Regulatory agencies:
Licensure

NCLEX-RN, exam administered by the individual State Boards of Nursing. Exam is same in every state. Provides a standard minimum knowledge base for nurses.

Regulatory agencies:
DHHA

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance

Regulatory agencies:
DHSR

Division of Health Service Regulation: oversees medical, mental health, and adult care facilities, emergency medical serves, and local jails.

Regulatory agencies:
CMS

Services for Medicare & Medicaid Services: administers the Medicare, Medicaid and Child Health Insurance programs.

Professional Organizations

Deals with issues of concern to those practicing in the profession of nursing. In North America: National League for Nursing (NLN), and American Nurses Association (ANA)

NLN

Advances excellence in nursing education to prepare nurses to meet the needs of a diverse population in a changing health care environment.
Sets standards for excellence and innovation in nursing education.

ANA

Improves standards of health and availability of health care, to foster high standards for nursing, and promote professional development and general and economic welfare of nurses.

NSNA

National Student Nurses Association (US),Canadian Student Nurses Association (CSNA)(Canada). considers issues of importance for nursing students such as career development and prep for licensing.

some professional organizations focus on

specific areas such as: critical care, nursing administration, nursing research or nurse-midwifery. Also present educational programs and publish journals.

ANA is part of

International Council of Nurses (ICN), same objectives of ANA: promote national associations of nurses, improve standards of nursing practice, seek a higher status for nurses, and provide an international power base for nurses.

Accrediting bodies:
(TJC)

The Joint Commission(for accreditation): organization that's mission is to continuously improve health care for the public, by evaluating health care organizations and inspire them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value.

Access to Healthcare

DRGs

Diagnosis-related groups: each group has a fixed amount with adjustments based on severity, rural/urban/regional costs, and teaching costs. Set dollar amounts based on assigned DRG.

DRGs: same amount regardless of

Patient's length of stay or use of services.

Primary health care: focuses on

improved health outcomes for an entire population.

Primary health care includes:

primary care and health education, proper nutrition, maternal/child health care, family planning, immunizations, and control of diseases.

Primary health care requires:

collaboration among health professionals, health care leaders, and community members. Focus is on improving health care equity, making health care systems person centered, developing reliable and accountable health care leaders, and promote/protect health of communities.

Secondary and tertiary care: Most common services

diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. Disease management most common and expensive service of health care delivery system.

Secondary and tertiary care are also called

Acute care. It is usually more costly. sometimes they do the surgeries right in the office to help minimize the costs.

Nursing care delivery systems

Preventative and Primary health Care, Secondary and Tertiary care, Restorative care, continuing care,

Competence recommended by

The Pew health Professions Commissions, a national and interdisciplinary group of health care leaders.

Competencies emphasize the importance of

public service, caring for the health of communities, and developing ethically responsible behaviors.

IOM ? identified 5 interrelated competencies that are essential for all health care workers in the 21st century

Prevention and management, care management and coordination, patient education, public health, and transitional care.