Professional regulation: determinants and strategies.
This paper discusses the nature of nursing's social contract, in particular the way in which nursing practice is or should be regulated in order to contribute to quality health care. Given that professional autonomy is linked to regulation, registration, education requirements and institutional policy and procedure, setting the limitations of the current model of regulation of entry to practice and disciplinary action for default, are questioned. The concept of personal responsibility for practice is introduced along with possible strategies for the ongoing validation of professional practice.
Jones
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School of Nursing & Public Health, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia.
D001315:Australia; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007392:International Council of Nurses; D007884:Legislation, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011050:Policy Making; D011057:Politics; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods