’ morality by highlighting the conduct the nurses should avoid. For example, when a nurse breaks the legislation protecting patient health information (HIPAA), the nurse has broken the law (Kresevic et al., 2020). The second unethical practice nurses should not engage in is performing intrusive medical operations against established protocols. Lastly, a nurse is forbidden from engaging in illegal behavior and is expected to uphold ethical standards. To help people develop good morals, I will follow the law and report any wrongdoing I see.
In Ohio, a nurse’s license must be renewed no later than two to three months before the expiration date printed on the license (Kruschke, 2018). Nurses unsure of their license expiration date may look it up with the help of the IDFPR license check application, which was designed just for them. If nurses don’t renew their licenses, they could be breaking laws and rules that are in place to protect the public and the nursing field.
Regarding patient safety, the law requires nurses to evaluate their patients’ conditions and alter their treatment plans accordingly if the patient does not seem to be responding as expected (Kresevic et al., 2020). Nurses are mandated to assess their patients’ progress repeatedly and, under the law, are responsible for ensuring their clients’ safety. The patient’s health and safety should be their priority (Kresevic et al., 2020). These actions are very important because they make sure that patients get the right care and that nurses follow all ethical rules.
As part of their duty to ensure their patients’ well-being, nurses are mandated by law to evaluate their clients’ conditions and mental steadiness and to adapt their caregiving strategies accordingly (Kresevic et al., 2020). Nurses are mandated to assess their patients’ progress repeatedly, and the law requires them to watch out for their patients’ best interests. They must ensure that all precautions are taken for the patient’s sake.
While addressing these questions, I learned that a nurse might be offered a second opportunity at obtaining a nursing license provided she experiences no more setbacks, completes her probation, is granted parole, and waits ten years. The steps one must take to get a license in Ohio State were also explained to me, as were the benefits of doing so. Having been exposed to the nursing process, I now understand how to manage unfamiliar tasks, such as the steps required to get a nursing license. This will affect the extensiveness of my nursing practice.
References
Kresevic, D. M., Miller, D., Fuseck, C. W., Wade, M., Whitney, L., Conley, M.,… & Burant, C. J. (2020). Assessment and management of delirium in critically ill Veterans. Critical Care Nurse, 40(4), 42-52.
Kruschke, C. (2018). Licensed practical nurse practice acts across the country. In Leadership Skills for Licensed Practical Nurses Working with the Aging Population (pp. 141-185). Springer, Cham.
Rees, D. I., Sabia, J. J., Argys, L. M., Dave, D., & Latshaw, J. (2019). With a little help from my friends: The effects of Good Samaritan and naloxone access laws on opioid-related deaths. The Journal of Law and Economics, 62(1), 1-27.