title: Continued competency and board regulation: one state expands options.
abstract: State boards of nursing are mandated by state statutes to ensure the ongoing safe and competent practice of licensees. However, nursing practice is characterized by diversity in educational backgrounds, scope of practice, and variety of settings. As a result, regulatory agencies face many challenges. After years of study, the Texas Board of Nursing has identified two areas for change to the current regulatory model. The first area is a recommendation that nurses obtain continuing education credit in the individual nurse's area of practice. The second area is an acknowledgment of national specialty nursing certification as one method of demonstrating continuing competency in the nurse's specialty or area of practice. Both professional and vocational/practical nurses are affected by the rule changes.
authors.affiliation: Texas Board of Nursing, Austin, TX 78701, USA. marybeth.thomas@bon.state.tx.us
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Denise A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Benbow
authors.forename: Virginia D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Ayars
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D006801:Humans; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D009743:Nursing, Practical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D013781:Texas