Journal of Perioperative & Critical Intensive Care Nursing
Open Access

Nursing Practice

The scope of nursing practice is the range of roles, functions, responsibilities and activities which a registered nurse is educated, competent and has authority to perform.
Nursing practice is underpinned by values that guide the way in which nursing care is provided. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland considers that the following values should underpin nursing practice and provide the basis for the formulation of a philosophy of nursing: In making decisions about their individual scope of practice; nurses should keep to the fore the rights, needs and overall benefit to the patient and the importance of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of quality in the health services.Nurses respect all people equally without discriminating on the grounds of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, disability (physical, mental or intellectual), or membership of the Traveller community. Fundamental to nursing practice is the therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the patient that is based on open communication, trust, understanding, compassion and kindness, and serves to empower the patient to make life choices.