Running head: SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

Self-Assessment of Nursing Standards of Practice

Jenna Applebach
Ferris State University

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

Self-Assessment of Nursing Standards of Practice

Professional nurses practice under the American Nursing Associations Scopes and
Standards of Practice. Often, they are unaware of this because the Standards are an innate part of
professional nursing. Throughout my clinical experiences as a nursing student, I have found that
I have met most of the Standards. Specifically, I have met most of Standards 7-16, with the
exception of parts of Standards 15 and 16. I will be covering how I have met these standards,
how these standards apply to practice, and what I can do to maintain competency in each
standard.
Standard 7: Ethics
According to White, OSullivan, and Olson (2012), ethics are much like morals.
However, ethics often involve making the most morally correct decision, even if all options
seem less than acceptable (p. 114). Ethics apply to practice in that we, as nurses, are constantly
making decisions to do what is best for our patients each day. Ethics is more of an umbrella-term
for the concepts of nonmaleficence, beneficence, and respect for autonomy. Ethics are the
essence of nursing and nurses demonstrate ethical behavior in their everyday practice. I
demonstrate ethical behavior during clinical in that I adhere to best practice for my nursing
actions and all care I have performed has been in the best interest of my patients.
Standards 8 & 9: Education & Evidence-Based Practice and Research
Under Education, nurses are constantly being educated on and gaining knowledge about
the current best practice in nursing and are expected to use this knowledge for competent and
quality care measures (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2010, p. 49). Under EvidenceBased Practice and Research, The registered nurse integrates evidence and research findings
into practice (ANA, 2010, p. 51).

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

Both of these standards apply to nursing in that, through our work and our experiences,
nurses are constantly learning new facts and skills. These facts and skills then replace old
methods and ways of providing care because they improve the quality of care. These new
methods become evidence-based practice because they are more effective than older methods.
Nurses may also decide to go back to school to advance their degree and further their education.
I demonstrate both of these standards in that, through nursing school, I am learning skills
and methods of care that are evidence-based practice. Simply by attending nursing school and
participating in clinical experiences, I am constantly learning about evidence-based skills and
using those skills to guide my practice.
Standard 10: Quality of Practice
According to ANA (2010), Quality of Practice involves the registered nurse contributing
to quality nursing care and practice (p. 52). Quality of Practice also involves improving care
through creativity and innovation; participating in quality improvement in all aspects of nursing,
from research to developing policies to participating in interprofessional teams; and documenting
the parts of the nursing process in a competent, ethical, and responsible manner (ANA, 2010, p.
52).
Nurses contribute to the quality of their practice all the time. By adhering to evidencebased practice, advancing their levels of education, participating in polls and surveys to
ultimately improve quality of care, sharing ideas about new methods of practice, advocating for
patients, documenting nursing actions and observations in an accurate and timely manner,
applying ethics as a foundation for all care provided, and sharing new research findings, nurses
contribute to Quality of Practice.

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

I have contributed to Quality of Practice, firstly, by adhering to evidence-based practice

in my nursing actions. For instance, when I have inserted indwelling catheters, I have maintained
a sterile environment during insertion of the catheter. When I gave an intramuscular shot of a
medication (which I cannot remember the name of), I used the Z-track method. When I give
shots of Lovenox, I make sure that the bubble in the syringe is injected last. Secondly, I
contribute to Quality of Practice by documenting my actions and observations in an accurate and
timely manner.
Standard 11: Communication
The registered nurse communicates effectively in a variety of formats in all areas of
practice (ANA, 2010, p. 54). Nurses are responsible for ensuring that they are communicating
effectively with their patients, fellow nurses, nurse techs, and interdisciplinary team members in
order to minimize confusion and errors from miscommunication. They must also voice their
concerns over physicians orders and other care orders so that they may effectively advocate for
their patient. Communication is a huge part of nursing.
Nurses participate in communication all the time through interdisciplinary meetings, unit
rounds, patient education, speaking with the family members of patients, delegating tasks for
their nurse technicians, speaking with fellow nurses, discharge planning and teaching, and
speaking with physicians about patients. The list goes on and on.
I participate in communication all the time during my clinicals. For instance, I tell my
patients about the medications I give them and what they are for, I communicate with my
assigned nurses regarding patient care and changes in patient status, I formulate plans with nurse
techs to get patient care done in a timelier manner, and I have questioned occupational therapists
about their actions to improve patients conditions. Again, the list could go on and on.

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

Standards 12 & 13: Leadership & Collaboration

According to ANA (2010), leadership involves overseeing the care of people, showing
respect for coworkers, communicating effectively, participating in organizations, mentoring
colleagues to advance quality nursing practice, and looking for ways to improve nursing practice
(p. 55). Collaboration entails communicating with interdisciplinary care team members, the
patient, and family of the patient; the promotion of conflict management and mitigation; and a
willingness to work as an effective team member (ANA, 2010, p. 57). I believe that these two
standards go hand-in-hand.
Nurses constantly exercise leadership and collaboration in that they act as advocates for
their patients, pay close attention to and document the status of their patients in a timely and
accurate manner, orientate and teach new nurses, communicate with interdisciplinary care
members, and work together to provide quality care for their patients.
Through my participation as charge nurse for a day during my clinical experience, even
though I did not necessarily lead nursing students by assigning patients and making a plan for
the day, I did get to experience a bit of what it was like to be in charge of a team. I walked
around and asked nursing students how they were doing and if they needed anything and also
shadowed a charge nurse to see what her job entailed. I demonstrated collaboration by
communicating with student nurses and participating in hourly unit rounding.
Standard 14: Professional Practice Evaluation
Professional Practice Evaluation involves the nurse evaluating her own nursing practice,
obtaining feedback from coworkers regarding her practice, keeping tabs on her strengths and
weaknesses and biases, and looking for areas of improvement in order to provide ethical and
quality care (ANA, 2010, p. 59).

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

Professional Practice Evaluation is an integral part of nursing in that nurses are constantly
being made aware of the quality of their care through feedback from their patients. Nurse
managers evaluate their nurses practice and show them areas of strength and weakness. Nurses
can then take this feedback and improve or maintain the care they provide.
Through my weekly clinical evaluations, I have kept tabs on my areas of strength and
weakness. By doing so, I could work to improve or maintain skills and general nursing practice. I
have also done a biases assignment where I was made aware of certain biases I may have
towards people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Because I am now aware of my
biases, I can consciously work against these biases to provide equal care to all my patients,
regardless of background and skin color.
Standards 15 & 16: Resource Utilization & Environmental Health
Resource Utilization is more of a mixed-bag Standard in that it can either be about nurses
utilizing their resources to provide safe, effective care or to utilize resources in a careful,
financially responsible manner to avoid unnecessary expenditures (ANA, 2010, p. 60). Under the
Environmental Health Standard, according to ANA (2010), this standard is implying that nurses
must minimize unhealthy environmental climates for their patients, use healthcare products in an
environmentally-friendly manner, and determine whether or not products or treatments pose
environmental threats (p. 61). I lumped these two standards together because I have yet to
demonstrate them in my nursing practice.
Nurses constantly utilize resources such as fellow nurses, physicians, and the Internet to
question and look up unfamiliar medications so that they can be administered in a safe manner.
They use policy procedures and fellow nurses as a guideline for performing unfamiliar
interventions. Nurses also only use as many resources as needed to get the job done. An example

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of this would be cleansing and bandaging a wound: The nurse is careful not to over-use different
types of bandages in order to decrease hospital expenditures of such items. As for environmental
health, an occupational nurse might evaluate the environmental safety of a work site and perform
measures to minimize health risks. Nurses also make sure to waste extra medications in an
environmentally-safe manner.
Because I have only partially met the Resource Utilization Standard in using my
instructors and the Internet as resources for best practice, as a future nurse, I will try to advocate
for resources that I have found to help me in my practice. I will also consider my patients unique
needs to determine which resources I will use to give them the best care possible. As for the
Environmental Health Standard, I will work to ensure that my patients are in a quiet, healing
environment by keeping their doors closed or ajar as necessary. I will work to ensure that they
are labeled as a fall-risk patient as necessary and that all alarms and other fall-risk measures are
in place for safety. I will also waste extra medication in an environmentally-safe manner.
Maintenance of Competency
I have met the majority of Standards 7-16. However, I need to formulate a plan to
maintain my competency and professionalism in each Standard. Therefore, first and foremost, I
think that reflecting on my performance under each of these standards on a weekly basis would
be a great way for me to determine my areas of strength and weakness. I could improve upon
areas of weakness once I am aware of them. I love to journal, so I could achieve this through
journaling. Second, another method to maintain competency is to ask for feedback from
coworkers and to evaluate the effectiveness of my care through my patient interactions and
feedback.

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF NURSING STANDARDS

References
American Nurses Association. (2010). Scope and standards of practice: Nursing (2nd ed.). Silver
Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.
White, K.M., OSullivan, & Olson, L.L. (2012). The essential guide to nursing practice. Silver
Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.